Daily national Democrat., 1859-02-20
Slave Code for the Territories.

The Express says it is not in favor OF a
slave code for the Territories now, but init
mates very strongly that it may be in favor
of it hereafter. Very well, zee say, that no
man that is in favor of Congressional inter
ference with the subject of slavery in the
Territories. either now or hereafter, can by
any possibilitv be considered as having any
political affinity with Stephen A. Douglas
We put the question to the Express, as to
whether it was in favor of slave code for
the Territories, in order to show the public
that any pretentions of affinity or agreement
between the Administration or any of its or.
gans with Judge Douglas were nothing but
the hollowest hypocrisy. That paper did
not like to answer the question, but was fl
nally forced to do it. 1t says it is not neces.
Sary that a slave code should be enacted nor,
but it should it ever become necessary, it.
the Express, would be in favor of it. This is
explicit enough for our present purpose, al
though the Express does not go the full
length of the majority of the faction which
it claims to represent, they being in favor of
a general and sweeping slave code for all the
Territories at once and without delay.
stephen A. Douglas is opposed to a slave
code for the Territories, in any shape or man
ner, or under any sort of circumstances that
may arise, because he still holds to the good
old Democratic doctrine of noninterventi
I'll, E,oro-. :, J,o1,r;rf, tb,t - would nm
der any circumstances, be in favor of a slave
code, takes a wide departure from Democrat
it principles cuts itself loose from the sheet
anchor of the Democratic faith and drifts off
into unknown seas, there to be tempest-tossed
until it is stranded upon the shores of see
tionalism. The whole Lecompton party, in
asserting this new and heretical doctrine,
place themselves in the same situation. No
good old fashioned Democrat can 90 with
them in any such notions, for we will leave
it to the country at large if it was not the
universal construction of the Cincinnati
Platform in 1856 and of the Kansas Nebraska
Bill, that Congress was not to interfere with
the subject Of slavery in the Territories in
any manner whatever, but that the people
were to be left perfectly free to form their
own domestic institutions for themselves
Was not the Presidential election carried for
the Democracy upon that understanding
Was not the doctrine preached from every
stump and proclaimed from every editorial
tripod that claimed to be Democratic? Con
gress was neither to pass a free code nor
slave code for the Territories, but to stand
back with hands off and allow the people to
do with the subject as to them seemed fit
AT this late day, therefore, for any set of men
to avow their belief in Congressional inter-
ference with slavery in the Territories. and
at the same time to proclaim that they are
Democrats, with any hope of making the
masses believe it, is to suppose that the in
teligence of the American people has sunk
to q very low ebb We assert unhestatngly
that the Douglas men are tie only Democrats
who cling to Democratic principles, and that
it is the Lecompton party which has proved
itself faction and has cut itself loose from
the great landmarks of Democracy The
Douglas men say, if the people want slavery
in the Territories let them have it, but i'll
they do not want it, that it should not be
forced and fastened upon them 10y Congress.