The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-08-16


The Keokuk Journal denies what Douglas
has again and again asserted, that slaves
may be taken to and held in the Territories
by force OF the Constitution of the United
islature has the right to exclude slavery, and
it asserts that, in case there lie no local Law
for or against slavery, then the negro who 10
taken to the Territories by his master may
90 free.
Here is its position illustrated in its own
words:
We said that Mr.. Douglas might say that
the slave owner bad right to emigrate with
his property to Iowa, and hold it subject to
the local law. La other words, the slave
owner may come into Iowa with his slave
property. No one can prevent him from do
| ing so. When he gets here, il the local Law
says, s'hold your negro as property" he will
hold him. If the Law says, "you can't hold
your negro as property" We rather incline
to the opinion that be would have TO let him
go. The local Law and not the federal CON-
stitution would control and decide the whole
| question. just so, precisely, in reference to
the Territories. If there be no local ldp on
the subject, TOE rather think IL pouId depend
Uhoiiy on the negro rhether he uouid be
held or not.
Now, in contradiction to this, we quote
from a standing declaration OF Democratic
principles in the Dubuque Herald, the lead
ing Douglas paper of Iowa. Here it is:
That in the absence Of any local laws, pro-
hibiting the introduction or holding OF slave
property, the owners Of such property may
carry il into the Territories, and there hold
IL, the same as any other species of property
| may be held.
Thus 1t seems there is no agreement, but
on the contrary positive opposition in the
views of the leading Douglas editors of Iowa
upon that most important question.
| The keokuk Journal holds that, in the alb
senee of Territorial law protecting the
slave holders right, the slave becomes free
man when he enters Territory of the United
States. The Dubuque Herald, on the other
hand, holds-and lays it down as a standing
principle of Democracy--that the stakeholder
may hold bis slave in the Territories, unless
there is local Law prohibiting it. One
makes the negro q slave, the other regards
him free man on bis entrance into the Ter
ritory. One regards the Territory without
local law, in reference to slavery, as much
of a slave country as Missouri the other
looks upon it as free as Iowa.
Now surely there ought to be better nm
derstanding between the champions of Doug
las in Iowa.
We understand that the object Of Douglas
and the shareholders in repeating the Mis-
souri, Compromise, was to admit slavery into
. region from which IL had been excluded by
that Compromise. And we understand that
the Supreme Court decided that the Consti-
tuition OF the United States carried slavery
into the Territories. MIR. Douglas has endors-
ed the decision of the Court, and be distinct
ly said in his speech at New Orleans
"Slaves are regarded as property, and
placed on an equal footing with all other
property. Hence the owner of slaves, the
same as the owner of any other species oil
J property, has q right TO move to any Terri
tory and carry his property with him."
Having made that admission, the following
extract from the bred Scott case fxes him:
s.And il the Constitution recognises the
right of property Of the master in slave
and makes no distinction between that de.
scription of property and other property own
, ed BY q citizen, no tribunal acting under the
authority OF the United States, whether it be
ifgisiativs, executive, or judicial, has = RICH,
to draw such distinction, or deny to il thu
D benefit OF the provisions and guarantees which
l.. a r. a. -
vate property against the encroachments oil
} the Government"
That the Territorial Legislature acts under
the authority of the United States Dougla,
himself has never denied, but constantly as
serts. How, then, will he escape from tn,
dilemma, and how will bis advocates come Il
harmonious understanding with each othe
with Douglas, and with the bred Scott de-
. cision which they alike endorsed