Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-09-13

The gubernatorial candidates in Ohio met
in debate, second time. at Dayton on the
9Th inst. The Republican candidate read the
following letter, written by his competitor
Judge RANNEY, in I848, to Mr.. b. F. HoFF-
NAN, as an indication of the Judges opinion
upon slavery issues:
WARREN, Sept. 30 1s4S
! am in favor of maintaining the
freedom of the Territories OF New Mexico
and California in their whole extent. and
utterly opposed 30 authorizing Slavery. or
involuntarily servitude of any kind within
them. or TO any compromise which shall doom
any part of them TO the curses of human
bondage. do not stop to state all the rea-
sons which bring me 10 this conclusion.
Suffice il to say, the maintaining of their free
dom is. IN my judgment, due to humanity, to
republican principles, to our character and
interests as people to Mexico, and above all.
to the poor OF cur own and other lands who
shall 90 there to find homes for themselves
and their families, and who would be beggar-
ed and disgraced by The contact of Slave la
Dor.
No question is better settled in this conn.,
try than that Slavery exists in State by
virtue of local law. lit is clear that it eau
no more exist in Territory without such
law. than a man can breathe without air.
Neither Congress nor Territorial Legisla-
ture, in my opinion, possess the power to
establish il. 1t can only be done by the peo-
pie when admitted as State, ..under the
general principles of the Constitution" /
have no doubt of the power of Congress to
erect Territorial Governments, and TO pro-
vide for the prohibition of Slavery within the
Territories. and am in favor of, and would
support such a prohibition
These were the views of the democratic
nominee eleven years ago. What his views
are now can be gathered from the answers
gave in his Dayton Speech to questions pro-
pounded by his competitor. The questions
aud answers are as follows
Q.-Do you deny or affirm the constitution
al power OF the Federal Legislature TO pro-
hibit slavery iu the Territories?
Al deny the constitutional power of the
Federal Legislature to prohibi. slavery in the
Territories.
Q.-Do you deny or affirm the right of
sla, eholders to lake slaves into the Terrific
ries, and hold them there as property?
A.-Without the protection OF a Territorial
law. deny il.
Q.-Do you deny or affirm that Territorial
Legislature may exclude slavery by law; that
is, prohibit by law tue bringing OF persons
into the Territories, to be held as slaves?
Al say that the Territorial law has power
over it.
Q.--Do you affirm or deny the right of
slas eholders in Territory to demand com
peusation, in the full value of their slaves,
when the Territory comes into the Union as i.
Free State?
Al deny them the first red cent.
Q.-Has Congress or a Territorial Legis-
laiure the power to establish slavery
A.-The Legislature has right 10 make all
laws for or against slavery.
Q.--Are you for or against the repeal OF
the Fugitive Slave Act?
Aim agin' it. [Laughter.1
This is plain and to the point. The demo-
cratic candidate for Governor has not re-
pented. He is still anti-slavery. He denies
the doctrine that the federal constitution au-
thorizes the slav eholder to carry his RAVES
into the territories and protects him in this
right there; and claims that the territorial
Legislature has the right to make all laws for
or against slavery. What have our demo-
cratic contemporaries who are denouncing
DoUGLAs's views as short cut to all the
ends Of Republicanism u to say in regard to
the doctrines of their Ohio brother? Can
they desire his election as the embodiment of
such doctrines? If they reject DOUGLAS and
RANNEY both, how can they consent TO act
with the masses whose representatives they
are? The Ohio democracy, judged by their
standard bearer, is little, if any, more favor
able to the rights of the South than the Re-
publicans. Indeed, so far as the slavery is
sues are concerned, there is no good reason
why Judge RANNEY should not be supported
by the Republicans. -..--