The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1860-10-20
Col Fits Henry Warren,
Dsuslas ana the slave Trade.

Douglas ana the slave Trade.
We have heard the doctrine advanced that
"Popular Sovereignty" fully carried out, would
allow the re-opening of the African Slave trade,
and that its advocates must necessarily vote for
ehs repeal Of Ill laws declaring the Slave traffic
to be piracy; and We think the doctrine very
sound one, and one that should secure Mr.. Doug.
las support The argument that he advances
a. to the Territories, 10 this that the people whe
are to settle there, know better what institutions
are suited to their wants, than We who are far dis
sant from them, and that what they decide Is
practically right, the question of Slavery not
being different from that ~ to other property,
being merely question Of dollars and cents-
The people Of the Territory having decided that
Slavery is good for them, Congress has NO right
to PEGS any laws interfering with or obstructing
Ct from going there. That is Mr.. Douglas argu-
ment in BRIEF Nov, surely NJ. Douglas is not
to deny equal power to sovereign State - toa
Territory. According to him, the State of
Georgia has right to decide what shall be the
character of her institutions, and what she de-
cides ID right and true decision, - far - abe is
concerned, and the General Government acts ~
rannieally in passing laws prohibiting, under
the penalty Of death, the sovereign State Of
Georgia from obtaining, at % low rate ~ pos
sible, that which she has . right to have. And,
If Georgia considers Slavery right and good, NO
man should interfere, but she should have as
great facilities for buying cheap negroes,
wherever they can BE- found, a. for buying cheap
horses and cattle. We submit that this 10 q fair
and logical deduction from Mr.. Douglas posi-
1ion.
And this same argument was introduced in
che Baltimore Convention, by the celebrated
Mr.. Gaulden, Of Georgia, one of the ten South
err men who did not withdraw but remained and
gave adherence to Douglas. He said in speech
made in that Convention:
II say 70 for non-intervention in the broad.
ct sense Of the term. say that this whole
thing should be taken out of the hands of the
General Government Isay tits ell wrong to be
spending tUo or three millions of dollars annu-
ally from our pockets and sacrificing thousands
Of lives upon the Coast Of Africa, in that terri
BILE cline, to prevent our going there TO get
few negroes, If il is right for US TO 60 to Vir-
ginia and buy negro and pay $1,000 for him, 10
il mot legally right for M to 60 to Africa where
NE can get them for $50" Applause.
These sentiments were mot only tolerated, but
appiauded. Where were Gov. Baker and Ben.
Samuels. and Judge Clagget, and is it possible
that our illustsious low-townsman, the Briga-
disr, brought down his illustrious heels in en-
dorssment Of such sentiments - theses The
only rebuke that was uttered, was by Gen. But
lsr, Of Massachusetts,, who, ON seeding from the
Convention, gave his reasons for that act, ~ fol-
lows:
1--WE now put our Withdrawal before you, up
on the simple ground, among others, that there
hes been Withdrawal ON the part Of majority
of the States, and further, land that perhaps
more personal to myself) that will not stay in
Q Convention where the African Slave trade,
which 10 piracy BY the laws of our country, is
approvingiy advocated"
Mr. Douglas, it 10 true, said once that he was
opposed to opening the Slave trade, - such an
act would be Q violation of one of the compro-
mises our of fathers, but his past history shows
the compromises of the fathers, though ''canon.
lied in the hearts Of the people" have little TO
expect from him and certainly one which pre-
vented the people from regulating their own
institutions in their own way" ought not to
stand. Would he veto law repeating the pre-
sent laws If be were elected President We fear
he would listen lsog time first. to N. Gaul-
dsns exposition Of my great principle"
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