Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-08-17

denied the charge.
AS editorial after editorial in our columns
will sbow. we then recognized Senator Douglas
ms asserting
LET Tint the decision in the bred Scott case
guaranteed to the people of each Territory the
constitutional right 10 hold their slaves there
un,nolestcd by aggrcssicns Of any description
ID. That Mr.. Douglas sustained and endorsed
this decision Of the Court.
I'd. That such judicial protection, unaccom'
panied by other means OF protection, Would
prove insufficient to preserve the rights OF
shareholders i~nviolate in the Territories. That
in spite of judicial DEGREES, Il Territorial Legs,
lature unlricndly to slavery might violate these
rights under the forms Of law; lst. by re-
lusing 10 enact laws required for the ctlIcleh'
protection of slave property. ID. By resortlne
TO legislative acts, by which at the same thle
the rights Of slave property might be seriously
damaged, and constitutional obligations ART
fully evadcd.
VIC did not understand Mr.. Douglas us JUS
Iitv;np ~. ,olrrating such acts Of commission
or of omission, but simply rs referring 10
stubborn facts. which we recognized rs true,
and which pointed Enthusiastically TO i necessity
which he had long urged-the absolute ncces-
sity for the cooperation OF every pFahcn ol
fine Federal Government, for the protection OF
all the rights Of persons and property in the
Territories. l;elying on the patriotic co''sis'
t.ucy OF Senator Douglas, We confidently u.s.
scr:ca that lie would himself bc foremost, IN
the L. $. Senate, to apply the correction me-
ccssary to guard against the dangers Of Terri
torial aggression, which he had so ably pointed
out.
4 rrw weeks afterwards, an article III TIC
''Phi!adclphia Press and Il set OF resolutions
adopted in illinois, gave us reason TO lear tna1
Senator Douglas would deny the right OF Con
gressivnal protection. We warned his friends
Immediately, that such II position would alien
att from him our own aMd the confidence o.
the Southern people.
And 81 soon Us Mr.. Douglas announced his
advocacy Of the constitutional power: OF i Ter
~ritoria! Legislature to injure slave property,
and denounced and derllrd the doctrine ol
Congressional protection to slave property, wc
promptly joined issue with him. We at once
hoisicd the ensign of constitutional right, anu
through al embittered contest Of nearly eighteen
months refused to yield an iota Of the prlnci'
Die involved, either 10 the limil suggestions o
friends, W the hostile demonstrations OF enc
mics, personal and political.
If our correspondent call lind II shadow o.
inconsistency in this record, he is welcome tt
make the most oi it.
And while We now earnestly desire and III
tend 10 avoid; us much us possible, everything
like contest with such friends us Mr.. Riyes, We
will give no quarter to this hcresy of Squattel
sovereignty. Both Mr.. Douglas and Mr.. Rive'
dispute the legitimate application Of the tern
"souu1tcr sovereignty to the doctrines which
Mr.. Douglas advocates and Mr.. RiveS co"
oemns. To our own mind, the popular decision
which has already fixed the definition Of tli:
term is entirely just. The "squatter sovereign
ty" of pixies Peak" is not 4 whit more Ills
reputable. and even less derogatory to the SOY
ereignty of States and the dignity Of the law
than is that other "sluatter sovereignty" wtlicf
Mr., RiypS is too honest and too patriotic TO cn
dorse.
\ doctrine which lcIricS the competency "
government 10 protect the persons ami proper
~ Of citizens-whicll proclailns the game "
grab in every territory OF the Cnion-%tIIc'
attributes To Il creature Of the Federal Con
grcss powers far beyond those which Congress:
itself may legitimatcly exercise-whicli arms
ranalicism for aggrcssion-wilich eSclteS AL
archy--which overrunS State sovereignty
which, in its latest phase, eycn assails the dig
nifty, the usefulness, the very existence OF tA'
Judiciary, and arags it down into the 'hlre 0
political urickcry and corruption; witch wou!'
place an absolute dictatorship i'll the hands 0
a corrupt federal executive such Il doc
trinc as this is very highly compliment
ed, by the application OF so mild an ep'
the, rs "suuatter. sovereignty" 1t is Il doc
trine which VIC cannot tolerate. Il is on
which Mr.. R;vcs cannot endorse. There is NJ
obstacle Of constitutional principle which a
all prevents his standing Oh onr platform ant
supporting our candidates. Could we, wlthou
violation Of the duty We owc to our coHv'ction
of constitutional right, relinquish our platform
and our candidates, and accept his platform
and his candidates, VIC would bc willing to re
nounce every prompting Of personal lncilna
ton and partisan pride to stand by tn
side of Tin. Rivcs and his co-supporlerS U
Senator Douglas. As matters stand, W
could not do 50 without dishonesty. Bu
he and his present associates, among WHOM
we recognize many valued friends and truste'
allies, can, without the infringement OF
single iota of conviction, as to political primer
plc, rclinuujsh their candidates and accep
ours. Again we urge them all TO the adoption
of n step so necessary to the harmony and ei
rective action Of the Virginia Democracy. W
ask this in no spirit Of arrogance. We are no
ashamed to beg il, as slIppliants, from friend
whom we have SO long esteemed and respected
:. and We will regard its grant as emitting tn
g~ran,ors to our lasting gratitude.
We vii! not dispute the claim which MI
Riyes sets ~ for himself and his imlnciiat
associates, of superior service TO Democrat
interests and superior fidelity TO Democrati
principles in times past. If his uncompll
mcntary reference to that portion Of the Viz
ginia Democracy who opposed the reinoTal 0
the d~epositcs nearly twenty years ago, and III
forwards opposed Martin Van Buren's ~elevatio'
10 and continuance in power, is intended rs
taunt, we have no disposition to return n coun
ter.taunt. IF the taunt was intended for on
political record it falls short Of the mark. At tn
,;.,, -oCurrod To nn nnrn the Luttnpcu: hehiuI