The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-06-19
Cur Correspondent, "A Farmer

Cur Correspondent, "A Farmer
Alleges that we have not correctly stated his posi-
ton on the Territorial question. We would regret Il
do lin injustice End take occasion TO say. that OIL
opinion of his position was made up from tie genera
tone aud drift Of argument in his previous ARTICLES anC
in quoting Mr.. CALHOUN against Scuater Sovereignty
we did it 10 show The utter facy Of the prctci$:o,
claims set up by rcc.soiiSm in this most dangerous
because most insiliOus Form.
Our correspondent seems nct aware that any man
in the United States holds such doctrine as ;rl
vanccd in our definition Of Slia;tcr Tor r"ruar) Soy
ereishv We know Of no better authority 10 sustain
tie view We presented Of this doctrine, than Senator
DOUGLAS himself who maintains that nothing the Sr.
prcmc Court could TO, by a decision, could bind the
people Of the Territories and that by the Kansas hi
he had fixed tic Sot so that The people Of the Terri
tory in defiance Of tic decision olc Court, could cX-
cludc slavery from tie Territory thus of course,
giving the Eoser TO he North cf making cay 7t9ritO'
~ IN Ike Union free.
This view Of the question is in direct cor:arention
to that of Mr. CALHOUN WHO says:-If the Territories
belong to the United Sates-f tic ownership dom;!-
ion and sovereignty tcin lc in the States Of this
Cnion-t!Icn neither tic inhabitants Of the Territories;
ncr their Legislatures can exercise ally power but
what is subordinate TO them" So that we were CHI
tircly correct in saying did in last, that
Squalter Sovcreign;y-as taught by Judge DOUGLAS.
in Winois-is investing few Struggling inexperienced
and often reckless advcntWcrs into the Territories
with the extraordinary Legislative function Of cXcud-
ing slavery tlicrerrcm. no matter what the decision
Of the Supreme Court may be on that abstract ,cs-
ton
IF ~ Farmer rpndiatcs this view Of the question.
and is mot aware that any in the United States
holds at this day sucl, position, he must give the
great SQuatter Sovereignty eXpoundcr and advocate
the go-by: and lie will find that nearer togetl-
CT than either Of lis supposed at the outset We have
objection to ~ Farcrs position ;g;,inst the rs.
sumption that the people Of Trrritory soIsciga
in the sense Of being Independent of the Constitution
Of the United States, and exempt from tie obligations
which it imposes: which Obligations neither Congress
nor Territorial Legislature can exempt them i's;I,
for The right of the people Of Territory to govern
themselves is 'iSulject TO tie Judiciary and Exect,-
tive departments Of the Federal Government" which
its Supreme power over the Territories 10 protect the
Constitutional rights Of Shareholders, aud OF all other
citizens Of the uditcd States against al! agyrcs$ons
whatsoever q
Congress- in such Case, as have already said !:r
Ing mere agent or auxiliary, sanctioning Or render
ing more effective the pomer Of the judiciary and
Executive departments :" for without tie cooperation
and sanction ofCongrcss-tf agent Of the coordinate
states necessity the representative Of the pco.,
plc-of What avail would BE TIc 'iJudicarv and EX
ectl.ive departments Of the Federal Government"
This is all as far us VIC can perceive claimed by l
Constitutional States Rights party represented il
the Majority Platform and seeding delegates 1T h
Charleston Convention and We confidently ASSUME
that this faithfully carried out is ii; that c South dc
mands, and nothing less ought the South accept.
But Senator DOUGLAS makes no such admission: tx
says that 'thc people Of a Territory cen by Lawful
means e1cgude slaue,v from, hsir limtIs p'tor to H
formation Of a State Constitution" What docs hi
mean BY lawful means if not that the first few
struggling Squattcrs in Territory shall assume this
high legislative function?
Mr., CALHOUN thought quite differently, and main
tanned that the Territories were free and open to a
citizens OF the United States and that there pow
or under any aspect the subject be viewed in. ly
which the citizens Of the South can hc excluded from
emgratins with their property into any Of them
We prefer NJ. CALllouy's views 10 those Of Mr.
DOUGLAS, knowing them TO bc saer and truer 10 the
rights and interests Of the South
We are as far from claiming that Congress has ans
Constitutional power to meoIdts with slavery in the
Territories" as ~ Farmer amy one ese; yet VIC
do maintain that Ccrgrcss is rot ''iHeddLag' will,
slavery wlcn in the legitimate exercise Gifts power
it secs that the Constitutional rights Of the South arc
as faithfully protected in their slave property as in that
of Northern mans CLOCKS and oxen" And this is
the way we escape the iImputaton Of ascribng 10
Congress Unlimited powers" The point is plain,
specific aud just.
As we lave already sli;l the Interpretation of the
kaMsas-Nebraska set is different with ~ Farmer
from that which lis REPEATED author maintains, and
surely Judge DOUGLAS ought to know what he meant
in that extraordinary production which appears to be
susceptible as the Cincinnati PLATFORM of double meal-
ing The difficulty in arriving At a conclusion arises
from the fact that in Illinois Judge DOUGLAS explains
so entirely to the satisfaction Of the frcesolerS.
that he is able to 'out Lincoln LINCOLN himself and
in Tennessee Georgia &C.. his friends able to split
hairs enough 10 make something Of showing in the
Seth sile yiew- Cthh question -... -.----...-..
SQuatter Sovereignty, us cxpoundcd hv Judge DorG'
LAS, is political fraud upon the South which ought
not to bc submitted to.
In conclusion, VIC beg 10 assure our friend. y Tar
lner" of our kndcst regards, and shall be pleased
to hear from him again, on any subject which may
present itself for lis consideration. With "a focma
worthy Of our Steel" always pleased to salute
prior to crossing swords.