The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-09-01

Mr.. HARLAN then went on TO prove
that it was no part of the doctrines OF
the Democratic party to allow the people
of the territory to govern themselves.
He showed this by the vote upon the
CHASE amendment to the Kansas Ne
braska bill, against which every Demo
crat in the Senate voted, DOUGLAS, as
well as JONES and DODGE. of this State.
And yet Mr.. DoDcE processes to favor
the very doctrine against which he voted
in the Senate of the United States. He
showed, also. that the Cincinnati Plat
form left the question of Slavery to the
people of the territory only when they
came to form State Constitution.
He took up the Democratic State plat
form, the author of which he gave credit
for more brains than candor One plank
affirms the right of the people of the ter
ritories to pass such laws upon the sub
ject of slavery as they may deem proper,
and whether such laws are constitutional
or not they leave to the Supreme Court
to decide. They give no opinion as to
the constitutionality of such laws after
they are passed, but only assert the right
of the people to pass them. If they be-
lieve such laws constitutional, why don t
they say SO I? They simply assert that
the people of the territories have the
right to draw up "a bill prohibiting
slavery, and pass it into law, but
whether the said law is constitutional or
not they have nothing to say. They
leave it to the Supreme Court. But that
Court has given its decision upon this
point, and deny the right of the people
of territory to pass any such law
But it is said this is mere dictum. Grant
it, but does it not show what the decision
will be when the question is brought be-
fore the Court, as these gentlemen de-
sire to have it brought. But who says
it is mere dictum The Court decided
the bred Scott case on three points =
First, that it could not liberate Scott be-
cause he was not citizen, and there
fore the Court had no jurisdiction over
his person. Secondly. because he was
not free by virtue of the law prohibiting
slavery in the territory where he resided,
as that law was unconstitutional. Third
ly, because SCoTT was not free, inasmuch
as he voluntarily returned to Missouri.
Here were three reasons given for the
decision, and who will decide upon
which, more than the others, the decision
rested, or whether they were not equally
potent in forming the opinion advanced !?
Mr.. HARLAN said Slavery is, and al
ways heretofore has been regarded, a
creature of local law, and yet, by the
doctrine Of the Democratic party, that
local law becomes the general law of the
government. The Insignificant slave
state of Florida, could, under this policy,
if all the other states were free, control
all the territories Of the Union. He went
into the discussion of many other mat
tiers of national policy, not touching
State matters. as they had been fully and
ably discussed in the previous speeches
/ AS the substance of the other part of his
speech is contained in that published by
us a few weeks since, we refrain from
any farther notice. He talked two hours
and twentyfv minutes. and SO ably,
intelligibly, and Interestingly, that his
audience showed no signs of WEAKNESS
at the close. There WAS no sophistry, nc
clap trap. no unfairness, about the speech,
but il was a clear, lucid, candid and pow
erful exposition of the principles and pol
icy of the two political parties now bat
Ting in this State and country.