The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-05
Vol. XIII.
KENTUCKY POLITICS.

are playing most unprincipled game for the
spoils. The sham Democracy, for the sake Of
keeping or making terms with the anti-Lecomn
ton Northern Democracy" has ventured 10
take the position that Congress should not in
tervene to prevent the Territories from excln.
ding Slavery by unfriendly legislation" Tbi.
position falls short in liberality of that hereto
fore occupied by the Americans " and Whig,
But the latter, with unparalleled prostitution
have seized the opportunity to outbid the De-
mocracy for the support Of the slave iuter.s,
The American or Wing candidate. Bell tates
the ground that it is the duty Of Congress 70
protect Slavery in the Territories; and the
Louisville Journal, the old organ Of Henry
Clay, and defender of his Anti Slaverv-cxten.
sion views. comes up squarely and enthusiast
cally to the support of this ultra Southern 10.
maud
From the report Of z debate between Messrs
Bell and Magoffin, the candidates of the Win.
and Democrats for the Governorship. which tool,
place at Lebanon, Ky, we quote as follows from
the Louisville Journal:
GAS for myself, said Mr.. Bell. I have no CON.
cealments to make. By virtue of the Constitg
ton of the United States, Slavery goes into the
Territories as soon a Territorial Governments
is organized and as soon as it is organized. tie
Constitution iilngs ITS protecting wing around
IT, The power of Congress under the ConStits
ton Is ample to protect and not to impair any
right. Slave property stands on the same foot
ing as all other personal property, and, as a
Northern man has right to be protected in
any species of property, SO a Southern man has
under the Constitution the fullest guarantee f,r
the full protection of his slave property in the
Territories. He then would ask Mr. Magoffu
lst. Has Congress the constitutional power
to protect Slavery in the Territories?
I'd. Ought Congress to interfere to Urgt4cr
Southern property in slaves in the Territories
Mr.. Bell answered both these questions fully
and fairly in the affirmative, and asserted thai
it was the bounden duty of Congress to protect
not only against any actual prohibition but
against any unfriendy legislation on the part
of Territorial Legislature"
The same report continues:
Mr.. Magofiin. in his halfhour replv to..
the ground that Congress has the powertouas.
laws to protect Slavery in the Territories brr
if the Territorial Legislature refuse to pass bro
tectiye laws or legisate unfrendy to Slavery
he was on the ground, broad and square If
Congressional non-interveution. We had the
Supreme Court of the United States 10 appeal
to- and that was the last resort"
The Louisville Journal referring to thi, de.
bate in leading editorial, says:
"MAGoFFIN IN FAVOR OF SQuATrFR Soyrp.
EIGNTY-THE Issue FAIRLY MADE UP.-ItwiU
be seen from the report in our paper TODAY Of
ba diccuCsioD Of I aboro,, ~,
Democratic candidate for the Governorship IN
Kentucky has declared unquivocallv in favor
of squatter sovereignty, whilst the gifted and
glorious standard-bearer of the Opposition has
declared as unequivOcally against it,
" This settles the issue II defines the position
of the Democracy Of Kentucky on the point in
question beyond the reach of the protest Of dis
senters or the subtletv of trimmers. Ii fixes
the thing. 1t nails the party fast and firm 10
the most odious and ndcfensibe dogma that
has ever disfgured the politics of the country.
Here and there, undoubtedly, a member Of the
Democracy will twist and squirm; but the body
of the party, the party itself, is pinned immoy.
ably to the hideous and noXous doctrine The
Democracy of Kentucky is at length not only
virtually but formally committed to the vile
heresy of squatter sovereignty. The chosen
representative, the authoritative exponent Of
r
dorsed the wretched juggle DoUGL4sIsN. THE
MOST ACTIVE AND FATAL SHAPE OF ABOLITION.
ISM, Is OPENLY TRIUMPHANT IN THE Councils
OF THE PARTY
In another articls the Journal follows up the
assault spon tire Democracy " and their can.
didate in the following fierce style:
"Who does not turn with an exalting sense
Of relief and glow of pride from this rickety
and slouching heresy, to the fair and manly
and statesmanlike position Of Joshua F. Bell?
Rejecting with inefable scorn. as every candid
man of ordinary sense must do the Stdf.smGu's
cherished fallacy that the power to protect i'm.
plies the power to destroy, Mr.. Bell asserts.
frankly, at once the power and the duty Of Con
gress TO protect (if necessary the rights of the
South in the Territories Of the Union. ON
the new question of protection to Slavery in
the Territories, says the Democratic authority
from which we have already quoted, Mr.. Bel
assumed bold and decided position. He was
IN favor of the protection Of slave property by
Congressional legislation, in the event of the
Territorial Legislatures failing to pass pro-
tective laws How nobly does this position
contrast with the cOwardly and faithless dodge
OF non-lntervention, as now interpreted by the
Democracy of the State, whether resting on a
denial OF the power of Congress to intervene or
on the alleged impolicy of exerting the power
1t is as light compared with darkness"
We confess our surprise at finding Mr.. Crit.
tsnden ardently engaged in supporting this
ultra Pro-Slavery sectional ticket. From the
editorial columns of the Journal we again
quote as follows
" Hon. John J. Crittenden was present at an
Opposition meeting in Franklin county last
week, which appointed Congressional con-
terees, and addressed those assembled in an
earnest, torcible, and eloquent speech"
The idea of cooperation between honest
Republicans and such an Opposition as that
of Kentucky, is utterly preposterous. No geuu,
inc Republican can have any sympathy with
despicable spoilsseeking faction, which has
abased itself in the dust before the slave power
This same Kentucky opposition has until
recently, made a great merit of its opposition
to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, by
which Slavery was excluded from the greater
part of our Western Territories. And now
merely for the sake of success, it avows itself
in favor Of legislating Slavery into those Terri
tories. Henry Clay said that no human power
could induce him to vote for the spread of Sla-
very over foot of free soil and here are his
degenerate followers in Kentucky, proclaiming
their readiness to legislste the institution into
all the Territories of the Union, however re.
voting 1t may be to the inhabitants.
NoN-INTERyENTIoN.-Th who are ready
to support the pretensions Of Presidential as