The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-04-22


gross of the an,.Slavrry agitation and its
repeated cnrroarhments upon the South.
He spoke Of the legislation Of Congress be-
gun as far back lis 1884; of the famous
ordinance of 1887. 10y which Slave States
t:eIrl 10 the anti slavery demand extensive
and Invaluable territory; of the Compromise
of 1920 aud its adverse effects upon the
power and wcll-hcing of the Slave States :;
Of the California swinIle, by which territory
purchased largely hv Southern treasure
and Southern blood was Welded to the
craving appetite of IA rapaciouskan,i.slavery
ma ority. 1t had been saiI that. to com
pc'sats for these frauds, a repeal OF the
odi"us Missouri Compromise had been ct.
fectcd. But what will bc the value of that
repeal, if the dangerous positions of Senator
Douglas are TO exercise controlling intlu-
cncc in the direction of affairs! 1t will
prove to he but a phantom to allav South
ern Indignation and instead Of resulting
i'll her benefit, lis advantages will rather
accrue to the North, opening to her citizens
yet more available means OF occupying even
the Southern territories aud of Laui~hing
slavery from their hur.lers.
The speaker next proceeded to combat
the dangerous views of the Illinois Senator
The mischief began with real or affected
misunderstanding Of the Kansas Nebraska
Act.
by the intervention Of Congress- no
more nor less was ever meant than this,
,i,a, Congress should not Lcgi>lac slavery
INTO or out Of Territory. Ah"iiloniSts
said Congress had ,ha, right. Both wings
of the Democratic party denie'l this. The
Southern wing maintained that the question
OF slavery.or no slavery, is to be decided hy
the Convention called (wllcnevcr the mum
Der Of the inhabitants justified it) to form
the Constitution of the new State, prrpara-
tory 10 admission into the Cuufc,eracv of
S,alcs, and not before. Squa,.cr S"vrr-
cign,v, whilst it admits the right Of the
Shareholder to 90 with his slaves into the
Territories, says, that the power to deter
mine whether slavery shall or shall no, exist
Z in the Territories, is in the Territorial Legis-
tur"; and ifthe Legislature, as has been done
i'll Kansas, say slavery shall not exist in the
Territory, although it admits the action of
that Legislature must he subordin to the
Constitution and the Supreme Court, still it
i further says, Congress can not interfere to
enforce the rights Of the slave holder in the
Territory. If this doctrine be true, it is as
bad rs the Wiin"t Prnviso, and renders the.
repeal Of the Missouri Compromise dead
letter. 1t is the idlcst lnuckery to tell the
Shareholder, you have as much right to talk"
your slaves into the Territories, a. the north
crn man his horse, but if the Territorial
Legislature, backed 10y ii handful Of Squat
rers, say slavery shall not exist, that there
is no remedy.
Wherever there Is right, there is a
remedy. The Kansas Territorial Lpgisla.
ture has undertaken to prohibit slavery
This se> nj Jla,ioht the Constitution and
the decision "f the supreme Court Of the
United States, and whenever a case arise.
OF IA slave holder being deprived Of the en-
joyment Of his property hv such Legisla
. ton. it will be the duty Of Congress to pas,
such laws rs will carry into effect the ira,
: intent and meaning of the Constitution
Any other doctrine will prove dcstruciv.
, of the rights of the Southern people in tn,
I common Territories. The creature can no
be greater than the creator. Congress has
: no right to Legisate slavery into or out o
$ a Territory. Can its mere creatures do it
II Blu, Congress has passed fugitive slav,
]. law, to carry out the provisions Of the Con
! stl'ution even in Sovereign States. How
y much more then is it COZ. petcnt for Con
u gress-ay, its dufy. to pass necessary Law
j. TO protect the rights of the citizen in tn
t Territories when the mere creatures Of Con
It Gr"ss not only refuse that protection, bu
i legislatc adversely.
S No other view than this was entertainc,
q anywhere, or at least not declared, unit
d Mr.. Dougas, f"ling it necessary to secur
l. his seat in the United States Senate, pro
1t mn'ged his erroneous views of Squatle
!, sov"relgny,-views Mt once antagonistic +
3. the Kansas Nebraska Act and at varianc
y with the democratic platform announces
Is by. the Cincinnati Convention, which NJ,
N Douglas is understood to have cordially ar
'e proved. But he has gone against us, a
is tho declarations of his Frerport speech I'm
j. m's'akeaby prove. His w.Hedged priu
s' c'p'e is dangerous to our republican system
n. AMI especially detrimental to the interest
20 Of the Southern people. 1t prepares in ou
Q. territories an inviting resort e.. H. q l.