The Nevada Democrat., 1859-05-11
rh. D.noerafic Test.

to be relic of the old Whig party, discourses
at length upon the practicabillty Of a union Of
all opposed to the present administration, upon
a common platform and ticket. The writer
thinks they can all unite upon the principle of
uon-interventiOn, and act together without any
surrender of principle. As that is the doctrine
advocated by the entire Democratic party in
1856. and is still adhered to by the Douglas
Democrats, the latter will make no objections
to uniting with any and all parties who are
willing to carry out this principle in good faith
It was for this reason that the State Central
Committee, at their late session, invited the CO.
operation of all persons who adhered to the
doctrine Of non-intervention.
A majority of the Douglas Democrats believe
that the people of the organized Territories
have the inherent right to legislate for them
selves, and that Congress has no right, under
the Constitution, to interfere in their dome stic
affairs. This is the doctrine enunciated BY Gen.
Cass in his celebrated Nicholson letter. some
ten or twelve years ago, and which was practi-
cally carried out 10 the acts organizing the Ter
ritories Of Kansas and Nebraska. Many, how
ever who believe that Congress possesses SOW
eregn power over the organized Territories,
think it inexpedient and unwise for this power
to be exercised. Those who hold to this doc
trine can consistently unite with those who be-
lieve that the people of the Territories have the
inherent right to govern themselves, as the
principles of each, when prac tically carried out,
would bring about the same result, viz: non
Intervention.
However much the doctrine Of popular SOW
ereignty may be derided by sectional men of
both the North and the South. II is not proba-
BILE that the nou-ntervention principle estab-
lished by the Kansas Nebraska legislation will
be disturbed for many years to come. Sena-
tors Davis, Brown, Gwin, Mason, and others of
that stripe may howl and spit fire for the re-
mainder Of their days, but not one Of them will
live long enough to see slave code enacted
by Congress for the Territories; and several
Presidential elections will pass over before the
Republicans can possibly hope to pass bill
through Congress to prohibit slavery in the
Territories The Supreme Court may possibly
set aside and declare void Territorial enact
ments prohibiting slavery but such decisions
would practically amount to nothing, for men
will not take slaves into Territories where a
majority of the people are opposed to the insti-
tuition unless there are local laws TO protect
their property, and it is not in the province Of
the Supreme Court to dictate to Territorial leg
islatures what laws they shall enact. The
question of Territorial legislation may there
fore be regarded as settled upon the popular
sovereignty principle, and in such q manner as
to be beyond the power Of sectional dema-
gogues to disturb.
The idea Of getting up grand opposition
party, upon the principle of opposition to the
administration, is simply absurd. A party or
ganized upon such basis could not command
ten thousand votes in the State. There is
probably not an intelligent man in the Union
who would honestly say that he either approx
ed or disapproved Of every act of the admins
tration. A party without positive principles is
no party at all. An organization based upon
some temporary excitement may occasionally
succeed in carrying State or even Presiden-
tial election, but as soon as the excitement is
over the organization must also go down.
The Douglas Democrats are now well organ
lied in all the populous counties OF the State
and in most of the counties-Nevada among
the number-they will make large gains upon
the vote of last year. They are anxious to in
crease their numbers, and will not, as the ad-
ministration party are now doing, take such
course as to drive men from their ranks But
while they stand ready to welcome into full
fellowship those who may HERETOFORE have acted
with other parties, they cannot change their
principles, but will adhere firmly to that car
dinal tenet of Democracy, as laid down in the
Cincinnati Platform: "Non.interference by
Congress with slavery in the States and Terri
tories"