Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-02-09

Indeed, a most ingenious expedient.
But alasl Here is one Of those
cases. where the abstract admission Of
right is of decisive Importance
Suppose for arguments sake. slave
might escape from his owner in a
territory. without being in actual
danger of re-capture; would that in any
way affect the constitutional right Of
the stakeholder to the possession and
enjoyment of his property? l have
already quoted Mr.. Douglass own
answer to this question. "lf." says
he, slavery exists in the territories
by virtue of the constitution, THAT is,
ifa Shareholder has right to introduce
his slave property where there is no
other law but the constitution. "then
it becomes the imperative duty OF
Congress, to the performance of which
every member is bound by his oath
and conscience, and from which no
consideration Of policy or expediency.
can release him, to provide by law such
adequate and complete protection. as
is essential to the enjoyment of that
important right"
And Mr.. Douglas, after having
emphatically admitted the right OF
property In slave, where that right
can spring from no other la" but the
constitution. then dares to speak OF
unfriendly legislation? Where is his
conscience? Where is his oath?-
Where is his honor? (Applause.
But Mr.. Douglas says more: The
constitution being the supreme law OF
the land in the States as well as in
the territories. then slavery exists in
Kansas and in South Carolina, and
the irrepressible conflict is there!"-
Aye, the irrepressiblc conflict IS there
not only between the two sntagonis.
tic systems of labor. but between Mr.
Douglass own theories; not only il
the States and territories, but in Mr.
Douglass own head. Laughter and
cheers. What ambiguous expires
sions Mr.. Douglas may invent, the
dilemma stares him in the face and
here / put myself on his own ground
either slavery is excluded from tbs
territories so long as it is not admit
ted by a special act of territorial leg
islation,-or if stakeholder has the
right to introduce his slave property
there before such legislation is had, h,
can possess that right by virtue of nc
other but the only law existing there
the constitution of the United States
Either slavery has no rights in th'
territories. except those springint
from positive law Of local or munic
ipal character. or according to Judg'
Douglass own admission, the south
ern construction of the constitution
and of the principle Of popular SOW
ereignty is the only legitimate one
that the constitution by its own forc'
carries slavery wherever it is the su
preme law of the land. that Congress
is obliged to enact slave code for it
protection. and that popular sover
eighty means the power of the peopl
to vote for slavery but by no mean
against it. There is no escape iron
this dilemma.
Which side will Mr.. Douglas take
Will he be bold enough to say tina
slavery, being the creature of loca
law only, is excluded from the terri
tories in the absence Of positive la,
establishing it; or will he be homes
enough to concede that, according t
his own proposition in his New o.
leans speech. slavery exists in til
territories by virtue of the federal cor
e stitution? He will neither be Dol
9 enough to do the first. nor hone
enough TO do the second; he will
l cowardly enough to do neither. (Al
: plause.) He is in the position
> that Democratic candidate for Coz
gress in the West, who, when aske
o care you a Buchanan or Dougl
i man." answered.: Il am" Gre
IL laughter and cheers If you ask N
n Douglas: "Do you hold that slave
e is the creature of local law, or that
10 STAKEHOLDER has the right to introdu
'e his slave property where there is
'e local law?" he will answer: IL do. "
" CONTINUED laughter and applause.
y Such is Mr.. Douglass doctrine
: popular sovereignty. But after ha
'e ing given you Mr.. Douglass o'
! definitions in bis own words, see y
l. are puzzled all the more. and you a
&c me again: What is it?' l will
n you what Judgment will be pass
lc upon it by future historians. W
may find it worth while to descri
n. this impotent attempt to daily a
Id trihe with the logic of things. tt