The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-27
THE SENATE DEBATE AND MR. DOUGLAS.
10 he Editors Of The Union !

G0he Editors Of The Union.
have read with attention your articles in the Union
of yesterday aud to-day tue debate in tho Senate
Wednesday, and, you have expressed your views at
length ON the points TAKEN ask the favor, State
rights democrat, to allow simply to state my own
Impressions OF the nature OF the issues involved in the
late discussion,
On the application Of the people residing in that por-
ton OF the Louisiana purchase lying west OF Missou, for
territorial orgnizitioD Mr.. Douglas at the time the
head of the Committee Territories introduced into the
Senate his celebrated Nebraska bill lie sought to inn
body in this proposition something more than provs-
ional governments he aimed to make it the occasion Of
announcing certain in connection with the gues
ton OF slavery in the Territories which, for years pst
nal been distracng subject OF sectional strife He
endeavored to the opportunity to cngrat the do
nestle policy OF the country ideas which could be
ceptcd and defended in all sections OF the Union. He
found the question involved in nmberess complications
and embarrassment the result Of liak legislation and
The occasion OF periodical Commissions threatening thcpcacc
and permancncy Of the conicseracy Like slilfu
gcon Mr. Douglas proposed in his bill TO attack the root
OF the evil and In place OF caaplasm 10 substitute
The knife in the shape OF principle going down " the
seat of the affections.
Meeting him ut the threshold Of his work, was the
Missouri restriction running its black limo the Ia
chic and declaring effect that north Of 36 deg, 80 min
was groun, too slc,c Tor the southern STAKEHOLDER to
tread, albeit acquired by the joint efforts and joint treas
urc OF all the people; while the country south of this
line was understood to bc open to settlement by northern
one side and Intervention The other This inter
ucon the Nebraska bill removed boldly asserting that
IL was null and void Here certainly AN immense
progression for the South. Ii authoritative
nouncemcnt and the first time ever auhor,tatiyely
nounccC that Congress could prohibit the southern
citizen from carrying, his property into any OF the terri
tory of the Union II wiped out stigma which, for
UNITY years had hung the southern States that daily
iepioached them interiors in Uni OF cuclual
eIegntes This the heart and kernel the Nebraska,
ui TWAS ground which all the democrats in Con
gess North as well asSouth promptly arayei themselves
was equally agreed, and promptly. that the proper
source OF this power denied TO Congress lay in the people
VI the Territory. IL was held all sides by democrats
north and South without u dissenant that Tin, people
should be The guardians OF their institutions delicate
Question here threatening time the defeat of
,oc moasnre-the point in dispute being the nne when
e people exercise this power and the een oil their
authority The large body of the northern democrats
WIN Gen cass and Mr. Toucey N, their head maintained
what was known a the doctrine of Equator soycr-
eghy, or the competency Of the territorial legislature
ung the pnp,layc OF the Territory TO in,cict slavery
we .hs Whole body OF the southern democrats denied
o eSsehce OF any such power in the rial egsa-
ae' Inc syllabus of their reasoning mas be stated
congress having no right 10 prohibit slavery the
i'o'as legislature being It's creature hal no author
IVY NOT derived from Congress and that the agent
o no, exercise any DERIVATIVES authority which Con
ss mao not, as prdcipal, the primitive right itself
/" exercise Here, We repeat arose au apparently rre-
'o"'i''o'e oierenoe OF opinion corpaiding thc suc-