Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-08-30
DOdging again.

OouSN MS q dIA
Before the decision OF thu Supreme Court, it
was held by the Popular Sovereigntyites that
the people of Il Territory hal an uudsputed
right to abolish Slavery, or prevent its going
into Territory. Since the decision. it has
been attempted to smooth over the matter, and
get us easily into an acquiescing with the decs-
ion as possible In all the speeches of Senator
Douglas, however, it has been contended that
9 the people Of a Territory had the same right
to regulate their domestic institutions as those
OF State but great care has been taken not
to say anything about at 3chat time the people
of a Territory could exercise this prerogative
Several circumstances and remarks of the
Douglas party, have however. awakened a
suspicion as to the manner in which Popular
Sovereignty was to be applied under Douglas
Administration, and at Augusta, Mr.. d. having
declared that he had no opinions to conceal,
the people Of Augusta requested him to answer
the following question;
"Do you hold, and if elected President of
the United States, would you carry out, the
doctrine that the people of IL Territory, before
ii becomes a State, have the power, under the
Federal Constitution, and notwithstanding the
bred Scott decision, 10 prohibit or erclude SLAVE
ry MtrttrOm?
e" In other words;
C Do you affirm that the people of Terri
tory have Constitutional right to crush the
cockatrice's eggs, as soon as they are deposited
IN its nest by the propagandists of Slavery, or
must they tolerate the incubation, and ,oaH until
the eggs 6ecOmc tMl-grOlOn and a'taUe riperS, that
can be pursued and cXtcrmnated 0H'Y by the
the newly created sword of State authority?',
When handed him, Mr. Douglas acquiesced
in the proprety of the question, and promised
to reply to it. But, although he spoke for an
hour OF more, and has spoken repeatedly since,
he has not condescended to make any allusion
to the matter. This is of no account, however,
were not his defenders, and those who explain
Popular Sovereignty, explicitly avowing that
it does not give the people any power over
Slavery until they come to form a State Govern
ment. They now contend that Popular Sow
creisnty never meant anything else-never
meant to give them any power while Terrific
ry But Douglas and his organs have hitherto
told US that the people Of Il Territory, the same
us those of Il State, were to be left perfectly
free at all and any time to regulate their own
domestic institutions in their own way. Now
they are to be left perfectly free to do 50 only
when they come to make State Constitution
This Is the new dodge to get over the decis
ion Of the Supreme Court. This is the last o.
Popular Sovereignty in the Territories, for nc
party nor faction pretend to deny that the peo
pie of II Territory can abolish Slavery whel
they come to form II State Government. Bu
what now are to be the rights and privileges 0
Territory while Territory? Why, the PEG
pie are to go promlscuous y to the Territory, a
they please, taking with them horses, mules
goats, negroes, hogs, sheep, and any other liv
stock; and man may take with him a dozeI
wives, and just 50 long as they Can KEEP
the Territorial organization, just so long
the man with his slaves and his wives is to b
let not only alone, but protected in the enjoy
ment of his wives, and the services Of his slaves
But is this Popular Sovereignty or Squatte
Sovereignty? To us it looks like protection
of Polygamy and Slavery. And this is tn
doctrine of Douglas and the Democratic party
What say the people? Will they accept thi
new dodge? Our opinion is that they will pre-
fer the doctrine of the Republicans-that it il
the duty of Congress to prohibit rather thai
protect these twin evils of barbarism.