Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-09-11
Tlistellanp.
DOUGLAS Ess.fz ssCsSASY
VERSUS
ErNS E5e3NOCFUcN,

!
| The third point that we propose 10 prove
! IS that Mr.. Douglas, STANDING UPON THE
/ BALTIHoRE PLATFoRM OF 1860, Tmade
/ by the same Convention that nominated
/ hum could not, If President, as an h0n0r-
/ 0Jtc man, carry out your views. Here
Is The platform lii full:
| DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM OF 1850.
/ Res0/Ued, That we, the Democracy of
| the Union, IN Convention assembled
1 hereby declare oGr afiirmance OF the res
| olulions unanimously adopted and declar-
/ ed as a platform of principles by the
/ Democratic Convention III Cincinnati, in
! the year lSj6. believing that Democrat
4 &c principles are unchaugeabie IN their
nature, when applied TO the same sublect
/ matters; and we recommend as the oaly
4 further resolutions, the following:
! ReS0lyed, That 1t IS the duty of the
| United States 10 afford ample and COM
! plete protection TO all lis cItizens, wheth-
| er native or foreign.
! ReSolred, That one of the necessities
Of the age, ir military, commercial, ana
/ postal point Of view, Is a speedy conmu-
nlcatiou between the Atlantic ana Pdci-
fc States; aad The Democratic party
/ pledge such constitutional government ard
as wall insure the construction Of a rail.
road 10 the Pacific coast at the earlies,
praciicie period.
RcSoIred, That the Democratic party
are IN favor of the acquisition lf the Isl
4 and OF Cuba, on such terms as shall be
| honorable to ourselves and just to Spain.
| ReSoIrcd, That the enactment OF State
/ Legislatures TO defeat the faithful exc
cutIon Of tie Fug,llve Slave Law, are
! hostile in character, subversive Of the
/ Constitution, and revolutionary in tneIr
effect.
ResolreoZ, That il IS in accordance with
the true Interpretation OF the Cincinnati
p atform, that during the existence of the
4 Territorial Government, the measure OF
| restriction, whatever II may be, imposed
( by the Federal Constitution on the power
oi tie Territorial Legislature over the
subIec! Of the domestic relations, as the
same las been or shall hereaftt- be fl
naliy determined by the Supreme Couri
+ Of the United States, should be respect
ed by all good citizens, and enforced
with promplness and fidelity by every
branch OF the General Government.
You will notice that the Cincinnati
platform Of Is 8 IS re-afiirmed IN lhe
/ first resolution. You well recolect yha'
the true intent and meaning of this
F. Cincinnati platform was warmly dispu-
ted IN the canvass of 1S56-the RcpubiI-
can party, coutending that It did not ex-
press the right of the Territorial Legis-
/ lature TO prohibit the introduction of sia-
! verv, while the Democrats of Wisconsin,
contended that Il did. BuI 1l0lo the true
Intent and meaning the "Iu'erpreta-
ton thereof" Is given ln the list resolu-
non. Read II carefully. Nollce, "the
measure of restriction, whatever II may
be, imposed by the Federal Constitution
on the power Of the Territorial LegIsia-
ture over the subject Of the domestic re-
lations," (slavery-) Now stop right there
Il appears there IS some measure Of re-
strIcuen imposed by The Constitution ovel
the Territorial Legislature, but let u:
read on, and may be we can ascertain
lcdGt that measure OF restriction Is-''a;
the same has been or shall hereafter be
finally determined by the Supreme Courr
OF the United States.
To get clear understanding of wha
has been decided, we must 60 back :,
the Dred Scott decision, quo;ed unde
the first point IN this article, and we shal
find thai the Measure Of Restriction
by Il is positive and entire, absolutely
: prohibiting Congress, the Terriloria
Legislature, or the People from any "a
: that shall prevent the slave owner from
ENJOYING the full benefits Of slave iab0
in any aud all the Territories of tn,
! United States; and they did thus decld,
: all these points, IN the case. see Doug
: las speech al Springfield, Illinois, Jun
j, 1851
/, The Court did not attempt 70 evade rcsPon
sibIlIty by disposIng OF the casc upon trivia
j, points without touching the merits. NOR DIl
THEY Go OUT OF TIE WAY To DECIDl
QUESTIONS NOT PROPERLY BEFORl
THEM AND DIRECTLY PR SENTED b,
: THE RECORD. Like hou-st and cugscien
tious Judges. they met aud decided each poiH
as /, arose and faIIhfully performed their Who'll
n duty sad nothing bat their duty ~ the couR
try. BY DETERMINING ALL THE CUES
TIONS N THE CASE. AND NOFHiN'
But WHAT WAS ESSENTIAL To TIL
DECISION OF THE CASE UPON IT
MERITS"
Thus we see what "has been decided.