Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-06-21
THE TRUE DOCTRINE

\, s o'clock, \. NJ.
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THE TRUE DOCTRINE.
Er'n'ct .iiom lie .Hprcrh ot' !Senoior Grfc" oI
Ms~orj, dr'i'r.,I at J,.!';r.o" c;iy on he
SM isidri.
The following extract from the speech Of the
distinguished Senator from Missouri presents
one of the most lucid and manly vindications
OF the true conservative territorial policy Of the
country, which have Yet been given 70 the
public.
NJ. Grccn scatter; to the winds the prctcncc
that the Nebraska, bill ia any manner dciiics
the right Of Congress to intervene !tr the pro-
lection of persons and property in the Terri
tories The noa.intcricrcncc established by
tha; hil Is inst and proper 1t provide> that
Congress shall no; interfere 20 i,olibt or to
es'cbiiM ii. L. to i.tro1recJ slavery into Ter
ri;ory But that il is the right and duty Of
! Congress to intervene for the protect;om OF
slave property in the Territories, is amp;' cs-
tabllshcd by the fact that the Kansas Nebras-
ka bill itself docs intervene in every clause for
the protection Of persons and property in the
Territories ond in teo jronsineM in,'""ces
mtcrrncs c,rtial'E .ior tie pro'ection Of
I stare pe,s,n, and SIR. P,"yertN
Squa;ter Sovereignty finds no quarter in
this admirable discourSe-and the advocates Of
compromise find no comfort in its drtrrmna-
ton to meet the issue. face to face. Senator
Green says:
Politicians unfortunately. have sometimes
been afraid Of the subject and afraid to say
Congress should intervene They seem to he
afraid to announce doctrine which political
opponents might unfairly make Use Of for some
other purposes. SirS. am never afraid to take
the position which conSricntiously believe
Applause Nor am afraid to avow it,
What Is a territory: What Il sovereignty
What an independent power: Can territory
make war upon the government Of the United
States: No. 1t is a piece Of land belonging
10 the United States. These United States
constitute gorcrnn;ent formed by the associa-
ton and support Of independent States, and
this property or territory belonging to the AS
soc;ation of States is TO he held and managed by
the Federal Government for the benefit Of all
the State; alike TO do that, ~ 4 mere mat
ter OF convenience they may throw 1t into an
organic form. prescribe its boundaries name n
central city and government, and confer upon
il certain privileges This however, Is hut an
dgcncy, s;i;icct not only to the Constitution Of
the United States but to the power OF the Con-
grcss of the United States. Congress cannot
rid Itself of constitutional obligation, but
Congress can for convenience sake permit the
people of Il territory to do certain things, pro-
yyidcd these things do not conflict with the
rights o! all the States and of each Of the States.
But Congress cannot permit the people Of a
territory to TO what will conflict with the
rights of any of the people of any OF the
States. u, it. the territory. is property belong
ins to all, and it must be administered for
the benefit of all. Losing sight of this
main. simple and palpablc TRUTH parties
have said we must submit to the doctrines
of territorial sovereignty. In such roris
,lcv uSc that term. hut they thereby make
territory by their argument and positions, far
more independent, rs think any Of you can
easily demonstrate in five minutes. than any
State in tn, Union; Gor the States of this
Union are subject to the Constitution OF the
United States. 1t has bean contendcd by some
that territorial government owing its exist
cncc to the at Of Congress is not under the
Constitution of the United States. 1t has also
been contendctl they can do as they please in
other words that they can legiSlate for them
selves in their own way without regard to the
Constitution admit they can act in their
own way, subjac, to tho limitations ofthe Con
s,itution and rights of the States existing under
the Constitution But if they can do it cgdinSt
the Constitution, then they can do what 10 in
dependent State in the Union now does You
cannot cocrcc thcm say they; they arc for
cicn government to all intcntS and purposes,
and you have no power to control them. Why,
fellow-ctizcns. 20 back to first principles. II
may be said that this will raise another discus
sion, that it will give rise to agitation and that
the slavery question will he introduced, and
the whole Union will be convulsed again with
excitement with reference to the subject of S!a'
ycry The slave question may be introduced.
|: has always existed since lS20, and it will al
ways exist, as the great Apostle of Republl-
ca,ii,m says. until either Repubcanism is kill
ed politically or there is total abolition OF sla-
very We are compelled to stand upon one
side or the other 1t is not renewal OF asltI-
ton Ii i> no rcs,l>citaton of obsolete queS-
tons II is the discussion OF existing HucS-
tons in which you, AMI !. and al oi us, are
most deeply interested.
The Territorial question has brought mp
another matter. 1t has been contcndcd that
Congress, 10y the passage of the Kansas Ne
braSka Bill has subscribed to the doctrine
: of non-nterycn,ion. Why, fellow citizens
that IS true But what is non-intervcntlon
What were the circumstances under whic!
that term was first introduced into the political
vocabulary: 1t was in opposition to the doc
trinc that Congress could prohibit slavery in
territory. or establish slavery IN territory
The doctrine taken in the kansas-NcbraSka bill
and the Democratic party in this entire mon
North and South. was as opposed to the law &c
, establish or prohibit-opposed to any invasion
by CongreS>-but to leave the subject to tn,
Constitution Of the United States. and If II
he question Of doubt as to what that Constr
tuition means, let the Supreme Court, the tri
bunal appointed for that purpose, decide TN
question Of prohibition, or the question oil 1t
existence. Others 20 farther than that ant
| contend it not only included this, but als'
meant that Congress should never touch TIT
,gijts: Of slavery. undertake TO say that i