Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-06-25

=
in leading editorial in reply to our ar
ticle Of the 18th inst, endeavors 70 pal
late the hetercdox opinions, expressed
in . former leader, by quoting
tho stereo,yped argument Of the Repub-
licans, that the Constitution regards
slaves as persons and not as property.
1t is well euoNgt, tor the sake OF the ar
gument, to acknowledge that slaves are
spoken Of in the Constitution as per-
soss, but that admission does no, mill
tate against the fact that by the Consti-
tuition they are treated and recognized
as property. The right to the labor and
services Of A slave, the right to import
slaves up to the year 1903, demonstrates
clearly that in the understanding of the
trainers Of the Constitution a master
had the nnmistakable right to the ser
vices and possession Of, and Of course a
right Of property in, a slave; for the
right to the possession and right to
the services constitutes nothing else than
a right Of property. If this be so the
whole argument Of the Journal falls to
ground. 1t will be remembered that
the Journal boldly advances the Abo-
lition doctrine that man cannot hold
property in man, and in SO doing it
claims all that Garrison or Phillips can
desire. If It's legal and Constitution
al impossibiity that man can hold prop
erty in the negro, then it follows that
the doctrine Of Lysandcr Spooncr is COR
rect, and that every slave is entitled to
his liberty rs soon as he is brought by
hateas corpus before the Courts
The judiciary cannot refuse to manumit
the slave who is brought before them,
II the master who claims him can have
no right to him or property in his SER
vices. From this view, it is apparent
that the doctrine of the Journal leads in
evitably to Abolitionism, and it must
not shrink from the logical consequences
OF the premises it lays down; if man
cannot ho,d property in his negro, every
slave has right to emancipation when
his case is brought before the courts by
"habeas corpus" If the Journal con-
tends for that ground, we have no con-
troversy with it. We have long ago
given up all disputaton with abolition
lists Of the Fred Douglass and Lysander
Spooner school.
Fred Douglass and Lysander Spooner
contend that the Constitution is an anti
slavery document, and to that position
the Keokuk Journal subscribes; the
only wonder to us IL how the editor OF
the Journal, entertaining the senti.
ments of Spooner and Fred Douglas, can
reconcile himself to the support OF even
the "Little Giant" who boldly recog.
nizes the right ofproperty in slaves.
If slave property is not of the same
character as other property, and does
not rest on the same original right, will
the Journal be good enough to tell Us
OF what character it is, and upon what
right it rests! The journal admits
that slaves are recognized by the Consti-
tuition as property just SO far as is neces-
sary for them to be so regarded, in order
that their masters may enjoy the fruits
of their labor and no further. That is
all the DEMoCRAr has ever claimed. All
that We desire is that the right may be
guaranteed to the people of the South,
to compel the labor and obedience, and
enjoy the fruits of the labor of their
slaves, in the Territories acquired by the
common blood and treasure of the whole
country. On that point, therefore, there
IS no difference between the Journal and
ourselves, for the Journal by its admiss-
ion, comedies all that we have ever
claimed.
1t those who agree with the journal
would follow out its proposition TO its
logical consequences, there would be no
complaint on the part Of the people Of
the South.
But the Journal is not satisfied with
the enunciation of principles, abou,
which there is no dispute. It must
needs 60 farther, and misrepresent the
Supreme Court, which it declares deci
ded that property in slaves existed only
By virtue of local law. But the fact is,
the Supreme Court never promulgated
90 absurd an opinion. The history Of
the world shows plainly that the institu.
ton Of slavery does not need an expires,
statute 70 support it, but that it may ex.
lot anywhere when not hostile to public
policy, or to positive laws enforcing it,
pros'b'tion. The institution of slavery
ex'sts At the present day in most of the
States Of the South, as it formerly exist.
ed oil over the North, and in all the de.
Tendencies OF the civilized powers Of the
globe, without express legislation, and
bv the force Of 4 sort Of commor H.