Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-08-23
A CALM RETROSPECT.

An extraordinary spectacle Is pre>entcH III
the conflicting views manifested in regard to 4
doctrine which has long been regarded as tie
bass Of justice and equality among the States.
Can any one doubt that the same protection
should be extended TO every species Of proper
~ carried into the territories, whether from the
sunny South OF the ftigid North? As President
Buchanan well said in his iamouS Silliman let
TER 70 the ~fanatical Connecticut clcrgymcn:
Ii a confederation Of sovereign States ac-
ouirc q new territory at the expense of their
common blood and treasure, surely one Set Of
the partners can have no righ; to exclude the
o;her from its enjoyment by prohibiting them
from taking into II whatsoever Is recognised TO
oa property by the common Constitution
But. further: The Constitution has recog-
nisei slaves 10 De property, standing on exactly
the same footing as other property, aud, there
fore. entitled 10 the same protection against
"nnirieudly legislation in the territories which,
themselves, are in a state OF mere pupilase.-
l. il. not ,nonstrous that any party should favor
the proposition OF 's4uattar Sovereignty by
which . handful Of iioatins settlers, while fully
enjoying their own species Oh property, would
Dc enabled 10 degrade the citizens OF a large
portion Of the confederacy and rob them of
property which has been fully recognised 10y
the Constitution of the United States:
For sinister purposes, it has been attempted
to involve this whole question in obscurity, and
the raw-head. and -bloody bones Of" "a slave code
has been paraded 10 brighten conservative men
out Of their propricty. But the point is not n
new one. lis justice has long been achnow-
iedeed, and lis reitcration has only been made
necessary BY the false coloring that has been
s;yea TO the Cincinnati platform under the glare
Of modern new lights. 1t is due 10 the rights
ana equality OF the Southern States, and to
the honest name and solid and permanent sue.
CESS Of the Democratic party, that the mist Of
eau.vocation should be cleared away, and that
the docL-ine Of protection Of every species
Of property should be enounced, so as to
allow Of no farther equivocation. Recent
constructions have made il q matter Of vital
necessity, that voice should be given to the
simple and truthful expounding Of the Con-
s~t.tu,ion. upon. so grave a question.
Without going father back, we may point to
he c!ea: aGd nncquivocal declaration OF the
doctrine in the United States Senate, on the
esd February last, by nearly all the Southern
Senators. and By At least one Northern Senator.
Oar readers are familiar with the strong Ian
guase employed by our own Senator's. Their
position was fortified by the concurrent decar.
l,ions Of others. Mr.. Brown, Of Mississippi,
ayowed his determination mot to cheat nor t.
&c CHEATED" and he therefore demanded that the
true doctrine should be enounced. Mr.. Green,
Of Missouri, said: The doctrine Of non-inter-
ference by Congress with slavery in the terri
tories, means, and can only mean, that Congress
should ncithcr establish nor prohibit. That
is all. Leave these questions 70 the Constitu-
ton and the Courts. But whatever rights in
dividuals have il tie Territories, may demand,
and, when demanded. mast hare adequate
protection" Eren Senator Bigler, of PENN
s~ylvan;a, evidently foreshadowed his rccogni-
ton Of the correctness OF Senator Green's
views, when he said:
~, is for the courts, and not for Congress,
to decide all legal questions that may arise as
10 the rights Of slave property in the Terrific
r.es; that IS the Democratic policy; but 1t is
no. clear that a necessity eU mefsr arise Jor
IL. ia:erJsrenee Of Congress to ereeate a right
decree q the courts"
With the truth thus placed in a nutshell, is
it no, strange that there should beany diversity
Of opinion as to the vital Importance of placing
the Democratic party Oh the high ground OF
justice and equality to all, and Of sending forth
j platform in all its simple truth, stripped of
equivoca;ion and doubt? Let the South but
plant itself firmly Oh the broad basis Of JUS
tee and truth, and the national Democrats of
the North ard West, as lovers Of the Cons.;tu-
tion and the Union, will rally to the standard.
Unlike their opponents, the national Democracy
have always boldly and m%anfully avowed their
principles, and have been rewarded by cont;n.
ued and glorious triumphs. Let the same hon
CT policy be pursued now, and a similar hap
py result will follow.
~ :1l.j 90 Morris for SCOTS