The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-09-18

the Supreme Court.
He says:-IThe extract from Mr. Crttenden's
speech declares that territorial government is a
creature of Congress, endowed only with the
powers conferred upon it by its creator and with
no particle of sovereignty Further on in the
same speech, Mr. G. uses the following language:
Mr. Crittenden goes on to say ''that as the terri
torial government has no sovereignty or indepen-
dent right to act upon this subject, the Supreme
Court OF the United States has determined that
every citizen of the United States may 90 into
that territory, carrying his slaves with him, and
holding them there. My opinion is that the con-
stituton is bound to protect that property which it
has authorized to go there; therefore, when the
proper or extreme case occurs, when property 60
ing there under the Supreme Court of the United
States shall require such nterposition, that it is
the duty of Congress to nterpose and grant protec
tion." Nobly and well said, in language worthy
OF his exalted character and reputation.
Mr. Douglas says and to-day stands upon it, and
claims your vote upon it, that Territorial Legis-
lature, no matter what the decision of the Supreme
Court may be, has the right to exclude slave
property from Territory: that you may take it
there, but that it must be held subject to such
laws as the local Legislature may make. The
Supreme Court says the Territorial Legislature
cannot exclude it, and Mr. C. says nothing strikes
him as more unconstitutional and contradictory
than to say that while you go there, there is some
body stronger and mightier than the Constitution
that can take away, that which the Constitution
says you may hold and enjoy. Just what Mr.
Douglas asserts, and which, if not recognized, he
will rend and destroy as he goes.
l derive some satisfaction from the fact that the
Hon. John j. Crittenden, whose name and author
ity will 90 far in the Union, has declared in the
Senate, and recognized, by his Vote as a Senator,
the principles upon which we stand as the princ-
Piles of the Constitution.
L cannot enlarge. [ appeal to you if [ have
not, with reasonable certainty may say conclu-
sivey-repelled the accusation against me; if
have not shown that, it is neither nor the party
which nominated me, but MIR Douglas who has
broken faith; that by the agreement at the time of
the passage Of the Kansas Nebraska bill, the Con-
stitutional point was to be left to the Supreme
Court.
Have not shown that the Supreme Court sus-
tanned our construction of the Constitution? Have
l not shown that the agreement thus made has
been violated by the declaration that subordinate
authority has the constitutional right to exclude
slave property, when the court says it has not that
power ?-Who has abandoned the ground or yio-
lated the agreement? ........
l have shown that the principles upon which
we stand have been endorsed and sanctioned by
the practice of the government, affirmed by the
highest judicial tribunal in the world voted to be
1859, unanimously asserted by both branches of
the Legislature, and by an overwhelming majority
of the whole Democratic party of Kentucky, and
declared by Mr. Crittenden to be sound and true.
think have piled up pyramid of fact and argu-
ment in support of principles which ought to COM
mend itself to the grave consideration of every in
telligent man. l have tried to do it by legitimate
facts and arguments [ am not conscious of hav-
ing appealed to any prejudice.
7
longer? A voice-"Yes, for week; 90 ONT
know of but one political organization now be-
fore the United States which asserts the princi-
pies [ have undertaken to expound. The Repub-
lican organization has taken precisely the same
ground from opposite point of view, and they
say we have no rights in the Territories with our
They say Congress has right to ex-
clude it, and it is its duty to do so, and they are
willing to see the Territorial Legislature do it, if
Congress does no.
In regard to the platform adopted by the Con-
vention which nominated Mr. Bell and Mr. Everett,
have only to say that, certainly, it announces no
principle at all upon this subject-none whatever.
Gentlemen tell US that they are advocating the
claims of these gentlemen upon the principles of
the "Constitution, the Union and the enforcement
of the laws"
presume there is scarcely man in this assem-
bly-perhaps not one North or South-who will
admit that he is against the Union, the Constitu-
ton and the enforcement of the laws. But yet
they entertain the most diverse and opposite opin
ions to the best mode of sustaining the consti
tuition and the character of the laws to be en-
forced. Mr. Seward, Mr. Burlingame, Mr. Gid
dngs, will tell you they for the Union, but it
is their own sort of Union they want. They say
they for the constitutions; but they construe the
constitution as to take away all our rights.
But word on another subject 1t is said, that
although am not disunionst, and the principles
assert not disunionism, yet the object of the
organization by which [ have been nominated is to
break up this confederacy, and / suppose they
have selected me as the tool with which to execute
that scheme
[ have no doubt that great many gentlemen
in the Southern States of the Union think that
their constitutional rights will never be recognized.
few are, perhaps, per disunionists, though [
doubt if there are fifty such in the Union. I'm
a number of gentlemen who were dis
satisfied with the compromise measures of 1850, |
now prefer me for the Presidency and sustain me
On this platform; and if I were disposed to count
noses, L doubt not there many more of the
same character who sustain other gentlemen upon
platforms not constitutional desirable as mine
What is the charge? Merely that the entire
delegation of some States, supported by the
If the Democracy in all the Southern States, made
his nomination Do they say the whole of this
mass disunionists Why, gentlemen, the
country is in bad way if this be so. But the
charge is reckless one. How is it with the State
If Kentucky, which is going to vote i'm accordance