Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-08-31

anu oudO buCy IuuS virtually duuhiO ohoo
they contain no doctrine to condemn
Let the Douglas speakers in the North
who have been ringing the charge of
"slave code" " slave code, take notice
of the virtual admission of their Execu-
tive Committee that the resolutions con-
tain no such doctrine.
The committee were wise in not at
lacking platform which deiies assault.
EXPOSITION OF THE PLATFORM OF THE
NATIONAL DEMOCRACY.
The first resolution emphatically de-
clares that " the government of Terri
tory organized by an act Of Congress is
provisional and temporary" thereby re-
butting the conclusion that such Terri
tory can frame any permanent institu-
tons whatever, or can establish, during
its territorial existence, any fundamental
law whatever. tits an inchoate and i'm
perfect government, instituted for brief
period--the creature of Congress. This
resolution in connection with the third
resolution, which declares that "when
the settlers in Territory, having an ad-
equate population, form State consttu-
ton, the right of sovereignty commences;
and being consummated by admission into
the Union, they stand on an equal foot
ing with the people of other States and
the State thus organized ought to be ad-
mitted into the Federal Union, whether
its constitution prohibits or recognizes
the institution of slavery" is entirely
consistent with the Kansas Nebraska act.
That the government of Territory is
provisional and temporary, that it is the
creature of Congress, the history of the
Territories conclusively establishes
Congress has always either reserved the
veto power over the acts of Territorial
Legislature, or conferred it upon the
Governor of the Territory, appointed by
and with the advice and consent OF the
Senate.
But as in the Cincinnati platform, the
third resolution cmphatieally declares
that when the people come to form their
permanent institutions; when they come
to lay down their fundamental law, which
shan govern not only the people but their
legislative bodies and their judicial tri-
bunals, then they are to decide for them
selves whether slavery shall be an insti-
tuition or not amongst them. Is tho Sc
cond resolution inconsistent with the FIRST
and third? 1t is in these words that
81 it is the duty Of the Federal Govern
ment, in all its departments, to protect,
when necessary the rights of persons and
property in the Territories, and wherever
else its constitutional authority extends
Why is government instituted at all p
Is it to raise armies? Is it to create ma
vies Is it to establish a postal system ?
Is it to collect revenue Is it to build
up magnificent capitol, adorned with
works of art and extensive and beauti-
fully arranged grounds, and imposing
cdifces of granite and marble? Is iii
stituted to raise 500, 900, 600 in order
to expend ito bring annually together,
at the national capitol, Senators and Rep.
resentatives, and then to send them home
again-to establish courts and build pris-
ons? No, nothing of the kind. Such
are not the objects Of government; but
they are the instruments Of government
These are purely the appliances, by
means of which government accomplishes
its purpose. The object of government
is to protect persons and property, and
nothing else. Thus we see, in order to
accomplish what seems to be simple
and plain purpose, resort is had to the
largest and most complicated means, in
order to effect it with certainty and sue
cess. Various countries have differed
about their form of government; but
with all these differences, the purpose Las
been ever the same--tho protection of
persons and property.
The second resolution stands innexibly
upon this proposition. Our Government
has done much, from our earliest history,
to protect the lives and the property Of
its citizens on its public domain. Where
are our armies sent? To protect our
Territories. For what? To protect per-
sons and property, aud nothing else. -
The citizens of our Territories who nave
been cnvironed by Indian foes and have
fought their way through Indian wars,
realize the importance of this protection
Why was our Navy sent to Paraguay =?
1t was on account Of citizen of one of
the free States-a citizen of Rhode Is
land. 1t was a case of ofense to pro-
perty; and the Navy was sent there in
order that our government might do its
duty in protecting that property. A
Government is derelict TO the very pur-
pose of its institution it is derelict to its
obligations TO the individual citizen, if it
fails or hesitates in acting promptly to
protect the property as well as the person
of that citizen.
These resolutions, taken together, do
not establish slavery in the Territories,
or recognize the principle Of the estab-
lishment Of slavery; but they declare
that the rights Of property Of the citizens
of the several States shall be protected
by the Federal arm. They declare, in
substance, that if citizen Of a southern
State shall 20 TO our common Territories
With his slaves, his property in those
slaves shall be protected. They declare,
in substance, that this provisional and
temporary government Of Territory
shall not modest or interfere with the
right Of southern man to hold his
slaves as property in the Territory. They
declare, 10 substance, that if the Terrific
rial Legislature thus interferes, it is the
duty Of the Federal Government to in
terpose aud prevent this unauthorized,