The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-03-16
WHOLE NO. 1876.


United States, and the provisions of this act
but no law shall be passed interfering with the
primary disposition OF the soiI,' &c.
The whole legislative Iower possessed BY
Congress over territory was. by that act, con-
ferrsd on therritorial legislature. There were
exceptions on three points but slavery was not
one Of the exceptions. say, then, the intent
was to give to the territorial legislature all the
ROVER that We possessed all tliat could bc
given under the constitution ; and the under
standing was, that Congress would not inter
fcre with whatever legislation the might enact.
Now, the Senator from Alabama asks me
whether the Southern people, under the consti-
tuition, have not the right to carry their slaves
there l answer, yes-the same right that you
have to carry any other property. Then you
ask, have they not a right 10 hold it there when
| they get it there ? | answer, the same right
that you have to hold any other property, sub
ject to such local laws as the local legislature
| may constitutionally enact. Can YOU hold any
other property without law to protect it No.
| Then, ran you hold slave property without law
to protect it q? No, is the answer. Then, will
Congress pass laws TO protect other property in
the territories? answer, no. We have created
territorial legislatures for that purpose. We
agreed that this government should not violate
the principles of our Revolution, 10y making
laws for distant people regulating their domes-
erty, without giving them rel rcsentation -
The doctrine that Congress is to regulate the
rights Of person and property, and the domestic
| concerns of a territory, is the doctrine of the
| Tories Of the Revolution. 1t is the doctrine of
George the ! III and Lord North, his minister.
Our fathers then said that they would not con
sent that the British Parliament should pass
laws touching the local AMI domestic con Germs
of the colonies, the rights of person and prop
/ c,,., xl,x.. -. Ia -
colonies, without their consent. The Paria-
ment of Great Britain said that they had the
power. We said to them, "You NAV have the
power, but you have not the moral right : ii is
vioative of the great principles of civil liberty
violative of the rights of an Englishman not to
be affected in his property without his consent,
as given through his representatives" Because
Great Britain insisted on exercising that identi-
cal power over these colonies our fathers tlew
to arms, asserted the doctrine that every colony
| every dependency, every Territory, had rgiht.
i'll its own domestic Legislature to- pass just such
laws its people chose touching their local and
domestic concerns; recognizing the right of
the imperial Parliament to regulate the imperial
affairs. as do the right Of Congress to reg late
the national and federal concerns Of the people
of terrstury.
Sir, lam asserting. on behalf of the people
of the territories, just those rights which our
fathers demanded for themselves against the
claim of Great Britain. Because those rights
were not granted to our fathers, they went
through bloody war Of seven years. Am
now to be called upon to enforce that same
odious doctrine Oh the people of u territory
against their consent l say, no. Organize
territorial government for them give them
a Legislature, to be elected by their own peo.
pie give them all the powers of legislation on
all questions of local and domestic character.
subject only to the constitution, and if they
make good laws, let them cnj"y-their bless
ings and if they make bad laws. let them SUI
fer under them until they repeal them. If the
laws a re unconstitutional, let those aggrieved
appeal TO the conrt--tho tribunal created by
the consttution--to ascertain that fact. That
is the principle on which We stood in 1854 ---
1t was on tha: rincirle and that understan nd
ing We fought the great national battle and
gained the greal victory Of 1856 How many
, votes do you think Mr.. Buchanan would have
: obtained in Pennsylvania if he had then said
\ thas the constitution Of the ~Gsnited states
plants slavery in all territories. and makes il
the duty of the federal government to keep it
there, and maintain il there at the point of the
bayonet and by federal laws, in opposition to
the will OF the people How many votes
would he have received in Ohio, or any other
free State, on such platform? Mr.. Buchan-
an did not then understand the doctrines of
popular sovereignty and self government in
that way.
Mr.. BIGLER. Mr.. President
Mr.. DOUGLAS. will hear the Senator.
Mr.. BlGLER. | shall not attempt TO an
swer the honorable Senator's question but he
will pardon me for asking another +; which l
; think quito as significant and quite as appro-
pirate, and it is this /: Suppose that in the
campaign Of 1856, instead of saying, as that
honorable Senator said and as those who acted
with him said, and as said everywhere to the
people of the States. who were about to emf
CRATE 10 the territories, "when YOU 20 there
You carry with you all the rights you enjoy in a
sovereign State, saying as he said, and said :,
sit is but the extension of the great principle
of soif government to the territories - sun
pose We had said TO those proud eople, "when
there. and in tho matter of changing your gov.
ernnent from u territory to State. You shall
have the high privilege of exercising the right
to petition Congrosa for Il redress of grievan-
! ces ? they would have asked that Senator and
me when it was, and where it was. that the
American citizen had not right TO petition for
a redress Of grievances, whether white or
black.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Mr.. President, shall
not answer that part of the Senator's inquiry as
To whether American citizens, white or black,
have not the right to petition for a redress of
grievances, because do not recognize any
black American citizen. have no colored
brethren of that description. Laughter and
applause in the galleries.l | know of no Ame-
rican citizen in This republic except the white
people, and trust in God shall never know
any other kind. (Applause i'll the galleries.
Mr.. BIGLER. | know that as well rs the
Senator and ought to have said inhabitants.
j The presiding officer, (Mr. Iverson in the
chair) 1t there is any more interruption in
the galleries, the chair will order the gal
leries to be cleared.
Mr., MASON. II there is any more distur-
bance in the galaries. shall certainly move
and insist that the galleries be cleared.
The presiding officer. The chair will order
the galleries to be cleared at once if there is
aay further interruption.
| Mr.. DOUGLAS. l assert that in 1856. dor
ing the whole of that campaign, 1 took the
same position do now, and none other and
will show that Mr.. Buchanan pledged him
self to the same doctrine when he accepted the
nomination of the Cincinnati Convention. In
his letter Of acceptance he says, referring to
the Kansas Nebraska act
"The recent legislation of Congress, res
pecting domestic slavery, derived, as it has
been. from the original and pure fountain of
legitimate political power, the will Of the ma
jority. promises ere long to allay the danger
ouS excitement This legislation is founded
upon principles as ancient as free government
ITSELF and in accordance with them. has sim
ply declared that the people OF territory.
like those of State, shall decide for them
selves whether slavery shall or shall not exist
within their limits .- .
This extract from Mr.. Buchanan's letter
shows that he then understood that the people
of territory like those Of State, should decide
for themselves whether slavery should or should
not exist within their limits undeitak to
say that wherever / went that year. his cause
was advocated on that principle, as laid down
in his letter Of acceptance. I he people of the
Moth, at least, certainly understood HIM to
hold the doctrine of self government in terrific
ries as well as States and as applicable TO slave
a, all ia o1l ether sparaa of prn.