The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-09-14
Thu n. q. Democratic Standard Oh the
Position Of the Washington Constitu-
ton.

Position of the Washington Constitu-
ton.
We have attempted to expose the tallacy
and utter untenableness Of the Washington
Constitutions position on the territorial ques-
ton, and are more than gratifed to find our
views sustained by Northern journal so able
and orthodox as the New Hampshire Demo-
cratic Standard. We would fam hope that
the earnest protests of Northern Democrats
viii cause the Washington paper 70 abandon
its temporzing and yaeillating course. which
has evidently been shaped by its doubts oil
their fidelity and of their willingness to stand
squarely upon the constitutional doctrines oil
the bred Scott decision. Let it discard these
doubts, and remember that there is no hall
way ground between good and evil.
The following are the comments oil the
Democratic Standard
s"The Washington Constitution, under Its
new management. seems to have assumed
yery doubtful and unqualified position upon
the subject of slavery in the territories. If we
can comprehend its late articles on that sub
iect. it undertakes TO stand between the clear
and unmistakable errors of Judge Douglas, on
the one hand, and the equally clear and un-
mistakabe constitutional positions Of Gov.
Wise, on the other. 1t denounces as heresy
Douglass position that the people of the Ter
ritories have absolute control over slavery,
and may therefore exclude it by dieect and
positive, or by unfriendly, legislation, at any
period of their territorial existence. And
while it admits, that the people Of the terrific
ries cannot interfere with slavery in any form
to its prejudice. while they remain in the Ter
ritorial condition, and before they form con-
situations preparatory to their admission into
the Union, as Sovereign States, it denounces
the doctrine that, if they do violate their du-
ty, and do unconstitutionally interfere with
slavery to its prejudice, and the judicial tri-
bunals of the Territories and the Union shall
prove inadequate to its protection, Congress
and the Executive of the Union, shall inter-
fere for the protection of the institution.
'Such is the position of the Consultation as
we understand it.
ait is a new, artful dodge, bubble, piece
of political pettifogging, which cannot be sup
ported by truth, or logic, and of which a man
of high conscientious principles of public and
private action, which we believe control the
President would scorn to be guilty
sWe think the Constellation is mistaken in
the course it is now pursuing. Instead of
meeting the great question manfully, as an as
summed central organ of the Democracy should,
it is endeayoring to evade and shuttle round
it. Instead of boldly and braveIy combating
the demoralized sentiment of the North upon
the subject of the rights of the slaveholding
States, it is catering to it, and confirming it.
1t is thus actually spreading the seeds of err
ror on that subject and helping still more to
demoralize the Democracy of the North 1t
is thus demoralizing the cause. of Democracy
and the cause of the country. If We were
compelled to decide between the position Ct
Douglas and that Of the Constitution, we
would take that of Douglas in Preference
It is bold manly and honorable in comparison
with that of the newspaper But the only
true and sound position is that of Gov Wise,
which was also taken by the Virginia Democ-
racy at the Cincinnati Convention. 1t is just
and constitutional and the Democracy can
stand upon il, maintain themselves, and ulti-
| mately win their vay to victory