The Shasta courier., 1860-04-07
Very Absurd Declaration.

the Republican party, utters the following alb
surdly erroneous statement:
1t is of no avail to present to the minds of
towards the truth that the Republican party is
on precisely the platform of Washington, Jeffer-
SON and Clay, so far as regards the slavery
question"
With all due respect we submit that the edi-
tor of the Journal is not informed correctly as
to the respective platforms of the Republican
party and of Washington, Jefferson and Clay
Now for the proof.
One leading plank of the Republican party
is, " The institution of slavery cannot const,u-
tionally exist in any Territory Here is the
language the Philadelphia Platform of 1856:
Resolred, That we deny the authority of Con-
gress of territorial legislature, of any individ
ual, or association of individuals, to give legal
existence to slavery in any territory of the Uni
ted States while the present Constitution shall
be maintained.
Now in 1870 the organic act providing for
government for the Territory Of Tennessee, be-
came law with the approval of President
Washington. Under that territorial law slavery
was admitted to have legal existence. Again,
the Black Republican platform says, "No more
slave States to be admitted into the Union" In
1896 the Territory of Tennessee, with the ap-
proval of President Washington, was admitted
into the Union. She came in with slaves which
she held while in territorial condition.
Thus we see that in the first year of Washing
toms Presidency slavery was acknowledged by
him to have had q legal existence in the Terri
tory of Tennessee-and in the last year of his
Presidency, this same slave Territory was ad-
mtted into the Union as slave State.
Now, if President Washington approved an
act creating slave Territory, and also an act
admitting that Territory into the Union as
slave State, with what show of truthfulness can
any one say that his platform and that occupied
by the Black Republicans which declares
against the admission of any more slave States
and pronounces the legal existence of slavery IN
Territory impossible-are identical?
In l904-whle Jefferson was President-Lou-
isiana was erected into two Territories. In 1905
the President was authorized to establish gov
ernment similar to that exercised in Mississippi
Territory, where the ordinance of 1887 was ap-
piled, ercepting and excluding the clause restricting
slauery. Jefferson of course approved these laws
or they could never have found place upon
our statute books. Louisiana was not admitted
into the Union until 1912. Who doubts, if JEFF
ferson had been President then, but that he
would have signed the act admitting her into the
Union. In view of these facts, how absurd to
declare that the Black Republicans are on the
q precise platform" of Jefferson.
But the Journal editor also includes Clay in
the trio with whom he associates the Republi-
cans. He says Clay occupied the precise plat
form touching slavery that the Republicans do.
Well, if he did in theory, which we do not be-
ieve, he did not in practice, for he voted for the
admission of Louisiana into the Union, and for
the admission of several other slave States
Now, no true Black Republican, standing on the
Republican platform, can vote, as Clay did, for
the admission of slave States into this Union.
No DouBr OF Ir.-The Carson Valley Enter
prise says that too many people have been at
tracted thither by the Washoe excitement. That
editor is an honest man. While it is to his in
terest to have large population in the proposed
Territory of Nevada, he yet, as man of truth,
is compelledto proclaim that the immense rush
thither is unwise and unjustifed by the known
mineral resources of that region Notwithstand-
ing this testimony, however, the rush still con-
tinues. Men have become crazy. Having eyes
they see not, having ears they hear not. When
the rich man, in the place of eternal torments,
begged of Abraham to inform his brethren yet
on the earth of his condition, that they might
avoid his terrible fate, he said that if they be-
leved not the prophets they would not believe
the testimony of an angel from heaven. So it is
with the Washoe-struck Caifornians. If the
word OF the Enterprise is not needed by them
they would not believe the testimony of an an
gel from heaven. Nothing but fire-or, what is
just as severe, the freezing of Washoe can con-
vince them.
ROUND VALLEY.-This Valley, containing some