Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-08

der the KansasNebraska Act have the full right to
abolish or prohibit slavery, which principle
old as Republican Government ITSELF Not only
did never utter such sentiment. but l have no
reason to believe that anybody thought utter
ed it had never seen it in any newspaper, any
where; but have no time to waste in comments
upon the propriety or delicacy of gentleman who
is before the country for the Office of President in
introducing the name of one who is also candidate
with me. and giving his personal testimony to
that gentlemans opinions l shall waste no time in
| the discussion of the prOpriety of such course-I
| wish to meet the accusation.
The Hon. s. A Douglas, in a series of papers which
he has been reading in various States and more re-
Gently in Concord New ii 'mpshire-I give his own
language-.There is not an honest man in America"
| says Mr.. Douglas, "who will deny that James Blu
chanan and John C. Breckenridge, in 1856, were
pledged to the doctrine of noninterventiOn by Con-
gress with slavery in the Territories; mark
the word as it is there, nOn-nterventiOU. made
| speeches from the same stump with ]. c. Breekn-
| ridge IN 1856, when he advocating his
claims to the Vice Presidency and heard him go to
the extreme length in favor of popular sovereignty
| in the Territories" Then speaking of other gentle
men from the South who had been expressing them
selves IN the North, he says, "In every of the
speeches. they advocated squatter sovereignty in its
| lOudest sense. Here in the space of twelve lines
you see the words ''nOn-interventiOn, popular
ereIgnty, squatter sovereignty" all evidently
yeying the same meaning. hold the doctrine of
nOn-,nterVention IL originally understood and
engrafted into the legislation of the country,
[cheers,l | will proceed TO show more fully in
another part of my speech; but assume that Mr..
Douglas in this statement, meant TO declare that in
| 1856, from the same stump with me, he advocated
the doctrine that Territorial Legislatures had power
TO exclude slave property under Territorial cOndi-
TONS and presGme he this expression in that
sense and that is the question which has been the
whole point in dispute.
Well at time, either before or after the passage
of the Nebraska bill in Congress, did ever
entertain utter the opinion that Territorial Leg
slature prior to the formation of State COnstitu
ton, had power to exclude slave property from the
common Territories of the Union, and other adj
vocate of my doctrine can be found who will sub
stantially charge it. Now, am to entertain you
briefly, by clear exposition as can of the at
tudes of parties in regard to the question at issue
In 1854 removed the restriction of the Missouri
line and passed the Kansas-Nebraska bill through
both houses and it became law, and its friends
North and South agreed that these Territories should
be open for settlement The Southern friends of
tie measure and a few of its Northern friends de-
MED the power either of Congress or Territorial
Legislatures to exclude any description Of property
The other party assumed the ground that the Terri
torial Legislature had such power 1t was I'M
settled question: and they agreed not to make it
matter of legislative dispute but to make proVi-
sion in the bill TO refer it TO the Supreme Court for
decision. AMI all parties bound to abide by the
decision of that august tribunal on this constitutional
question. Let me now prove that there was such an
agreement. Ordinarily bill cannot be taken from
the United States until the matter in controversy
to $1,000 In order that this question might
be tried before the SUI RENE Court claim was in
serted to meet the contingency. Now, during the
period between the passage Of that bill and the de-
cison of the Supreme Court, all persons on each
side entertained their opinions We in the |
South held that the Territorial Legislature did not
have the power. Mr.. Douglas and his friends held
that the Territorial Legislature did have the power.
We suspended that question and referred it by a
bill TO the Supreme Court of the United States, to
determine the Constitutional question therein IN
VOlved. There was a body to whom could
refer the question, and we thought it unnecessary
to debate 1t, each party agreeing to acquiesce IN
the decision rendered by said body. think |
that's pretty plain statement that point, and
/ make it 10 show that there a taken |
by the Southern friends of the measure in Con- |
gress, and among them VOW taken by your hum |
bic speaker to support the decision. MIR. b. here |
read some extracts from his speech delivered IN |
the House of Representatives in 1851 We were |
willing, he continued to have the question decided
by the Courts of the United States. Again, l say
it is contended on the one hand upon the idea OF |
the equality of the States under the Constitution |
and their common property in the Territories that
the citizens of the slavehOlding States may remove
to the Territories with their slaves and there le-
galy hold them until the Territory is resolved into
a State, and in that capacity exclude them On the
other hand it is said that slavery being in conflict |
with common right exist only by force positive
law and it denied that the constitution ever fur
of the United States be allowed to enter the Rommon
Territories with the Constitution alone in sther /
hand, for that instrument protects the title of the
master to his Slave in this common Territory. You
cannot complain if it dOesnot protect histtitle We
ask no help from Congress- /IfdihcGti8 otcUEred L
we were to let them be settled by the courts
The following comes in after what published
yesterday:
will not answer the newspaper accusations that
this gentleman and the other gentleman who has
held extreme opinions, support me. Gentlemen of
far more extreme opinions support both the other
candidates. What if A.. B.. c. and D., whose OPT
mons you do mot like, think better of certain set
of principles then they do of certain other set of
principles of no principles at ALL choose to vote
for US? Are you going to put the stigma of dis
union upon half the Empire? There are disunIon-
lists all over the country working to overthrow the
Umon. They are those who deny Constitutional
rights, who are engaged to-day in trampling under
foot the planest rights guaranteed to us by the Con-
stitutiOn.
The Governor of Ohio refuses to restore a man
indicted for felony because he says. it no crime
under the laws of Ohio to steal negro. In the
State of Wisconsin, man who was indicted for
reScung a party forcibly from the hands Of the
marshal is protected by an armed mob. Where IN ! ,
the North can the Fugitive Slave law be executed
How many States at the North have passed laws {
making it ofense, to be punished by fine and i'm
prisOnment to aid the officers of the United States
IN executing the law in regard to the return of a
trauon Of public opinion. Look at the encrOach-
ments year after year. Look how you are enyi
roned and closed in upon State after State making
1t penal IN the people to help the officers of the Uni
TED States-the slavery spirit spreading inwards
IN every Observation-Disclosures at Harper's Ferry .
- arsous in TeXas-the South envirorCd and beset "
the constitution thrown with contrunt into opr {
faces-the purpose avowed to exclude the Sontb {
from all the vast common domain of the Union and @
thus TO begin the Irrepressble conflict Yet when
political organization ventures 10 ask for constit
tiona rights, you turn with clamOrous cries of dis
onion upon your own felOw-citzens who work for t
your own rights.
Mr.. B. reviewed the course of Mr. Douglas to
show that his design to disOrganize the Demo-
cratic party in the South well at the North i
and stated that if the efforts defeat Lincoln in
New York Pennsylvania, and New Jersey should
nroye unsuccessful, it was TO be changed TO the
rule or ruin policy pursued by the Senator from
Illinois He concluded by fervent appeal to the
of Kentucky not to forsake the const-
tutional principles on which they stood
Mr. Breckenridge retired IN state OF great physi-
cal exhaustion, having to omit several topics on
which he intended to speak.
More uGIorfOus News from Arkansas" !
On the morning of the 9th ult the Bonner came Z
out with the following startling announcement:
The Union Flag to the arkansas Bfeele.-GIorto"S
Bel5S from Arkansas Bel Congressman etected'
The following dispatch was received at late lour
last night:
MEMPHIS, Aug s, IS6O.-H Il, HaLter: Hindman
Is beaten badly for Congress in the Helena District
by Cypert, Bell man. RoLFE 5. SAUNDERS. o
There are twenty-seyeR counties in HINDNAN's c