Daily national Democrat., 1860-05-30
The Policy of the Democratic Party.

The editor Of the Standard republishes the
synopsis Of Congressional acts s.appended to the
speech delivered by Hon Jas. 5. Green, of
Missouri, in the Senate, ut the commencement
Of the present session, in order to snow that
Congress has right to legislate for the ter
ritories-that is to legislate in certain way.
But its reason for the republication may be
best inferred from its own language prefacing
the synopsis. He says
This synopsis shows from the beginning,
in 1889, at what time the territories were
organized the officers in whom the govern
ing power was placed the extent of the
power granted the number of changes that
have been made 10y Congress: the laws that
the territories, from time to time, have pass
ed, and that have been repealed 10y Congress; I;
and presenting the whole in a cleor iutellgi-
hle shape. This vast mass of legislation
shows that for an unbroken period of SEVEN
TY YEARS Congress has exercised power to
institute territorial governments, and to
abolish and change such governments Ii
also shows that Congress has always claimed
and exercised the right to supervise the acts
of these governments, and to annul them at
its pleasure"
This is the very thing contended for by the
Republican party. They say that Congress
has always legislated for the territories, and
that it should continue to do so. The Demo.
cratic party, however, in 1854. enunciated
the policy and established it, that the people
OF the territories should form and regulate
their own domestic Institutions, and that
Congress should not intervene in the premi
ses. The ground then taken by the Demo
crasie party was, that Congress had no right
to abolish slavery in a territory, and that it
should not undertake to exercise the power.
The party also took the ground that Congress
had no right, on the other hand, to establish
slavery. 1t followed therefore. that Con-
gress was bound to keep its hands aloof from
the question of slavery in the territories,
whether on one side or the other. Such was
the doctrine laid down by the Democracy
the struight.out, plain doctrine of non-inter
vention. The party understood this non
Intervention to be perfect and complete. The
editor of the STANDARD belonged to the party
and we suppose subscribed to the policy
adopted. 1t makes no kind of difference
now, whether Congress, according to the
bred Scott Decision, has the power to protect
slavery in the territories or not, the Demo
cratic party is fully committed to non-inter-
vention in any shape or manner. 1t is the
policy which they have adopted, and the
constitutional power of Congress has nothing
to do with the question If the policy is
correct, that is sufficient But, correct or
incorrect it is the policy to which the party
are committed, and he who is in favor of
Intervention by Congress upon the question
OF slavery in the territories. can, by no pos
sbility. be a Democrat The policy must
first be changed by a majority of the party
in National Convention assembled, and that
majority has SO far refused 10 make such a
change. The platform adopted at Charles
ton is still for non Intervention, and all good
Democrats are bound to stand upon it,