The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-22
MR.. DOUGLAS PROGRESSIVE.

There is no knowing where we shall find
Senator Douglas, politically, next year. He
evidently expects very little support in the
South and in proportion as this truth dawns
upon him he grows holder, and presents his
Squatter Sovereignty doctrine in shape more
and more distasteful to the 6re-eaters. He
now takes the ground that Slavery is local
institution, that it can only exist where it has
been established by law. He derides the South
ern idea that the Constitution carries Slavery
into the Territories. In commenting upon the
clause of the Constitution which requires that
fugitives from labor shall be delivered up, he
says
"Now, by the express provisions Of that
clause of the Constitution, a slave is a person
held to service or labor in one State, under the
laws thereof not under the Constitution of the
United Statesmen under the laws of the Uni
ted States-not by virtue of any Federal au.
thority, but in State, under the laws thereof
What becomes of this newly -discovered doctrine,
that Slavery exists everywhere by virtue of the
Constitution of the United States 1t is de-
MED by the Constitution itself EUeTy child
rho has eUer read the instrument knotcs that
Sldre7y is the creature of local ldiO, erists only
sohere the local ldtc sanctions and establishes
II, and erists only in a State Hnder the ldios
thereof; and inasmuch as Territory is State
within the meaning of that clause of the Con-
stitution, Slavery may exist in Territory the
same in a State, under the laws thereof
Hence, if the people of Territory desire Sla
very, all they have to do is to pass laws sane
tioning and protecting it. If they do not want
Slavery, all they have to do is to withhold all
legislation and all protection. Thus you find
that the people of the Territories, as well as of
the States, have the right to regulate that ques
ton for themselves"
In his Magazine essay he says that, if the Con-
stituton carries Slavery into the Territories, in
spite of local law, it for the same reason carries
Slavery into the free States. Now, these posi-
tons are widely different from those taken by
him, even so late as last winter, as will be seen
by the following extracts from the speech of
Stephen A. Douglas at New Orleans, Decem-
Der 9th, 1858:
" The Democracy ofIllinois, in the first place.
accepts the decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States in the case Of bred Scott, as
an authoritative Interpretation Of the C0nSti-
tuition. In accordance with that decision, zoe
hold that StdCes are property, and hence on an
equality lch all other kinds of property, and
the oaCner Of a stare has the same right 10 BsOUe
into Territory, and carry has stare property
Nth him, as the osOner Of any other property
has 10 go there and carry his property
Mr. Douglas said in the Senate, on the 29d
of February last (see Congressional GlO6e of
second session of Thirty fifth Congress, page
1874 ::
awe" Senator Brown of Mississippi and
Senator Douglas of nlnois) agree that, under
the decision of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States, slaves are property, standing
equal footing with all other property and that
consequently the owner of slave has the same
right to emigrate to Territory and carry his
slave property with him as the owner of any
other species ofproperty has to move there and
carry his property with him." Again:
"Tkus far The Senator from Mississippi and
myself agree, that Stare property an the Terri
tories stands on an equal footing aoith eceyy
other species Of properly"
EMANCIPATION IN JANAIcA.-The organs Of
Slavery propagandism are rejoicing over the
following unwelcome piece of news from ia
uaiea:
| (" The american Missionary says respecting
the Jamaica mission: Letters from the mis-
sionaries contain but little that is encouraging,
and not little that is trying. One of them
writes that petty crime is on the increase IN
the island, the only exception to this being
| found among the people that are under the
direct influence of the missionaries. In the
mission church at Eliot, there had been some
painful OBJECTIONS, and il had been found
necessary to cut off four of the members.
Another missionary writes that all the churches
throughout the island seem to be suffering from
a reaction that has been going on ever since
the time of special zeal that marked the FIRST
| few years succeeding emancipation"
! 1.-THE fact that petty crime is on the increase
among the freed negroes Of Jamaica is an ar
gument against emancipation, as contended for,
what we ask, is to be inferred from the alarm
ing increase in capital felonies, murders, rob
berries, and seductions, among the free white
people of the United States Of America? Would
the pious Slavery propagandists enslave the
white population, North and South, IS remedy
a