The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-07-18
HnHsag DassHbswsisa.


eighty principle come six years ago, in high
sounding phrases, and Impressed the people
with the idsa that the principle was equva-
lent TO Territorial Sovereignty, and placed the
people and the Legislature OF Territory
upon an equality with the States, SO far a.
regarded their domestic institutions and leg
islstion. And the supporters Of Douglas In
Iowa, and throughout the north, reserved
the doctrine in its broadcast sense, and conn
mended II to the favor Of the people as a re-
cogpition Of their rights, and as she most
effectual barrier to the introduction and ex.
tension Of Slavery in the Territories. And
it would seem that, Notwithstanding oil that
has taken place since, this hallucination still
possesses the minds OF the masses who sup
port Douglas.
But Douglas himself holds no such doc-
trins at this day. In bis speech in the SEN
ate of the United States, in February, 1859,
10 reply to Clay, Of Alabama, he said:
81 will answer the Senator's question:
First--Ido not hold that squatter sovereignty
10 superior to the Constitution. hold that
no such thing az sousreign poscsr attaches
to O Territory Uhiis a Territory. | bold
that Territory possesses whatever power IL
derives from the Constitution under the or.
ganic act, and no more. hold that all the
power that Territorial Legislature posses
see 10 derived from the Constitution and its
amendments, under ths act of Congrsss; and
because hold that, denied last year that
the people OF Territory, tcithout the COM
sent Of C0ngres, could assemble at Lecomp-
ton and create an organic law for that people.
| denied the validity of your Lecompton
Consultation, for the resson that constitu-
tons can only be made by sovereign power;
and because the Territory Was not sover-
eighty, that was not . constitution but Pc
tition. But, Dir, will not occupy time on
that question. The limit OF the authority of
Territorial Legislature IL the organic act
and the Constitution and it's amendments.--
The organic act provides in its sixth section
s.That the Legislative power Of the Terri
tory shall extend to all rightfui SUBJECTS Of
legislation consistent with the Constitution |
OF the United States and the provisions Of
this act,' 10.
The whole Legislative poorer possessed By |
Congress oper a Territory Uds, by that ACT, |
conferred on the Territorial LegiJatAse.--
There were exceptions on three points but |
Slavery was not one of the exceptions.
say, then, the intent WAS TO give to the Ter |
rffofial Legislature all the poUsT that zoe |
possessed; all that could be given under the |
Constitution and the understanding tcas |
that Congress would not interfere with what
ever legislation they might enact"
Here Douglas expressly repudiates Terri
.orial Sovereignty, and clearly admits that
all fhs pover Of the Legislature and Of the
people Of Territory Is derived from and
limited by act Of Congress.
No Republican, no National Democrat, no
Constitutional Unionist, has ever laid down |
the doctrine Of the supremacy OF Congress-
under the Constitution in broader terms, nor |
ever more completely repudiated the doctrine
OF Territorial Sovereignty.
Under his Squattsr Sovereignty. Kansas
bill, Douglas proclaimed that the people Of
Territory are 10 CIRCULATE their own ipsti-
tutions," etc. What, now, does he believe
on that point7 In bis speech in New Or
leans In 1858, he said:
Slaves are recognised as property and placed |
on an equal footing with oil other property. |
Hence, the owner Of slaves the same az the |
owner of any other species OF property--has |
. right to remove to Territory and carry
his property with him."
And again, in his speech in the Senate in
1859 he holds that slaves stand precisely on
the same basis ~ horses, cattle and hogs,
and are entitled to the same protection, Meth
er more nor less.
"Slaves, according to that decision, being
property, stand on an equal footing with oil
other property. There il just % much obi |
CATION on the part Of the Territorial Legisla-
ture to protect Slaves a. every other species |
OF property,-as there 10 to protect horses,
cattle, dry goods, liquors, &c.n
And although Douglas claims the poor
privilege for the Territorial Legislature OF
discriminating against slaves by "unfriend-
~ legislation," just a. they might against
horses, be after yields that up to the bred
Scott Court in bis approval Of the resolu-
ton OF the Baltimore Convention introduced |
and made part Of the Douglas platform, for
the svowed purpose Of carrying 40, 900 votes
in Louisiana.
At last, as the fruits OF non-intervention,
Douglas sriunphantly proclaims to Southern
Senators
IL 10 part Of the history Of the country that
under this doctrine Of non-interv ention, this
doctrine that you delight TO call sqnstter
sovereignty, the people Of New Mexico have
introduced and protected slavery in the whole
OF that Territory. Under this doctrine they
have converted tract of free territory into |
slave territory, more than five times the sire
Of the State OF New York. Under this doc
.rine, slavery has been extended from the
Rio Grande to the Gulf OF California, and
from the line Of the Republic OF Mexico, not
only up to SO deg. 80 min, hut up to 38 deg.
giving you degree and half more slave
territory than you ever claimed. In l848
and lS49 and 1850. Ynu only AK ed Ia hay a |