The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-04-11

to proiect it, whc her in the Territories the
high anywhere else. lis power and author
iiy we've eonioIcd on IT, not TO establish or abolish
properly light of any description, butto protect
| them .1ss.
The resolutions of the Senate caucus, which
were called for by the cXi s,enc!es of the times,
and which sustained by every democratic
senator but two, concede the same ght Ca
protectit p. -s..ls.s, ~ i,sar-a
1t is objected by some to this claim for fed
! eral protection, that it necessarily involves or
comedies the right of congressional prohibi-
tiun. Nothing can be mere illogical than to
onfound ,,rofecfiOn with deStrurtion-the pow
: cr by legislation. of facilitating the enjoyment
of rig ht and of throwing OBJ tructions in the
way of the exercise of such right. Numcr-
Gus instances will readily occur to any thought
,ful mind where Congress has the power of af-
firnatiye without TIE power of negative legis-
lation. Congress can make no law abriiging
the freedom Of speech or of the press; nor de-
privng a person of life. liberty, or property,
without due process of law; nor interfering
with the trial of crimes by jury, except in eases
of impeachment; but Congress can certainly
legisate affrmatively to secure the enjoyment
Of or remove Instructions to, these cnnstitu-
tional preroeatiyes. If the right to hold slaves
in Territory cannot be interfered with preju
dicially by Congress, it mostassuredly can pre-
vent its creature from accomplishing the san e
POSc ny
ton. 1t S simply absurd TO pretend that to
destroy is the correlative Of to protect
A less consequential, but with some more
important objection to the claim, is its alleged
inconsistency with intervention, as pr,-
claimed in the Cincinnati platform. If this
were true, might simply say, "Grant If, and
what then ?'' But it is not true. and the APP
plcation of the same term to the States and
this District, to the Territories, demonstrates,
without further argument, the bad logic which
would restrict us to nOn-action. l challenge
the production of line in the legislation of
1850. as applied to the Territories. in the Kan
sas bill. or in the Cincinnati platform, which
can fairly be tortured into REIMBURSEMENT by
the South of its right to projections. Non-in-
reference non-intervention could mean
nothing else than that Congress would abstain
fiom questions over which it had no control;
would neither establish nor abolish slavery;
would not intervene to accomplish purposes Of
doubtful cunstitutionality.
Non intervention, as used by some, is shall
low device, and means that the Federal Gov
ernment is the emeu y Of slavery; that it g.
nores it, and will not recognise or protect it;
and that it will not lend its power to uphold
and sustain it. It is shufling, but disastrous,
conpr"mist between right to protection,
aud the power claimed to cripple an abolish.
1t is REIMBURSEMENT If the du les ui Gov
ernmcnt and an Abandonment of our equality
and manhood. Complete intervention i'll
reference to slavery is aggressive action against
us; is discrimination exceptional and adverse
tn slave property is accumulated aud unequal
protection to antagonist and rival interests"
We entered the compact, and delegated the.
exercise of certain sovereign powers, that they
might be used more efficiently for our prutec-
tinn and security. If II Federal Govern
mrnt refuses protection frum unfrierdly
legislation. or '.refuses TO carry the ci";ns OF
the STAKEHOLDER for redress to the proper trib.
ural. the slave holders must establish gov
ernment that will render adequate protection,
or b' come an easy prey to foreign ral'acity or
domestic fanaticisnl - IF The stakeholder is
to have no surrender Of his fugitive slave, he
must have an army or navy to guard his front
iers or coasts, and to punish the enemy who
harbos his property. If the slave holder can
en- Joy no share at the common property of the
Union he must be exempt from taxes and mil
itary contributions. Profection is the price
Paid by Government for the support of its cit
izens, and can conceive of dis race more
heavy, no degradation. more bitter. than the
denial of this right of protection. with u SIM
ultancous claim for maintenance against the
STAKEHOLDER" s# %.
1t may be said that these are judicial qucs-
tio;s and mere distractions, which can be safe
ly left to the future, to be determined us ext |
gencies may arise. In late memorable case, |
appeals have been = ade from the Supreme
Court 30 popular reju' ice and passion and in
terr,etations of the decision form parts of po-
litical platforms. History is full of instances
Of judicial srbserviency, and political opinions
very often control judicial conduct. The IA
mou- Somerset case, the direiul spring of un
numbered woes, was decided under circam-
stances tha: reflect credit on the moral cour-
lSe of tie eminent judge. The proposition
IF Senator SEWARD to put the Supreme Court
IN the side of freedom is fearfully admonitnry
II the influence of popular excitement on tn.
judiciary. III could lift my voice so as to be
heard Ly the South ii she would heed the ad-
nunition of loyal son. in tones of earnest ell
-eafy, | would beseech her not again to COM
'iit the fatal mistake of yielding to party ne.
.essity What may be essential to future safety;
lot tn concede principle, which, however ap-
arcntly abstract or impracticabie, Lay, in the
'auds of hostility or fanaticisn', prove a potent
ngine of mischief or destruction.
The hour expired at this point, but by
conseLt, Mr.. CURRY was allowed to
roce, d 90 .-. ......
AS said Pi +. on the East India bill:
1T would he folly in The extreme TO suppose tha.
he principle once admired would operate only on
.e present occasion. Good principles might sleep;
at bad ones II is The. curse of society that
hen had principle i onc2 esiabli,hed had men ,
i'll always be found 10 give it It's full effect ,
Mr.. Chairman. for what is the. democratic
arty contending? Is it for spoils and pat
nage, or for principle? Is this immense ar
ny of means this combination Of agencies, !.
his drilling for the strife, but to win victory,
ar1en and frtiitless and Pyrrhan Are We to
truggle for Pre- sident merely TO dispense ex- ,
cut've patronage and feed a greedy swarm Of
scches? THIS is of, 10 avail is mischievous, )
Mess accompanied bv corresponding eleva-
on of popular sentiment. Sir, there is 10
rength in numbers, in a mere aggregation of i
ZEN. "A party nnst be animated by common
nth; Re vitalized by principle; must er.body
rperishable truth; and its principles must not
c mere exc ;ptional max;ms, polite and con- q
enent forms applicable only to temporary ex- i
,eneies: and to be laid aside as snake sloushs a
O ITS skin. ~. q tltre ,.s.,.y '