The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-10-12
OBSERVATIONS
SENATOR DOUGLAS VIEWS
OF
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY,
AS EXPRESSED N
BARRIERS MAGAZINE, FOR SEPT. 1859,
AS EXPRESSED ~

ator from Hines, has written aud printed Sn
elaborate essay, comprising thirty eight col
umns ef Harpers' Magazine, in which he has
undertaken to point out the dividing line be-
tween FEDERAL and local authority." Very ma.
ny persons have glanced over its paragraphs to
catch the leading ideas without loss Of time, and
some few have probably read tt with care.
Those who dissent from the doctrines Of this
paper, owe to its author, II not 10 his arguments
a most respectful ssswer Mr.. Douglas is not
the man to be treated with disdainiul silence,
His ability is fact unquestioned; his public
career, in the face Of many disadvantages, has
been uncommonly successful; and hs has been
for many years, working, struggling candi
date for the Presidency. He is, moreover, the
Corypheous Of his political sect-the founder oI
new school-and his disciples naturally be-
lieve in the iafsliibie verify OF his words as a
part of their faith.
The style Of the article is, in some respects,
highly commendabls. 1t is entirely free from
the vulgar clap trap Of the stump; and has no
vain adornmsrt Of classical scholarship; but il
shows no signs Of the eloquent Senator; it is
even without the logic of the great dObater.-
Many portions ci it arc very obscure. 1t seems
to be an unsuccessful effort at legal precision;
like the writing Of a judge who is trying to
givereasons for wrong decision on question
of law which be has not quite mastered.
With the help Of Messrs. Seward and Lin
coin, he has defined accurately enough the plat
form of the SO called Republican party; and he
does. not attempt to conceal his convictions that
their doctrines are, in the last degree, danger
Gus. They are, most assuredly, full OF evil and
saturated with mischief The "rrepressible
conflict" which they speak of with so much
pleasure between the opposing and enduring
iorces'' of the Northern and Southern States,
will be fatal not merely to the peace of the
country but to the existence of the government t
ITSELF Mr.. Douglas knows this, and he knows,
also, that the Democratic party is the only pow
er which is or can he organized to resist the
Republican forces or oppose their hostile march
upon the capital. He who divides and weak
ems the friends Of the country at such a crisis
In her fortunes, assumes a very grave response
bility.
Mr.. Douglas separates the Democratic party
into three classes, and describes them as iol-
lows:
"Fn,st--Those that believe that the Constitu-
ton of the United States neither establishes nor
prohibits slavery in the States or Territories be-
yond the power Of the people legally to control
it, but "leaves the peoplo thereof perfectly free
TO form and regulate their domestic institutions
in their own way subject only to the Constitu
tion of the United States"
"Sec0nd. Those who believe that the ConSti-
tuition establishes slavery in the Territories, and
withholds from Congress and the Territorial
Legislature the power to control it, and who
insist that in the event the Territorial Legisla-
ture fails to enact requisite laws for its protec
tion, it becomes the imperitive duty of Con.
gress to interpose its authority and furnish such
protection.
"Third Those who, while protesting to be.
lieye that the Constitution establishes slavery in
the Territories beyond the power of Congress
or the Territorial Legislature to control 1t, at
the same time protest against the duty of Con-
gress to interfere for its protection; but insist
that it is the duty Of the Judiciary to protect
and maintain slavery in the Territories with
out any law on the subject"
We give MIR. Douglas the full benefit of his
own statement. This is his mode Of express
ing those differences, which, he says, disturb
the harmony, and threaten tho integrity Of the
American Democracy. These passages should,
therefore, be most carefully considered.
The first class is the one to which he him
self belongs, and to both the others he is equal
ly opposed. He has no right to come between
the second and third class. II the difference
which he speaks OF does exist among his oppo-
nents II is their business, not his, to settle it,
or fight it out. We shall therefore confine our
selves to the dispute between Mr.. Douglas and
his followers on the one hand, and the rest Of
the Democratic party on the other, presuming
that he will be willing to observe the principle
OF on-intervention in all matters with which
he has no concern.
We will invert the order in which he has dis
cussed the subject, and endeavor to show
1st. That he has not correctly stated the doc
trine hell by his opponents, and
End. That his own opinions, as given by him
self, are altogether unsound.
]. He says that certain portion Of the
Democratic party believe, or profess to believe,
that the Constitution establishes slavery in the
Territories, and insist that it is the duty Of the
Judiciary to maintain 1t there wttRoM any la,o
on the subject We do not charge him with any
intention to be unfair; but we assert, that he
has in fact done wrong to, probably, nineteen
twentieths of the party, by attempting to put
them on grounds whiah they never chose for
themselves.
The Constitution certainly does not establish
slavery in the Territories, nor anywhere else
Nobody in this country ever thought or said
50. But the Constitution regards as sacred
and inviolable oil the rights which citizen
may legally acquire in State. II a man ac
quires property Of any kind in State, and
soes with itinto Territory, he is not for that
reason to be stripped Of it. Our simple and
plain proposition is, that the legal owner of
slave or other chattel may go with it into Fed
raj Territory without forfeiting his title.
Who denies the truth Of this, and upon what
ground can 1t bs controverted? The reasons
which support it are very obyioul. AS a jurist
and . statesman, Mr.. Douglas ought to be fa-
miIiar with them, and there was a time when
he was supposed to understand them very we'll
We will briefly give him a few Of them.
!. It is an automatic principle Of public law,
that right Of property, private relation, con-
dit;on or status. lawfully existing in one State