Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-05-25

In Mr. Douglass speech in Tic Senate on
81. f-ft, fnst Ire said

In Mr. Douglass speech in Tic Senate on
the lTth inst. Ire said.
Sir. believe that the safety. tbe peace.
the Highest interests of this country require
the prcscrvation intact of the Democratic
party on its creed and its old platform.
Whenever yon depart from That platform,
which was adopted unanimously, you never
will get unanimify in the formation OF an
other. The only objection | have heard
urged against that platform is that il is sus-
ceptihle of two constructions. when- IN point
of fact there are no two constructions
there can Re none on any OF the political
issues coniaincd in it. The only difference
of opinion arising out of that platform Is
on the judicial question, sbout which we
agreed 10 differ-wbich We never did decide;
because under the Constitution, no tribunal
on earth but the Supr.In. me Court could
d. eide it. We diff,r only as 20 what the de-
cieion of the Court will be; not as 10 whether
We will obey it when made. How can you
determine that question by platform! IL
has been suggested that this difficulty was
ali to be rcconciled by the adoption Of res
oiution which 4 find in the papers under
the title of the Tennessee platform. Will
my friend read il?
Mr. Pugh read. as follows:
Eesotutd. That all ciiizrDs Of the United
States have an equal right 10 settle with their
property in the Territories, and that under
the decisions If the Supreme Court, which
we recognize as an exposition of the Consti-
tuition. neither their rights of person or pro-
perry can BE- destroyed or impaired by con-
pr-ssional or territorial legislation"
Mr.. Douglas-We have had predictions
that the party MAS to be reunited by the
adoption of that resolution. The only OBJ
lection that have TO il is, that 1t Is liable to
Two constructions. and certainly aid incvl-
tably will receive two. directly the opposite
of each other, aud each will be maintained
with equal pcFtinacity. The resolution con-
tains. in my opinion, Two truisms. and fairly
considered no man eau question them. They
are: first, that every citizen oil the United
States has an equal right in the Territories;
that whatever right the citiZs n of the State
has, may be enjoyed by the citizens of all
the States; that whatever property the ciiI-
zen Oi one State may carry there, the citizens
of all the States may carry; aud on wbatev err
terms the citizens OF Que State can hold 1t
and have it protected, the citizens OF all
States can bold it aud have 1t protected,
without d, Gliding what the right Is. which
still remains fer decision. The second pro-
position is. that a right of person or property
secured by the Constitution can not be taken
away either by act OF Congress or OF the Ter
ritOrial Legislature. Who ever dreamed that
either Congress Territorial Legislature,
or any other legislative body ON earth. could
destroy or impair any right guaranteed or
secured by The Constitution No man that
know of. This resolution leaves the same
point open that remains open for the courts
under the Cincinnati platform and under the
Kansas-Nebraska bill. My objection is, that
il bears upon its face the evidence that ii Is
to DE construed in two opposite ways in the
different sections of the Union. | want no
double dealing or double construction. l am
willing 10 stand on the Cincinnati platform,
as you agreed to it. and it was re-eDacted
at Charleston. L will give it the same cen
struction have always given to it; you may
give it yours We differ only on law point;
let the court decide that, and | only ask that
you will bow 10 the decision Of the court with
the same Submission that / shall, and carry
il out with ti,e same good faith. | want no
new issue | want no new test. / will make
none on you, and will. permit you 10 MAKE
nOue on he.