The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-07-07

Soo&e Doo8sas bstteG.
For the purpose Of indicating to our read.
ers the reception which the late letter OF
Judge DorGLAs meets with at Washington,
and the view taken Of it doubtless by the
President we copy the material portion Of
an article from the Constitution Of Satur.
day last:
He says, before be can determine whether
he will allow his name to be used as . can.
didate, d" it will be necessary to understand
distincly on what issue the canvass is TO be
conducted. The history Of the Democratic
party affords 90 precedent for the assump-
ton Of so arrogant position by any sspi-
rant for Presidential nomination. Andrew
jackson did not impose any such condition
precedent to bis acceptance Of the noniina-
ton. Van Buren,, Polk, Cas-, Pierce, and
Buchanan made 90 such condition nor did
Judge Douglas himself, on two memorable
occasions, in 1852 and 1856, when he sought
the Democratic nomination for the Presi-
dency, follow the course he now adopts. We
seriously dosbt that even General Jackson,
with all his power and influence, and all the
/ prestige that surrounded bis great name,
I WDutu uaNC USu tOiCih Oy tbC DNuIoNAosS
/ party had he presumed to dictate the terms
on which he could consent TO be their nom-
inee.
The Judge states that at the Democratic
party shall determine 10 the Presidential
election of 1860 TO adhere to the principles
embodied in the compromise measures Of
1850, and ratified by the people in the Pres.
idential election Of 1852, and reafirmed 10
the Kansas. Nebraska act Of 1854, and in
corporated into the Cincinnati platform Of
1856. as expouoded by Mr.. Buchanan in
his letter accepting the nomination, and APP
proved by the people in bis election, be will
permit his name to be presented to the Con
vention. 1t is certainly not to be expected
that the Democratic Convention would re
cede from the principles described in the
foregoing quotation from the letter Of Mr..
Douglas. 1t is obvious, however, that
Judge Douglas intends TO give new read
ing Of the Cincinnati platform, by substi.
tuting his peculiar notions OF squatter SOW.
ereiguty tor the doctrine Of popular soyer-
eighty AS held by President Buchanan and
the Democratic party OF the Union. The
language OF the Cincinnati resolutions,
which he had occasion to notice some days
ago, is distinct and unequvocal. Wequote
the resolution again:
Res0ired, That we recognize the right Of the
people Of all the Territories, including Kansas
and Nebraska, acting through the legally and
fairly expressed will Of majority Of actual
residents, and whenever the number OF their
inhabitants justihes it, TO form constitution
with or without domestic slavery, and be ad'
mitted into the Union upon terms OF perfect
equality with the other States.
This language is in harmony with the
decision Of the Supreme Court, with the
action Of the Democratic party in the last
Congress with the inaugural Of Mr.. Buch.
anan, and with his celebrated Silliman
letter.
IT, therefore, Judge Douglas means that
the Democratic party will retrace its steps
on this subject tor the purpose OF meeting
his peculiar views, his expectation will un-
doubtedly be disappointed.
In the closing paragraph OF his letter he
states that if it shall become the policy OF
the party TO "interpolate into the creed Of
the party such new issues Al the revival OF
the African slave trade, or Congressional
slave code for the Territories, or the doctrine
that the Constitution OF the United States
either establishes or prohibits slavery in the
Territories beyond the power Of the people
legally to control il as other property, it is
due 10 candor TO say that, 10 such an event,
he could not accept the nomination ii ten.
dercd to him."
Nobody knows better than Judge Doug.
las that the Democratic party is decidedly op.
posed to revival of the slave trade, or to
the enactment OF Congressional slave code
for the Territories 1t is rather remarkable
that Judge Douglas should lend himself to
the repetition Of this Black Republican
SANDER, when he must know that the Dem.
ocratic conventions recently held in several
Southern States have expressed their deter.
mnation to adhere implicitly to the Cincin.
natl platform.
We regret, therefore, that he has thought
il necessary to introduce the subject in the
form Of defiance to the convention. Ii
would have been more becoming 10 have
trusted the convention on these and other
topics. The assertion that. should the
convention declare that the Constitution
the United States. either establishes or pro-
hbits slavery in the Territories beyond the
power of the people legally to control it as
other property be would refuse to permit
his name TO be used, amounts to nothing
more than IN ambiguous announcement OF
the doctrine which be is understood TO have
maintained in Congress and in Illinois
namely, that the first inhabitants Of Ter
ritory have right by untriendly legsla.
ton" TO destroy the rights Of the citizens Of
the slaveholding States as guaranteed to
them by the Federal Constitution. We
have observed that this doctrine is opposed
to the decisions Of the Supreme Court, aud
the doctrine OF the Democratic party, which
- ILL., tk,t r,,,.aa,;nr, Il,