The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-08-07

policy of the government from its inccp-
lion down to the year 1854. 1t has been
acquiesed in, and aflirmaliyely sustained,
by every President from WASHINGTON to
PIERCE, by every statesman from JEFF
ERsoN to STEPHEN A. DoUGLAs, by every
iurst from JAY to TANEY, BY every par
ty that has record in the history of the
country. The policy OF slavery restric-
ton was commenced BY the fathers Of
the Republic before the formation Of the
Constitution. The Ordinance of 1887
WAS first enacted under the Confedera-
ton. When the Constitution was form
ed that Ordinance was virtually repeal
ed. But many of the men who framed
the Constitution, aud knew well what
powers were given to Congress, were
elected members Of the first Congress,
and the Ordinance was re-enacted and
derived lis subsequent force entirely
through that re enactment, as has been
decided by the Supreme Court The
policy Of restricting slavery from the
Territories, thus commenced in the first
Congress, and approved by WASHINGTON,
the first President, was further contin-
ued in the organization Of the Territory
Of Indiana, when JoHN ADAMS was
President-then in the organization Of
! Illinois, when JEFFERSON was President
then in the adoption of the Missouri
Compromise line, when Monroe was
President--then in the organization Of
Wisconsin territory, when JACKSON was
Pre9ident-then in the organization of
Iowa. when VAN buren, was President
then in the acquisition OF Texas, when
TYLER was Presldent-one provision Of
the acquisition being that in all the Tex
an territory north of SO degrees 80 min
utes slavery should never exist-then in
the organization of the Territory of Ore
gon, POLK being President. Here, tlro'
period Of 60 years, beginning at the
organization of the government, we find
this policy pursued unqueslioned. Du-
ring these sixty years, our country was
happy, prosperous, peaceful, advancing
in power and greatness with n rapidly
never equalled in the history of the
world, a growth and prosperity confess
eddy due, to large extent, to this same
policy. And yet we find SrERHEN A /
DOUGLAS and his followers asserting that
this policy is not only unconstitutional
but inimical TO the interests and exis-
tence Of the government-that its sup
porters are abolitionists, traitors, disun-
ionists-that it was tyranny similar to,
and equal i'll extent, to that exercised by
the Mother Country, before the revolu-
ton, over the Colonies But did Mr..
DOUGLAS always talk thus-did he al
ways think so =? He talks much of his
consislency-let us see about it.
In 1916, bill for the admission Of
Iowa and Florida into the Union was
pending in the House of Representatives,
of which Mr.. DOUGLAS was then mem
Der, and on tie 18Th day OF February,
in speech on this bill, published in The
Congressional Globe which we have now
before US, lie used the following Ian
guage:
The father may bind his son during his mi
norty, but the moment he retains his major,y,
his tcttcrs are severed and he is free to regulate
his own conduct So with the territories they
arr subject to the jurisdiction, and control Of
Congress during fhcir int.tncy their minority, +.
bit when they attain their majority, and oD- |
tain admission into the Union they are free from /
all restraints and restrictions, except such as
the constitution Of the United States has impo-
sed upon each and all the States.
Here Mr.. Douglas distinctly afIirms
The Republican doctrine that during the
minority Of the territories, or until they
Obtain admission into tie Union, they are
subject to the jurisdiction and control of
Congress. This is the very doctrine his
followers now pronounce SO unconstitu
tional and dangerous. But this is not
all. la February, 1877, Congress was
discussing bill making an appropria-
ton Of three millions Of dollars for
the purpose Of bringing the existing war
with Mexico to conclusion. On the
9Th day Of that month it came up in
the House, and Mr.. DouGLAs offered the
following as an amendment TO a proyiso
offered by Mr. HAMLI2 declaring that
Slavery should be prohibited in all terri
tory acquired BY virtue Of that appro-
prialion
That there shall neither be slay cry nor in
voluntary seryitude in any territory acquired
under this act, OF ~ the result ol the existing
war with Mexico, which lies north Of Sc degrees
aad 30 minutes north latitude, commonly known
rs the Missouri compromise line, 9th erwisc
than in the punishment OF crimes whereof the
parties shall have been duly convicted Proci-
dcd aitroys, That any person escaping into