The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-03-17

U :
ritory, against their consent! / say, no.
Organize Territorial government for them;
give them Legislature to be elected By
their own people; give them all the powers
of legislation on oil questions Of local and
domestic character subject only to the Con-
stitution and if they make good laws, lot
them enjoy their blessings; and il they make
bad laws, let them suffer under them until
they repeal them. II the laws are unconsti-
tutionaI, let those aggrieved appeal to the
courts-the tribunal created by the COnsti-
tuition to ascertain that fact. That is the
principle on which we stood in 1854. 1t
was on that principle and that understand.
ing We fought the great political battle and
gained the great victory Of 1856. How
many votes do you think Mr.. Buchanan
would have obtained in Pennsylvania if be
had then said that the Constitution Of the
United States plants slavery in all the Ter
ritories, and makes it the duty OF the Fed.
eral Government to keep it there and main.
tain it at the point Of the bayonet and BY
Federal laws, in opposition to the will OF the
people? How many votes would he have
received in Ohio, or any other tree State, on
such platform. Mr.. Buchanan did not
then understand the doctrines Of popular
sovereignty and self-governmept in that
way.
Mr. BIGLER. Mr.. President
Mr.. DOUGLAS. / will hear the Senator.
Mr.. BIGLER. l shall not attempt to an
swer the honorable Senator's question but
he will pardon me for asking another; which
think quite as significant and quite as ap-
propriate, and il is this Suppose that in
the campaign Of 1856, instead Of saying, as
that honorable Senator said, and as those
who acted with him said, and as | said ev-
erywhere to the people of the States, who
were about to emigrate to the Territories,
when you 90 there, you carry with you all
the rights you enjoy in sovereign State"
saying as he said, and as said, it is but
the extension Of the great principle OF self.
government to the Territories" suppose we
had said to those proud people "when there,
and in the matter OF changing your govern
ment from Territory to State, you shall
have the high privilege Of exercising the
right to petition Congress for redress Of
grievances ?" they would have asked that
Senator and me when it was and where it
was, that the American citizen had not O
right to petition for redress Of grievances,
Whether white or black.
Mr.. DouGLAs. Mr.. President, I shall not
answer that part Of the Senator's inquiry
as to whether American citizens, white or
black, have not the right to petition for .
redress Of grievances, because do not rec.
ognise any black American citizens. have
no colored brethren Of that description
Laughter and applause in the galleries.
know Of no American citizens 10 the Re
public except the white people, and | trust
in God shall never know any other kind.
Applause in the galleries.
Mr.. BIGLER know that as we'll as the
Senator and | ought to have said nhab-
itants.
The Presiding Officer (Mr. Iverson in the
chair.l II there is any more interruption in
the galleries, the chair will order the gale
ries to be cleared.
! Mr.. MASON insisted that the galleries
should he cleared upon further interruptions.
! The Presiding Officer. The chair will
order the galleries to be cleared at once if
there is any further interruption.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. l assert that in 1856,
during the whole Of that campaign, took
the same position do now, and none other
and will show that Mr.. buchanan pledged
himself to the same doctrine vixen be &C.
cepted the nomination of the Cincinnati
/ Convention. In his letter of acceptance he
says, referring to the Kansas \ ebraska act
The recent legislation Of Congress, respect
ing domestic slavery, derived, as it has been,
from the original and pure fountain Of legiti.
mate political power. the will Of the majority,
mr. izas pFa Ions fn oil tha Iann
element. This legislation is founded upon
principles rs ancient as free government itself,
and 10 accordance with them. has simply de.
clared that the people OF Territory. like those
OF . State. shall decide for themselves whether
slavery shall! or shall not exist within their
Limits"
This extract from Mr.. Buchanan's letter
shows that be then understood that the peo-
pie OF Territory like those of State,
should decide for themselves whether slavery
should or should not exist within their linn
It's. | undertake to say that wherever |
went that year, his cause was advocated on
that principle, as laid down in his letter OF
acceptance. The people OF the North, at
least certainly undl rstood him to hold the
doctrine Of selfgovernment in the Terrific
res as well as in States, and as applicable
TO slave property as well a. to all other spe-
cies of property. | undertake to say that be
would not have carried one half the Demo.
cratic vote in any free State, if he had not
been thus understood and hope my friend
from Mississippi had no allusion TO this let.
ter when he said tina, in the next contest he
did not desire to cheat, nor TO be cheated"
! am glad that the Senator from Mississippi
means to have a clear. unequivocal, specific
statement OF our principles, 20 that there
will BE- no cheating on either side, intend
to use language which caa be repeated in
Chicago as well as in New Orleans, in
Charleston the same as in Boston We live
under a common Constitution. No political
crJei Is sound or safe which cannot be pro-
claimed in the same sense wherever the
American flag waves over American soil.
II the North and South cannot come 10 a
common ground OF the slavery QUESTION. the
. soorer We know IN tho ksf,ar Tie n..,.o