The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-04-02
The Great achisIh In tho Democrat
10 Party,

The debate WhichsoccuUed 10 the Senate
toward, the close Of tho late session on the
motion o. repeal the clause IN the English
bill, 80 called requiring 10 the case Of Kan
sas 0Ja2O inhabitants, % be aseeriained by O
census 10 be tabrn Tor that purpose before
slc should ht entitled TO admission as state,
Is VI significant importance,
Il opens up new vista into the future Of
our politics, through which the wayhring
man viii soon be able 10 read events Of tran
eeudeut Importance
We wish iI vere possible 70 50 present the
subject to-our readers IS % give them con-
deuscd anl yet clear view Of the qucalioos
which are destined 20 divide and crush that
corrupt and. dyspote party which has ruled
but 20 yu,n the country, We Tea, this sim
practicable, but We will nevertheless as brief
ly a. possible attempt faint outline, which
shall cmboiy distinctly the real issues which
vii, spll, the democracy into two hostile Sec
Eolql factions for with al their oitrepsa,
ed adherence OF seelou-lism, ths two divis'
Ions viii be completely sectional, ~ northern
and southern
Il is remarkable fac, that ~ Ihir eoutro.
versy both parlcs are IN the wrong, not t.
s-y equallyiu iheatpuE They both take a.
starting point the dgcoralon and argumcu,
Of Chief Justice fancy, IN the bred Scott dc
ei.,ou % the effect that the constitution Of
the Usiled States propre rigore carries
slavery into oll our territories or To- Other
words, that as he laws OF Virginia declare
chat " bite man may have a property in the
bones md ,jucws aud muscles Of another
man Of different color Ills property dors
not cease upon the owners voluntary trans
portatiou Of hi- human ehattrl out Of Viz
g,nil into one Of our teriioricsj bu, eontiu.
ues uuimpaircd precisely u' his dominion over
his horse or OK or other inhuima,s property
even continues
Both parties assume that the highest Ju.
dietary Tribunal IN the country, IN a case be
fore IL, has 30 announced the law 10 be, and
only diaer as to the effects sud consequence.
Of such adjud.sstou.
The assumption /, entirely uuiounigG, iyl
the supposed adjudeation'wa' not called for
by the case in hand, aud though pa, forth
al9uca&r by the Chief Justice, and a,scnt,t
to by two or three Of hi, appoiutcgs, it va,
no. expressly sanctioned by a minority of the
Judge, present
4 majority Of the court however, ill dc.
eide that the cireui, court OF Missouri, from
which the Gaze came !u,o The supreme court.
had no Jurisdiction, because Of the iue9pae,tl
Of the PHI 10 sue in that court, he being Of
African descent When this point Was reach
el, there remained nothing more 10 be pas.
ed upon, II was an idle aud a mischie,ous
waste Of time aud brain, 10 gi.eu,s the right,
o. paFIgs no; IN court.
ON these grounds Judges Mclean aud
Curtis expressly declared that they should
hereafter regard what dropped from the Chiri
Justice or others OF the point in question not
a, authoritative, but as mere oj.to' dictd, to
be diArcgardcd Of course, il encountered by
reasoning Of greater weight and soliii,y.
Such is the sandy foundation on which
both the southern and northern sections Of
the party are content 10 base iheir position.
Let not our northern democrats dcluGe them.
selves with the iJira tiT=' ttst are-is.s.i..t--
necessity Of giving up the honest conviction,
Of their minds, fortified rs they are by the
coneurring opinions oc the great men OF u
preceding generation OF al, parties, bccauS,
the supreme court have ruled them to be uu.
sound. They have done TO such thing.
But ia the debate alluded to, confined q,
It was to democrats, all feel bound to fal.
down and worship this golden calf and il
adjusting their position to fai,o prineipl,
aud its consequences, it is not strange that O.
divergence should Immediately cnsuc deHm-
cd to grow wider and wider as discussion
proceeds.
The northern wing Of the democracy Is Of
course led by Stephen 4. Douglas, TO whom
must be accorded the honor OF in,euting tn,
peculiar theory first rather limited at than
formerly preached by him in a speech to hi.
party friend, at Springfield. Ill.,, and after.
wards more distinctly developed in his pub.
Ike discussion with Abram Lincoln at Free.
post in tho same state.
III. the senatorial debate under eonsidcra-
ton the leaders Of the southera wing, Brown,
Davis, Mason, Green and others, came out
boldly and .squarely against his views, which
compelled him TO attempt their yindication.
In doing this he stood almost alone, for Pugh,
democrat, though he made most slashing
speech, yet ran his craft very near the'bread
channel Of RepubleaniSm, rather than among
the shadows and quieksandS; astern Of his
protested master.
Well, it must be confessed that Mr.. Doug
las sustained himself with even more than
his wonted force and brilianeyj but-it was
all in vain against the ioregone conclusions
Of his advcrsaries.
His position is briefly this, that though it
be true, as settled by the supreme court, that
a slave owner from any of the slave states