The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-03-23


N,gxor W. kquattersov-
crelSnly.
Davis, Of Mississippi, followed Douglas,
and ssising upon his admission that the Ter
ritories havsno Inherent sovsreignty but only
such pow as are granted BIZ Congress, he
the admission to its logical conse-
qucnces:
Mr.. Davis said when the Constitution was
formed, the connsels Of the nation were gui-
ded by men who stopped not to degrading
controversy. Not the breadth Of one hair
would he follow the Senator from illinois in
the career he had chosen. The Senator had
based his argument upon the idea that there
was people, in the Territories. There we're
inhabitants, but not people in Territories
inhabitants waiting IN the fullness OF time to
be admitted to tho privileges Of citizenship.
The past history Of the country showed that
Congress had not hesitated to afford the pro-
lection to slave property which IT was bound
to afford by the Constitution. 1t Was the
duty of Congress to discriminate for the pro-
lection OF that property. II Congress hau no
right to legislate on the subject OF slavery,
how could they pass fugitive slave law p
If Congress attempted to grant away ltspow-
err in the Kansas Nebraska bill, Congress ex-
ceeded its authority. It conld delegate, but
not grant away it's legislative trust. How
had Territory power to iegisiate which
Congress could not revise, and still derive
it's sole power Of legislation from Congress?
He conceded to Congress the power to legis-
late through the fundamentally of the Ter
ritorial Legislature; but the Territorial Leg
islature had no power which was not dslega-
ted bv Congress. How, then, could it get
the power to inhibit slavery? Congress had
not that power; and the Senator from llli-
nois himself argued that all the power of the
Territory was derived from the Constitution
Of the United States and the organic aot.-
They could assert that power only by the
right of revolutionary rising IN rebellion
against this Government and achieving their
independence.
The people Of the Territories were not
distant people, but the inhabitants OF the
Territories and citizens Of the United States.
The complaint was verbal merely, unless the
Senator proposed to give them Senators and
a Representative. Without assuming what
would have been or what would be the vote
in particular States, for q party which should
avow the truth in regard to the rights OF the
South, he denied that the Presidents letter
gave promise OF the doctrines which the Sem
ator from Illinois had maintained. He IN
derstood that the Cincinnati platform meant
what it said, and it was that platform only
which the President had approved. What
ever might be the future OF the Democratic
party, il would leave behind il glorious
history. He trusted il the gallant bark was
to be wrecked on the shoals Of petty section
al controversy, it would be remembered that
q few of them at least had stood by it to the
last. His vote could not be had for any man
who stood upon platform adverse to the
rights Of the South.
While Brown and Davis spoke for the
Southwest and boldly proclaimed that they
understand the Cincinnati platform as pledg-
iug the Democratic party to intervene in ia
vor Of slavery, but not against it, and firmly
declared that they would never vote for a
man for President who entertained Douglas
sentiments, Mason, of Virginia, representing
the conservative portion Of the old slave
States, takes equally decided grounds. In
deed Senator Mason 10 more deliberate and
expresses himself in clearer and stronger Ian
guage than the Senators who had preceded
him. Hear him:
Mr.. President, we have seen the doctrines
said to have been entertained by that honor
able Senator, through the public journals of
the day, for the last six or eight months, not
in an authoritative form. They come before
us now in an authoritative form from the hon.
orablc Senator. | understood him 10 say
that Mr.. Buchanan, the President, presenting
| it as a test of the popular Judgment in the
| free States, could have received no votes in
Pennsylvania, or Ohio, or elsewhere, under
the construction which the South places upon
| this act. know nothing about that; it j,
| impossible that can know, and / should think
it was almost equally impossible that the hon.
orable Senator could know what led the
Democratic party in the free States to vot,
for the present occupant OF the Presidential
chair; but, will say, to the honorable Sen
ator, that claim to know this; and do no
fear one dissentient voice south OF the oil
Potomac river, and extending to the borders
OF Mexico: that, ii as be interprets it; il i
be, In truth, to remit the Southern people fol
their rights in the Territories from the Con
stitution, from the Supreme Court, to TIT
pleasures of the temporary occupants Of I
Territory for the time being; if that be tn,
Interpretation Of the free States upon thu
Kansas Nebraska act; and that is to be tn,
rallying point in any further election Of an,
candidate for any party, the Southern State
would be truant and recreant TO themselve
md to their safety andto their honor, if the
should cast for him single vote; do no
mean the vote OF State, but even an indi
vidual vote. If that 10 to be the doctrine il
any platform Of any party, by which, let m
repeat il, according to tho construction places
on that act by the honorable senator, right
which the South have been contending for o.
this continent for thirty years, nearly tw
generations, are to be taken from the Con
sttution, from the Supreme Court and re
> mitted to the popular will Of the temporar
inhabitants Of Territory, no party on tina
doctrine can ever receive one vote south 0