The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-12-15
HISTORY INDICATED
A LETTER
TO THE HON. STEPHEN A DOUGLASS ON
HIS HARPER ESSAY.

! mR. OENAIUR. 1Oui iatO IA o1nS
article on Popular Sovereien enty in the
Territories" has already received sde-
ouate attention. That it has failed to
conciIiate opponents, but has rather in
creased their mum Der aud confirmed their
resolution, is now evident. | has had this
result both at the North and at the South
and for a very Ineligible reason. Most
of the American People who have any
purpose whatever, earnestly desire either
that slavery should or that it should not be
enabled to diffuse itself through the Fed.
ersl Territories, growing with the growth
aud being strengthened With the strength
of the American Republic. Very few
are Indifferent to this hadowing issue;
few except professional politicians even
affect to be. You preach. therefore, the
gospel of indifference. of negation, of i'm
potence, to mainly unwilling ears. Lean
net feel, 10 reading your fabrication, that
you believe it yourself. Think me not
uncharitabIe. but answer to yourself this
question: Suppose that you were Off
cially aplrised that majority of the
Squatter Sovereigns of one of our Terri
torie--we will say Utah. for example
had voted that the minority should be
reduced to and held in Slavery for the
benefit OF the majority, and had proceed
ed to enforce that determination by fire
and sword-would you, as Senator, hes
tate to decide and declare that this rapa-
clous. iniquitous purpose must De resist
ed and defeated by the power of the Fed
eral Government I know you would pot
You would in that case. inevitably recog-
uize aud affirm the duty of Congress to
I'd aintaiu Justice 10 the Terrtories-to
protect every innocent man iu the peace
ful enjoyment of the fair rewards OF bis
own Industry, and in the possession aud
enjoyment of Liberty. Family, aad hon
es,ly acquired Property. The u atter is
too plain for argument, too certain for
doubt. II then, you uphold the right of
some men to hold others as slaves 10 the
Territories, you do it on the assumption
th at those ought to be masters and these
.lavcs-tbat the Slave laws of Virginia
or Texas have rightful force and effect iu
Kansas or New Mexico-or on some 9th.
er ground than the naked assumption of
Popular Suyereignty" 10 the Territories.
That you must allow me to tell you. is
hut politicians dodge, devised in ls4s
by Gen Cass, under the spur OF pressing
danger, an urgent necessity, and only ac-
cepted ~ those who discern in it means
OF escape froaa similar perils-a handy
ueck- yoke to enable them to carry water
on both shoulders The Sovereignty you
defer to is that of political necessity,
not that OF the People of the Territories.
But do not propose to traser-e all the
logical subtleties and hair splitting dis
tinctions of your late elaborate essay. l
di1, indeed, at one time cherish q strong
desire to reply to it at length through the
pages Of the magazine which gave it to
the world; but, on intimatiug that pur-
pose to its editor, [ was denied hearing
IN his columns, though it vas graciously
intinated that similar demand from one
OF 1.-The leading Republicans might per
haps be favoraly considered Of course.
l u dl pun nc Oub VI SOulb3 WI oOSo
it let in! cannot tell Republicans
are rather unused to being led; hence a
natural scarcity of Republican leaders
Gov. Seward, to whom you seem wiling
to accord the character Of leader, is
kuoRD to be absent in Europe, and not
likely to return for two months yet; SO is
Mr. Sumue other leading Republican,
are hardly within easy reach OF the doc
uments essential to your systematic retu-
tstion Yet it seems to me important
that your misstatements of fact should be
clearly exposed. even though the task
should deyolve on one SO far from being
leader. Though the pages of Harper
are shut against me, and those who bavs
read your monstrous persersions of His
/ tory will never see their exposure, | aW
/ impeled to undertake the task. conining
my-elf strictly to the historical features
of your essay.
Your fundamental proposition is this :
/ The genius and spirit of our free institu-
tions plainly require that the people OF a
Territory should be enabled and encour-
aged to establish and maintain Hum an
Slavery on the soil of such Territory, il
they see fit. The Republicans deny this,
insisting that no Government has any
right to deprive innocent human beings
OF their liberty, accounting and holding
them the mere cbattels of others. They
deny the right of any Territorial Govern
meut to uphold -ucb Slavery, insisting
that Congress is in duty bound to prohib.
it and present any such injustice and
mischief in the Territories which are the
common domain of the whole American
People On this main quesuan. We are
utterly, irrecouciably at variance. | dc
not propose to argue it. nor to review
your arguments upon it. Bot you pro
ceed to assert, and TO make history up
hold your assertion, that your doctrine II
that of the Revolutionary Fathers--tha'
the Revolution was made in its behalf
that it was paramount in the earlier and
purer days OF the Republic. On this
point | take issue, and appeal to the in
dubitable records. Here is their test
a..