Weekly Minnesotian and times., 1859-12-17

versy growing out of the article in Harper's
Magazine, that the Little Giant was not a
possible nominee at Charleston.
Though the effect of Blacks replies to Mr..
Douglas Will be mainly manifested upon the
sensitive Southern mind, yet here in the North,
they have also damaged Mr.. DIS position with
many leading Democrats.
For instance, We hear that j. W. Taylor,
ESQ.,, of St. Paul. we'll known heretofore as q
prominent Douglasite, has recently expressed
himself convinced by Judge Blacks letter,
that the Squatter Sovereignty doctrine Of the
Senator from Illinois, on his own premises of
unlimited submission to the Dred Scott Deci'
sion, is an untenable, unstatesman-like hum
bug!
Good! The irrepressible conflict" has
found its way into the ranks of the Democra-
cy. As Milton says: "Fear not Error so long
as Truth is left free to combat it?"
We do not wonder at Mr.. Taylor's conver-
sion from the errors of Douglasism, by Judge
Blacks letters. In a moment of leisure, with
in day or two, we have been giving them
perusal. For instance, what better illustra
tive Of the hallowness of the popular Sow
ereignty" doctrine of Douglas, than is affor-
ded by Judge Black on page s of his Reply:
thus
"We Constitution neither establishes nor
"prohibits Slarery in the States or Terrific
ries beyond the pouer Of the People legally
to control it," (says Mr.. Douglas.)
Thus, (remarks Black) is sailing Point-no-
Point. Ofcourse, subject which is legally
controlled cannot be beyond the power that
controls it. But the question is, aohat consti-
tutes legal control, and 'ohen the people of a
State or Territory are in condition to exer-
else it."
4 The Constitution Of the United States
" y leaves the People [of Territory per-
" fectly free x r * and subject only to the
!" Constitution of the United States," (says
DouglasD
This, (replies Black carries US around a
full circle, and drops us precisely at the
"place of beginning That the Constitution
leaves everybody subject to the Constitu-
& ton is most true We are far from deny
ing it. We never heard it doubted and ex-
"pect we never will. But the statement Of
ait proves nothing defines nothing and ex-
"plains nothing. 1t merely darkens the sub.
"ject, as words without meaning always do"
In answer to Judge Douglas popular
Sovereignty doctrine "by which the people
of a Territory are to be allowed to do more
than Congress itself can do" Judge Black
says:
"Here then is species of Property (slaces)
(which is of transcendal importance to
the material interest Of the South-which
"the people of that region think it right
"and meritorious, in the eyes of God and
"good men, to hold-which is guaranteed to
"the owner as much as any other property is
guaranteed by the Constitution-and Mr..
douglas thinks that Territorial Legisla-
"ture is competent to take it soay!
Where does this sovereign power to de.
"prive men of their property come from
"This transcendant power which even despots
"are cautious about using, and which con.
" stitutional monarch never exercises-how
"does it get into the Territorial Legislature
"Truly, it does not drop into it from the
"clouds: it will not be contended that il
accompanies the settlers or exists in the Ter.
"ritory before its Oryanization! Indeed, il
"is not to the people but to the Government Of
"a Territory, that Mr.. Douglas says it be-
"longs. Then, Congress must GIVE the
"PowER at the same time it gipes the Terrific
"rial government But not word of the
"kind is to be found in any organic act ever
"framed. 1t runs itself out into nothing
II = "The acknowledgment,
"That Congress has no power or jurisdc.
I" ton over the subject, obliges Mr. Douglas to
maintain his doctrine by asserting, that a
"PowER which CONGRESS does not possess may
abe giuen By Congress to the TERRITORIAL
government Nay, he goes
" farther, and says that the mant of such a
"power in Congress is the cery reason why
sit can delegate 1.-THE general rule, in his
"opinion, being, that Congress cannot
"delegate the powers it possesses, but
"may delegate such and only such..as Con-
"gress cannot exercise under..the Constitu-
"tion.' By turning to pages $40 and 52l,
" the reader will see that this astounding
proposition is actually made, not in irony,
"but solemnity, seriously and, no doubt, in
perfect good faith. On this principle, if
Congress passes an act to hang man
"without trial, it is void, and the judges will
"not allow it to be executed but the porer
I" to ID this prohibited thing can be constitu-
t;oaa!lg giOea !!a: Congress. to Territorial
'*::l4ssgis1aturs!":.' -: ::!'::::: ~:
~ ::*:::.s =: = '*:*
"7as arg,nensam a;a ii;;s:s is:net fair;
land VIC do not intend to use it,: Nh: Qoog
las has right to change his opinions when
"ever he pleases But we quote him as we
"would any other authority equally high
in favor of truth. We can prove, by him.
"sslf, that every proposition he lays down
"in Harper's Magazine, is founded in error.
"Never before has any public man, in Amer
"ica, SO completely revolutionized his polti-
cal opinions in the course of eighteen
months.
When he took tour to the South at the
beginning Of last winter, he made speech
"at New Orleans, in which he announced
that his friends in Illinois accepted the Dretl
Scott Decision: regarded Slaoes as Proper
"ty' and fully admitted the right of a
Southern man to go into any Federal Ter
"ritory WITH HIS SLAVE and hold him there
"as other property is held.
In 1849 he voted in the Senate for what
"is called Walkers Amendment, by which it
"was proposed to put all the internal fairs
of California and New Mexico under the do
"minion of the President, giving him almost
unlimited power, legislatiue, judicial and