Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-07-21

piled to the Northwestern territory, by the
same men who rejected II in 1874. Thus was
established the H0Fdinance Of 1877" This
being prior to the adoption of the Constitu-
ton its authority expired with the old Gov
ernment. Accordingly it was re-enacted, in
1889, by the first Congress that sat under the
new Government;-a Congress composed Of
many Of the most eminent trainers of the
Constitution under which we live. And now
in the very teeth of these facts the audacious
Mr., Douglas, with an ehrontry and reckless
ness peculiar TO himself asserts that the
fathers Ct the American Government did not
intend to grant to Congress any authority
over the subject of slavery in the territories.
do not pretend to give his exact language
but this is the precise claim of the whole ar
gument. Mr. Douglas warns us TO "be Just
to those illustrious patriots and sages who
formed the Constitution of the United States"
His own article is the worst libel ever writ
ten upon their Craftsmanship and characters.
Herepresents their views and conduct as be-
ing directly the opposite of what they were.
This extravagant Senator may in all rea-
son and fairness be asked why he omitted to
mention the ''Ordinance of 1871" If these
.acts were unknown to him he is, Of course
FardOnable for emitting to mention them
His claim to honesty can only be established
by the plea OF Ignorance. Sad alternative
for pretended Statesman
Mr.. Douglas, under a false pretense of ad-
herring to a strict construction Of the Consti-
tuition, asserts that the clause-'Congress
shall have power to dispose of and make all
needful rules and regulations respecting the
territory and other property belonging TO the
United States does not confer upon Con-
gress any legislative authority over the in
habitants of the territories This, certainly,
is not as the trainers of the Constitution un-
derstood it. The ordinance prohibiting
slavery in the Northwestern territory was
passed by Congress while the Constitution
was being formed by the Convention at Phil
adelphia. If that Ordinance had been, as
Mr.. Douglas asserts, a gross violation Of the
principles of the Fathers of the American
Government they would certainly have pro-
vided, in the Constitution which they were
forming, against the exercise of that power
under the new government. But what is the
fact2 They confirmed, in the new Constitu-
ton, the authority of Congress to legislate
for the territories. And accordingly, as be-
AOA0 AACnliNnCu1 tuG ALnt NOAlEA LLdb sat
under the new Constitution proceeded to re-
enacts.the Ordinance of 1887; and no man in
that generation questioned the constitution
ality Of the Act. In 1920 the same power
was recognized by all men North and South.
The modern Democratic theory of Popular
Sovereignty is, therefore, as new and novel
as it is false and pernicious.
Such is Popular Sovereignty in theory. It's
results in practice have been precisely what
its opponents predicted when the damnablo
heresy was first brought upon the platform of
our national politics. 1t has carried the
characteristics of its own internal nature and
origin into the territories; it has created
civil feuds where peace and goodwill reigned
before The people of Kansas have been
the chief recipients of the blessings which,
it was said, were to flow from this benign
policy. We were told that it was to give
the people more liberty, that it was to 'qeave
them perfectly free" How have these prom
ises been iulflled2 Under Popular Sow
ereignty as administered by its authors and
friends for the last six years, the people CT
Kansas have been oppressed and insulted in
manner unparalleled by anything which the
era Of George the Third can present But
why extend remark? The sentence of
condemnation has been passed upon it by the
American people, and its authors have been
branded as traitors to the Constitution.
ANTI-NEBRAsKA.