Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-10-17
Judge Douglas-.-Popular sovereignty. j

we KNOW OF no SuOeCt which Is more talked a0Ousi
and less understood than that Of popular sovereignty
What is ite is not Territorial and it is not SQUAT
ter sovereignty, Squatter sovereignty is the as
sumption of the right by the first settlers on the
public domain to exclude slavery before territorial
government has been granted them by Congress =
No one, not even Judge Douglas himself advocates
squatter sovereignty as thus defined Territorial
sovereignty is the assumption of the right by the
people Of a Territory, after Congress has granted
them u government, to exclude slavery. This is the
Douglas doctrine; and this doctrine the entire DEM
ocratic party Of the South the people Of the South
Of all parties, and large portion Of the Democratic
party North, have uniformly opposed Popular
sovereignty is the exercise of the right by the people
of Territory, assembled in Convention to frame a
State Constitution to decide what their institutions
shall be-to introduce and establish slavery, or to
exclude or abolish it, just as they may choose
This is the doctrine of the Cincinnati PLATFORM prop
erly understood and this IS the doctrine of the ma
tonal Democratic party 1t is the doctrine of non
intervention non.interference both by Congress
and the Territorial Legislatures. Those who hold it
maintain that Congress has no right to exclude
slavery from the Territories; and that the Terrific
ries themselves, not being sovereign have no more
right to exclude this institution than Congress has,
This view of the question has recently been con-
irmed as the correct view by the opinion of the Su
preme Court in the Dred Scott case
Judge Douglas ncw holds that the people of Ter
right to establish abolish slavery; that this right
is inherent in the people as soveregns; and that in
this respect the Territories stand the ground
with the States. This, we say, is at this time the
Douglas doctrine We confess we had really
thought that Judge Douglas had been consistent on
this subject though beyond question his recent
avowals Of this doctrine have been stronger and
more pointed than they were several years ago
We recollect that not long since called the atten
ton of friend who in Office to Judge Doug
lass position this subject and read from speech
of his delivered in 1850 to show that he had at least
been consistent in his advocacy of the heresy of Ter
ritorial sovereignty; but we have since found, on
examining report of his made to the Senate in
1856, on Kansas affairs, that only four years ago he
occupied totally different position Douglas men
will be surprised at this, and some of them may be
disposed to dispute the statement but will prove
what We say. We confess We were surprised at it
ourself having, have just said, always regard
ed the Judge as at least consistent in error on this
question
In a report made to the Senate of the United
States, March 12, 1856, Judge Douglas said:
Without deeming it necessary to express any
opinion this occasion in reference to the merits of
of tho Rhode leland Sc
evident that the principles upon which it was con-
Quoted are not involved in the revolutionary strug
gle going in Kansas; for the reason that the
sorereignty of Territory remains in abeyance sus
pended in the United States, in trust for the people,
| until they shall be admitted into the Union as a
State" ..l., d.
That is the true doctrine. 1t was held and an
nounced, and advocated by Judge Douglas in 1856; !;
but the Judge says as every one who has read
his Clifton Springs speech must know, that the peo
pie of the Territories, while in Territorial condi-
tion, have the right to establish abolish slavery
just as they may choose. ...
But this is not ALL In a speech delivered by
Judge Douglas at Hamilton, Ohio, on the 18th Sep
tember, in reply to question propounded to him he
said:
"They want to know what the remedy is if the
courts shall decide that the Territory cannot exclude
slavery. In the first place, will not do the Su-
preme Court of the United States the injustice to
believe that they going to sutify themselves,
much less violate the Constitution. have too
much respect for the highest judicial tribunal on
earth to even suppose that they can be guilty Of
| such an act Three cheers for Douglas. will
not make the supposition until they shall have per-
pe!rated the fact. ! assume that no such decision
! ever can be made by any court" ,.-.a.., 81
The foregoing may be found in the Washington
States and Union of the sth instant
Some of us have been simple enough to think that
the Supreme Court of the United States has already
expressed the opinion that the Territories cannot
exclude slavery; but Judge Douglas, in this Ham
ilton speech Of his, not only scouts such an idea,
but positively declares that any such decision, il
made by the Court hereafter, scould stuztify the
Court and uiolate the Constitution He will not
hear for one moment of any such decision And
now, what says the platform on which he processes
to stand? The WickEfe resolution, adopted by the
/ Convention which nominated Mr.. Douglas, is as
follows: ,..a .s,.. r.
"Resolced, Thatitis in accordance with the nterpre
taton of the Cincinnati platform, that, during the
existence of the Territorial governments, the meas
ure of restriction, whatever it may be, imposed by
the federal Constitution on the power of the Terri
torial Legislature the subject Of the domestic
relations as the same has been or shall hereafter
be- finally determined by the Supreme Court of the
United States should be respected by all good citi
zens, and enforced with promptness and fidelity by
every branch of the general government" s'4-'f
Here Judge Douglas soemnly pledges himself
that the measure of restriction imposed by the
Constitution on the Territorial Legislatures, .he
same has been, or may be determined by the Su
preme Court should be respected by all good citi
zens and faithfully enforced by every branch Of the
government; but at Hamilton, Ohio he declares
that if the Supreme Court shall decide that tht
Territories are restricted by the Constitution from
Guiding slavery, such decision will be
/ of the Court and a violation Of the Constitution
These are facts, distort them as you may. What
.,;m tba National J)e,hocrnf the STrno Do,norr1f