The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-04
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
TERRITORIES.
JUDGE DOUGLAS IN REPLY TO
JUDGE BLACK.

JUDGE DOUGLAS IN REPLY TO
JUDGE BLACK.
In Harper's Magazine for September,
published an article on "The dividing line
between the Federal and Local authorities
in the Territories of the United States
My sole object was to vindicate principle
to which had been committed for many
years, and in connection with which had
recently been assailed with great bitterness
and injustice, by a fair and impartial expo
sition of the subject, without assailing any
person or placing anyone in false position.
A few weeks afterwards an anonymous re-
view of my article made its appearance, first
in the Washington Constitution, and subse-
quently in pamphlet form, under the follow
ing caption: Observations on Senator
Douglas views of Popular Sovereignty, as
expressed in Harper's Magazine for Septem.
ber. 1852" Instead of replying to the we'll
known propositions which I had so often
announced and defended, in the Senate and
before the country, for the last ten years,
and ,Uhich acre embodied and expressed an
Harper's Magazine for September, the re-
viewer deemed it consistent with fair dealing
to ignore my real views as expressed in the
article to which he professed to reply, and
attribute to me opinions which had never
entertained or expressed on any occasion.
When the pamphlet containing this per-
version of my opinions was first placed in
my hands, I at once pointed out some of the
most obvious and palpable of those misre-
presentations, and denounced them in en-
phatic and indignant language in speech at
Wooster, Ohio.
Here was content to let the matter rest,
and allow the public to form an impartial
and unbiased opinion upon the real propo-
sitions which l had assumed in Harper's
Magazine, without any reply from me to
the legal arguments which the writer of the
anonymous pamphlet had made in opposi-
tion to my alleged views upon political
question. On the 9th of this month, however,
the same newspaper contained an appen-
dix to this pamphlet, 10 reply to so much of
my speech at Wooster as pointed out and
denounced the Misrepresentation of my
views as expressed in Harper, and announced
Judge Black, the Attorney General of the
United States, as the author of the pamph-
let and appendix. Since the Attorney Gen
eral of the United States has thus avowed
his authorship of these assaults upon me, and
flooded the country with them, with the
view, doubtless, of giving all aspirants, ex-
pectants and incumbents of Office to under
stand that he speaks "by authority" ol
those whose legal adviser he is, and that
they are all expected to follow his example
and join in the general crusade, I have
concluded to reply to so much of his "Ob-
servations" as are calculated to obscure
my real position by persistently attributing
to me opinions which l have never expressed
nor for a moment entertained.
FIGHTING THE JUDICIARY"
For instance, the first act of injustice
which pointed out at Wooster, and proved
to be untrue by undeniable facts, was his
representation of me as "fghting the Judi
ciary;" commanding the Democratic party
to assault the Supreme Court of the United
States;' not treating the court with "decent
respects" and much more of the same tenor
All OF which was calculated to convey to
those who might not happen to know the
contrary, the idea that sin Harper's Maya.
zine for September, 1852" had assaulted
traduced and indecently treated the Supreme
Court of the United States on account OF
their decision in the Dred Scott case! 1t
was shown in my speech at Wooster that
all these representations were pure inven-
tions; that l had not written or spoken one
word in Harper or elsewhere in disparage.
ment of the court or its decisions that
every reference or allusion to the court and
its decision was in respectful terms of un-
qualified appreciation that in several places
ia the Harper article l not only endorsed
but largely quoted from the Dred Scott de-
clslon In confirmation of my own views
that had made more speeches in defense OF
the court in conneXion with the Dred Scott
case than any living man; that in the Hi
nois canvass last year, when assailed by the
combined forces of the Black Republicans
and the federal Office holders, under the ad.
vice of my present assailants, defended the
court in more than one hundred speeches
against their enemies and mine and, in
conclusion, defed the writer of this pamp.
let, and all Others who are reckless enough
to endorse its statements, to produce one
word ever spoken or written by me disre.
spectful OF the court Or in condemnation ot
its decision! We'll, Judge Black, for him.
self, and as Attorney General for his confed.
Grated assailants, has replied to my Wooster
speech in his appendix and what has he
said on this point What reply has be
made to my positive denial Of the truth Of
his allegations, and my demand for the pro
duction of the proof? Does be repeat the
charge and produce the evidence to sustain
the truth; or does he retract the charge and
opclnoiZp for tho ;n;ncf;oo ho hos 1opo M,