The Placer herald., 1860-11-03

Which blossom SO brightly in Summers ga y
bowers;
But to me with instruction thou ever art rife
For thou bringest to mind the October of life
And youths Summer, l know, is not always to
stay;
Not alwayswe bask in the sunlight of May.
Our Doctrine on the Territories.
Within the past few years the question of
the legislative powers Of the inhabitants of
the Territories, has heen brought prominent
ly before the people Of the United States
There are three parties before the country
each of which differ widely in their policy
and views on this subject. We do not pur-
pose going into lengthy discussion or re-
view OF the adverse opinions of those parties,
but shall content ourseIf with simply stating
the leading points Of difference. 10 begin
with the wolst first; the Republican Party
contends tina. Congress has supreme power
over the Territories. That the y. S. Consti
tuition does not carry slavery into the Terri.
tories, and therefore it is the duty of Con.
gress to exclude it therefrom. This is the
Republican ide".
The Douglas Party hold that the uhabi
'an's Of a Territory are just as much sove
reign as are the people of State. That, in
the exer se OF their sovereign power, they
may lawfully introduce or exclude slavery at
any time after their being regularly organ
lied. Here we have the Douglas view. And
now we come to the Breckenridge Democra
cy. They assert that the Government Of a
Territory is not sovereign like that of a
State. That the inhabitants thereof cannot
lawfully exclude slavery before adopting their
State constitution and beirg admitted into
the Union as sovereign State. This is the
view they take Of it, and we regard it as the
only sound policy for our Government to
pursue. The whole question hinges upon the
time when the Inhabitants of the Territories
may settle the question. We contend not
until they apply for admission into the Fed
eral Union. Mr.. d. says SO soon as they
form Territorial Government. Our opin
ion is, that the Territories are the common
property Of the country, and that all sections
of the Confederacy have equal rights there.
Holding this view we do not admit the right
or power Of Territorial Legislature to leg
islate against property recognized as such by
any of the States of the Union. So long rs
it remains in the Territorial condition the
rights Of property known to the laws Of any
section of the country cannot be impaired or
destroyed.
The Supreme Court, it will he recollected,
decided in the Dred Scott case, that slavery
existed in the Territories under the Constitu.
ton. and that Territorial Legislature could
make no distinction between property in
slaves and any other species of property. In
the face of this decision. however, Mr.. Doug
las says that the people Of Territory can
exclude slavery if they see proper to do so
by refusing 10 pass the necessary police reg
ulations without which i. cannot exist an
hour. Now we ask any candid man this
question; "4f the Supreme Court decides that
any property-of whsteyer kind it may be-
exists in the Territories, and that the inhab.
itants thereof cannot lawfully make any dis
tinction between it and other property, is it
in accordance with that decision for the Ter
ritorial Legislature to refuse to pass laws for
the security of such property9" We do not
believe there is fair,dealing man who will
give an affirmative response. And yet Mr..
Douglas asserts that it would, and tries to
create the impression in the North that there
is no possible chance for any more slave Ter
ritory as the inhabitants can rule slavery out
despite all the decisions of the Supreme
Court to the contrary. Every one must see
be is occupying untenable grounds and incul-
eating doctrines dangerous to the peace Of
the country. Nev Hampshire Standard.