Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-07-31
Slave Code, is it (?

The following resolution passed at the Bal
unoFe convention Is termed by the Breckin
ridge aud Lincoln organ of this city as Slav
Code resolution Read It and judge Tor your
selves
ReSoIucd, That it is in accordance with III,
Cincinnati Platform, tina: during the exisenc,
OF Territorial Governments Is the measure of re.
restriction. imposed by the Federal Constitu
ton on the power of the Territorial LegIsla-
ture over the subject of the Domestic relations
az the same has been shall hereafter be de-
c!ded by the Supreme Court of the United
States, should be respected by all good citizens
ana enforced with premptness and fidelity by
every branch Of the genoa government.
Agreeing to abide by the decision of the L.
| ,. Supreme Court. the highest Tribunal in the
land. Is proclaiming in favor of a Stare Code
| lsit? For that Is all contained,in the above e
resolution. What law abiding citizen will not
/ endorse 1t?
Aud here let US put direct question to the
| TRIBUNE: viii you, or will you not abide by
/ the decisions OF the Supreme Coz IT 4? Now,
/ give US an answer-not in your shuffling beating
7 arond- the bush-style but Il direct cate-~oic;ll
answer. Speak up, yes or no.
! We clip the above from the H.tsAigoncer OF
the 18Th inst. We beg the editor of that paper
not to SUPPOSE that it is with any expectation
of reaching him that we undertake to reply to
/ his questions. But do hope to reach the
minds of his honest readers and place the truth
before them in such a light that they cannot
hesitate TO receive it.
The writer of that article is guilty of su5ter-
fdge at the outset in attempting to create the
impression that the resolution was only design
ed as an agreement to" abide by the decisions
I of the L. ). Supreme Court" That such is
not the full meaning of the resolution is abun-
dainty proven by the fact that the same agree
ment had already been made IN the second
resolution of the platform which reads. - Re
solvcd. That the Democratic party will abide
I by the dscislon of the Supreme Court of the
/ United States over the institution of Slavery
within the Territories" Can any intelligent
man suppose, that after having adopted this
simple, luequivocal pledge 10 abide by the
decisions of the Supreme Court" the Conven-
ton would have proceeded to adopt another
less distinct and of three times its length, the
! whole force of which was TO re-affirn the same
I pledge Says the writer. " For that is all
[ contained in the above resolution" True, 1t
/ is all there, but there is also much more.
he had said =" for that is ALI ttat /, contained
/ IN the above resolution" he would have clear.
ly denied that it contained anything more. A.
il Is he makes such denial, his language II
ambiguous, and it Is difficult to believe that i
was not Intended to deceive by creating th,
impression that he did deny that the resolution
had any other meaning. Certainly, he cal
only relieve himself from this dilemma by
cIaitnin to have written very ungramat lea
sentence.
We viii now endeavor to show not only tha
the resolution is a declaration in favor of q
" Slave Code but, that il is clearly SO under
stood by Mr.. Dougla and his friends tha
upon that construction of the resolution they
rely for any strength he may have in the South
md further that Mr.. Douglas apart from th
resolution is distinctly committed in favor of
q" Congressional Slave Code IN tie Territories"
a close analysis OF the resolution shows tha
it claims
Isl Tha. the Constitution imposes SON,
restriction the power of the Territ' rial Leg
9laturc oYer the subject OF domestic slavery.
2d. Tat The Supreme Conrt of the UnIteC
States has decided, or may decide, what IS th'
measure Of that restriction.
Sd. That when the Supreme Court has de
cided what that measure OF restriction is
then hat restriction should be respected l.,
all good citizens and enforced by all branch
Is of the general government
1t Will hardly be denied that Congress is ont
branch Of the general government. We canuo
find that the Constitution grants 10 This braucf
Of the government any other than legisiatIy,
power bv the exc else of which It could d,
Of -io -
Dreme Court. We would ask, then, how car
il . enforce > such decision with promptnes
and fidelity except by the passage Of laws
1t cannot Is it not clear then, that the reso
luton requires Congress as one Of the BRANCH
es Of the general government" TO pass suci
laws as may be deemed necessary to " enforce
;he decision of the Supreme Court vheneve
such decision is made affecting the subject o
the domestic relations ;" Aud, would not
such laws constitute a" Slave Code .
Preparatory to the inquiry how the resola
ton Is understood by Ar. Douglas and hi
friends, we viii look at the action of the Su
nrerne Court. The resolution says 4" as tht
same has been or may hereafter be decided"
seems evident that this was designed 10 b
read Ia different localities. IN the south EN-
phasis may be placed upon has bean while
a. the north it may he convenient TO give great
er prominence TO may hereafter be- We cat
see no other object in using the two phrases
since - has BEEN" is true, sufficient and applI
cable at the present time.
In the 18th vol. of Howard's report, pag,
395. it is stated that the Supreme Court of TIA,
United States decided IN he Dred Scott cas-.
as follows:
l"The Territory thus acquired IS acquired bl
the'peope Of the I ii tea do,2le, for their common
and equal benefit, tin ough their agent and
trustee. the General Government. Congress
can exercise no power over the rights OF per
sons or property of citizen in the Territory
which Is probl tied by the Constitution. Ths
/ Govern men. and the citizen, whenever the / er
ritory - open TO settlement. both enter VIII
their respective rights defined and limited oy
/ the Constitution
ID Congress has no rIgh; to prohihif ci'-
,zeus OF apy particular State or States iroI
, / taking up their home there, while IL permits
+ ctizens Of other States 10 do y or has 1t
/ RIGHT to give privileges TO ore class of citizens
/ which IL refuses to another. The Territory ii
/ acquired for their equal aud common benefit
/ and If opel TO any 1t must be ope1 TO all upoi
I equal and the same terms.
Sd EVERY CITIZEN HAS RIGHT TO TAXI
WITH hin INTO TIE TERRITORY ANY ARTICLE o
PROPERLY WHICH THE CoSsTfTUTfoS OF The NJ
TED STATES RECOGNIZES A PROPERTY
, 4th. The CONSTITUTION OF The T. s. REcoGSi
zE. SLAVES AS PROPERTY, AND PLEDGES THE + ED
xp.r C,o-rpxuFS- tn PROTECT IT And Con