Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1860-09-01

doctrine, without a particle Of ''disun-
lon' III it. Mr.. Doug glas does not leave
the matter thus, however, but returns
to the defence Of congressional inter
vention III the following clear style:
but you say that We propose to pro-
h'bit by law your emf grating to the ter
rtorles with your property. We pro-
pose no such thing. We recognize
your right, in common with our own,
to emigrate to the territories with your
propel ty, and there hold and enjoy it in
the subordinatlon to laws you may find
IN some respects different from our own,
as the laws Of the various States va
ry, on some points, from the laws of
each other. Some species Of property
are excluded by law in most Of the
States, as well as territories, as being
unwlse, immoral, or contrary to the
principles Of sound public policy. For
instance, the banker is prohibited from
emlgrating to Minnesota, Oregon and
California with his bank. The bank
may be property by the laws Of New
ok, bat ceases to be SO when taken
Into State or territory where banking
Is prohibited BY the local law. So az
dent spirits, whiskey, brandy, ali the
Intoxicating drinks are recognized as
property IL most Of the States, if not
all OF them; but no citizen, whether
from the North or the South, can take
this property with him, and hold, sell,
OF use it at his pleasure, in all the ter
rltories, because it is prohibited by the
local lawn Oregon by the statutes
Of the territory, and in the Indian coun-
try by the acts Of Congress. Nor can
u man 10 there and tuhe and told his
stare for tie same reason. There ore
iGDS against the ietroductjou, safe aud
use Of specific hj's2s Of property, w}teth-
er brought from the north or tue south,
Of from tie J;oreign countries" CON-
gressio'aa1 Globe, 1850, Appe@dir, COL
p, part /, page 81.
The olious doctrine claimed to be
settled by the DEED Scott Decision,
that the Constitution recognizes prop
crty in slaves, and guarantees full pro
tecsion to such property throughout
our national domain, could not be
mere plunp!y denied, or the opposite
position be more positively asserted
chan is done here.
Again, he tel,s us in the following
words that ''it is no violence Of south
ern rights to prohibit slavery" by con
grcsSionaI Intervention:
The territories belong to the United
States as one people, one 2sution, and
are TO be disposed of for the be}ee5f5 Of
GtI, according to the principles Of the
Constitution. Each State, as mem
Der Of the contederacy, has q right to
Voice iii forming the rules and regu-
Iatlons OF the government Of the terri
tories; bat different sections-NoTth,
South, East and West-have no snch
right. 1t is no violence Of southern
rights % prohibit slavery" Congress
sioauL Gtobe, 4ppetaair, col %, port
/, i'0ge 800.
Wnen instructed by the democratic
legislature ot' Illinois to vote for the
Wijmot Proyiso, he says:
= have no desire to break loose
Ny opinions are my own and | express
them freely. Ny votes belong to those
who seat me here, ana to whom I am
responsible. | have never differed with
my constituency during seven years
service III Congress, except upon one
solitary question, and even upon that
have no constitutional difficulties, and
have previously twice given the same
vote, under peculiar circumstances,
which is now required at my bands
| have no desire, therefore, to break
loose from the Instruction." C0nyres-
sionaI Globe, March 18th, 4ppendir,
. col. 2, part |, page 303.
Slavery, then, is prohibited IN all
the country acquired from Mexico, by
4 fundamental law 4 constitutional
provision, adopted BY the Inhabitants
OF the country, and which must con
tlnue III force forever, unless it is r.
pealed by competent authority. This
doctrine Is not new to me, nor is it now
advanced by me for the first time. -
Gong. Globe, 1850 UoL u, purt /, page
373.
He had no constitutional difficulty7'
in voting for the Wilmot Proviso then.
1t is thus shown that through series
OF years, Mr.. Douglas pursued and de-
Tended the policy of prohibition Of sla-
very, not only i'll territories, but ere1a
IN States-never denying and never
doubling the entire competence of Con
gress to extend the Wllmot Proviso tc
all territory belonging to the govern
lnent. Let as now examine.
ID, DOUGLAS ON THE ''IRREPREss1BLE
CONFLICT"
We shall here find that the existence
of this ''confict" was recognized by
MIR. Douglas several years before Mr.
Lincoln spoke of it in Illinois, or Mr