The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1860-01-14
CITY, MISSISSIPPI SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY A. 1860

legislature nor any human power has any
authority to annul or impair this vested
right. The supreme judicial tribunal of
he country, which is co ordinate branch
of the Government, has sanctioned and af
irmed tLese principles of constitutional law,
so manifestly just in themselves, and so
we'll ca culated to peace and harmony among
the States. 1t is striking proof of the
sense of justice which is inherent in our
people, that the property in slaves has nev,
er been disturbed, to my knowledge, in any
of the Territories. Even throughout the
late troubles in Kansas there has not been
any attempt, as am credibly informed, to
interfere, in a single instance, with the
righ: of the master. Had any such attempt
been made, the judiciary would doubtless
have afforded an adequate remedy Should
they fail to do this hereafter, it will then be
time enough to strengthen their hands by
further legislation. Had it been decided
that either Congress or the territorial legis-
ature possess the power to annul or impair
the right to property in slaves, the evil
would be intoerable. In the latter event,
there would be struggle for a majority Of
the members of the Legislature at each sue
cessive election, aud the sacred rights o.
t property held under the Federal COnstitu
' ton would depend for the time being on the
S result. The agitation would thus be ren
r dered incessant whilst the territorial condi
r ton remained, and its baneful influence
t would keep alive a dangerous exctemen
+ among the people of the several States.
k Thus has the status of Territory, durin!
d the intermediate period from its first settle
e ment until it shall become a State, been ir
- revocably fixed by the final decision of til
h Supreme Court. Fortuate has this been fo
n the prosperity of the 1crrtoies. as well a
h the tranquility of the States. Now EN-
h grants from the North and the South, tn
1t East and the West, will meet in the Terr
]. tories on common platform, having brougf
n, with them that species of property best aC
1t apted,in their own opinion, to promote the
II welfare. From natural causes the SLAYER
le question will in each case soon virtually So
te tele itself and before the Territory is pr,
is pared for admission as a State into I'll
y, Union, this decision, one way or the othe
r" will have been foregon6 conclusion. Meal
We while the settlement of the new Territol
ed will proceed without sersious interruption
ly aud its progress and prosperity will not
IS endangered or retarded by violent polite
struggles
nd When in the progress of events the inha
's- itants of any Territory shall have reach
- the number required to form a State, tn
will then proceed, in regular manner, al
ly in the exercise of the rights of popular so
re ereignty, to form a constitution preparatc
nd to admission into the Union. After til
ms has been done to employ tho language
le, the Kansas and Nebraska act, they "sh;
ny be eceived into the Union with or wtho
mt slavery, as their c Institution may prescri
'e at the time oftheir admission" This SOU
Us principle has happily been recognized,
OF some form or other, by an almost unanimO
"a, vote of both houses of the last Congress.