The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-03-22

such legislation, but will appeal 10 Congress
and demand congressional code of laws
protecting slavery in the territories Ia oppo-
sition TO the wishes Of the people. Well sir,
his conclusion is logical one, unless my
position is right. All men must agree that
non action by the territorial legislature is
practical exclusion. If the people of ter
ritory want slavery they will protect it by a
slave code. If they do not want slavery; il
they believe it il not necessary; If they arc
| of opinion that their interests do not require
| it, or will be prejudiced by it, they will not
| furnish the necessary remedies and police
regulations usually called slave code for
its protection.
The Senator from Mississippi says they
ought to pass such code, but he admits
that it is inmateral to inquire whether they
ought or ought not to do it; for If they do
| not want it, they will not enac. it; and if
| they do not do it there is no mode by which
YOU can compel them to do it. He admits
| there is no compulsory means by which you
can coerce the territorial Legislature to pass
such law, and for that reason he insists
that in case of non- action by the territorial
legislature, it is the right and duty of South
crn Senators and Representatives to demand
affirmative action by Congress in the enact
ment of slave code for the territories.-
He says that ii is not necessary to put the
question to me whether would vote for
congressional slave code. He deeires to
know of all other Northern Democrats what
they will do he does not wish an answer
from me. am much obliged to him for
taking it for granted, from my past record,
that would never vote for slave code in
the territories by Congress and have yet
to learn that there is man in free state Of
this Union, Of any party, who would.
And then closing up the whole subject,
after he had beeen pressed with questions
on all hands, Douglas said:
The Democracy of the North hold, at
least, that the people of a territory have the
same right to lcgislate in respec. to slavery
as to all other property; and that, practical
| ly, it results in this: II they want slavery,
they will have it; if they do not want slavery
it shall not be forced upon them by an act
of Congress. The Senator from Mississippi
says that doctrine is right, unless We pass
an act of Congress compelling the people OF
a territory to have slavery whether they
want it or not. The point he wishes to ar
| rive at is. whether we are for or
against congressional Intervention. Ii you
repudiate the doctrine Of non Intervention,
uHu iUTM u bluVc Uuoc Ny 6Ck vi OUukI cbS,
when the people of . territory refuse it, you
must step of the Democratic platform. We
will let you depart in peace, as you ne longer
belong to US; you are no longer of as whom
you adopt the principle Of congressional in
vention, in violation Of the Democratic
creed stand here defending the great
principle of non-intervention by Congress,
and self government by the people OF the
Territories. That is the Democratic creed.
The Northern Democracy have so understood
it. No Democratic State in the North ever
would have voted for MIR. Buchanan but for
the fact that be wns understood to occupy
that position. | tell you gentlemen Of the
South, in all candor, do not believe DEM
ooratic candidate can ever carry any one
Democratic State Of the North on the plat
form that it is the duty of the Federal Gov
eminent 10 force the people Of q Territory
to have slavery when they do not want it.