Daily national Democrat., 1860-10-18
Confronted by the Record.

' ''+' 80 NN''Ni u az iti9 lliCSNAi llb1ltiNus
and confront the record which he has made
on this pending question of Territorial SOW
ereisnty, We are at a loss to see Is far back
as 1850, when Henry Clay and stephen \.
Douglas and other true patriots were urging
forward the Compromise Measures of which
the pcryadiug principle was the doctrine OF
non-intervention-John c. Breckenridge was
in the Kentucky Legislature cordially en-
dorsing all that Mr.. Cay and his co laborers
in Congress were then doing. Mr.. Arnold,
member of the lower house Of the Ken
lucky Legislature, Of which house Mr.. Breck
! iurijge was also member introduced a res
olu,ion, requesting the Kentucky Senators,
Clay and Underwood, to resign, on account,
as he alleged, of n variance of opinion be-
tween them and the people of Kentucky on
the subject Of slavery. 1t was of course not
adopted. Mr., Wieklife, Of Ballard coun
ty, afterwards introduced the following
"That slavery in the Territories IS a sub
ect which belongs exclusively TO the people
Of those Territories, and ttat their right 10
erci0dc Siduerg Mercfroal can be exercised By
them only ia their capacity as an iHdeBeadeut
State, and in forming their constitution for
State government"
Here was the point, that it was only in
their capacity as a State that the people
could control the question. This resolution
was referred to the Committee on Federal
Relations, and they reported series of reso-
lutions in lieu Of it, one Of which reads as
follows:
"That, in the distribution between the
General Government and the States of the
powers which should belong to each, those
which were general and foreign were given
to the one, those which were local and do
nestle were retained 10y the other; that the
question Of slavery belongs to the latter class,
aud any attempt by Congress to deprive any
State or Territory of the Union of the sole
and exclusive power to retain or abolish, ii
would be TO dislrust its capacity for self
government, to encrJach on its undoubted
right to control its internal interest, and to
endanger the integrity Of the Union; and
that any bill for the government Of the Ter
ritories containing the provision of the viii
mot Proviso is in conflict with those great
principles and compromises Of the Consttu-
tion."
The above resolution repudiated Mr. Wick
lilies doctrine that the people had no cor-
troll over the subject Of slavery until they
came to form a State Constitution. Yet, it
was not strong enough for Mr.. Breckenridge,
and, as member of the Committee on Fed
eral Relations, he made minority report, in
which he set forth that it was important to
deny explicitly the principle of Congression
al interference with the legislation of the Ter
ritories The minority resolutions which he
presented were as follows:
"Reso,red by the General Assembly of
Kentucky, That the Federal Government pos
sesses no other powers than those specifically
delegated, and such other powers as may be
necessary and proper to carry into execution
the enunciated powers and no control ogcr
tie Institution Of Statery, with the exception
OF some special powers relative to the Afri-
can slave trade and TO the recovery of fugi-
tive slaves, having been delegated to the
Federal Government; therefore,
"Rc5ojrcl, That our Senators in Congress
be instructed, and our Representatives re-
quested, firmly to oppose every effort that
may be made IN the Congress of the United
Statesto interfere 'cih Tie institution of slaue-
ry, either in the States Of the Union, the Dis
trict of Columbia, or the Territories that now
be.ong to, or may hereafter be acquired by
the Government of the United States"
Such was Mr.. Breckinridges position in
1850. He denied to Congress any power to
legisate on the question of slavery at all,
either in the States or Territories. crceDt with
regard to the African slave trade and to the
recovery Of fugitive slaves A very limited
power, certainly, and far different from that
latitude Of Congressional protection to slave.
ry in the Territories, for which Mr.. Breckn-
ridge is now SO vehemently sticklerl
AT the time of which we speak, Mr. Breck-
inridge stood by Henry Clay and his immor-
tai Compromise. The grand feature Of that
Compromise Bill was the principle of popu-
lar sovereignty and non,intervention. Mr.
Clay himself said of it, in one of his great
| speeches, at that memorable session: The
provisions of this bill are that the people are
left free to do as they choose"
Afterwards he said, speaking on the mo-
tion of Mr.. Norris, Of New Hampshire to
strike out that provision Of the bill which
"did not meet his approbation:" !"
"rhe clause is an Introduction imposed bv
! Congress upon the local Legislature either to
introduce or to exclude slavery Now, sir it
seems to me that Congress has no such p0Car
according to the Southern doctrine. That
doctrine is one Of cleor and clean a0u-inter-
yeHtj0M The amendment in the Lill. on the
contrary, assumes that power to exist in Con
gress, which is denied. For if Congress pos
sesses the power to impose this iuterdietion,
Congress has the power to impose the Will
mot Proyiso. The only difference IS that the
action of Congress in the one case is direct.
and that the action Of Congress in the other
ease Is indirect. 1t appears to me, therefore,
that upon the great principle uon-interyen-
tion upon which Southern gentlemen have
rested the support Of their rights, they ought
to oppose the exercise Of this power by Con
gress to ihterdict the local legislature"
This clause, interdicting the local Legisla-
ture from passing any law Establishing or
prohibiting African slavery" was stricken
out, and thus the Legislature left perfectly
free and untrammeled on the subject. Mr.
Clay voted to have it stricken out and was
thus always consistent in his advocacy and |
support Of the doctrine of non-intervention. /
y few extracts from Mr. Breckinridee's |
speeches, after the passage Of the Kansas
Nebraska bill, and we leave him upon his
record:
Extract Of III; Breckiaridge's speech at Lcr-
ig'toa, Hy qtter lis nomination for the
Wee PresideHcH