Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-07-02

these virginia OtScuctn Phoue ouN "NNNN~N-
ting gentlemen-and if the Mountain will not come to
Mahomet, why Mahomet rather than make himself dis
agreeable or actous will ineontneny go to the Noun
tain In a word the Douglas men have only to adhere
faithfully and inAexbly their gallant and distinguished
ehieftain in order bring the Seceders to their milk
and save the national character Of the Virginia Demoe
racy.
what n Fall was There, MY Country men":
The Memphis Appeal, leading and influential organ
of the Tennessee Democracy has hOisled the flag OF
DorGLAs and JonSsoN and in doing So takes occ lsion
TO show up the inconsistency Of the Secedes by appeal
ing TO the record of Mr.. BREcENRDGE which is identi-
cal with that of DOUGLAS himself on the subject Of
Squater Sovereignty and slavery in the Territories 'If
anything" says the appeal "was wanting to show the
utter duplcity and hypocrisy of the Secession move
ment at Charleston il may be found in the nomination
' Of Mr. BREcENRiDGE by those same gentlemen at Bal
tmore The Seceders placed and justified their disor-
ganzing movement on the high ground Of principle
the principle OF protection to slave property in the
Territories by act OF Congress. Had they been
est and sincere in this position they would have
mate at Baltimore a man who the representative
of that principle, Mr.. YANcET, Mr.. DAVIS, or Nj.
BRowS
$50 far from this, they have, we prepared to
" show, nominated gentleman who is as thoroughly
committed TO the doctrine of non-intervenon and pO
pular sovereignty DOuGLAs himself To prove this,
we submit the following extracts from the speech of
Mr. BREcEiNRIDGE, delivered in the House of Repre-
sentatves, on the Ktusas-Nebraska bill, March 20,
1854. Speaking TO the point under discussion he
said:
Bu, il noninerverton by Congress be the principle
that undercs the compromise of 1885, then the prohibit
tion Of 1920 being Inconsistent with the principle should
be removed and perfect HOiterveHioH thus establish
81 By lac
"AmOng the many Misrepresentation sent to the
try by sonsof the enemies of this BILL perhaps
more higraDt than ne charge that proposes to leg
isidie slarsry into Nsjraska aud kGHsdi SIR, II the
B contained saeh feature Il r0Vid not rse,vsiay UOts
Tie right 10 establish eolrss the CORE Ire right to
Droh5it and denying both, could poe Jor neither
20 further and express the opinion that clause egsa
ting slavery into those Territories could command
one southern vote in this House. IL is due TO both
tons of the country and to the people, expose this
groundleSs charge What then is the present condition
of Nebraska and Karsas. Why, sir there is govern
neut no slavery and very little population there; or
YOUR Federal laws exclude your citizens y but law
mains the statuebOok forever prohibiting slavery in
these Territories lt Is proposed simply TO take OIL this
prohibition, but not 70 make an enactment IN the arm-
snce Of slavery there Now in the absence Of any law
establishing slavery in that region, previous to the pro-
hbitng act Il j. too clear for dispute that the repeal Of
the prohibition has not the affirmative effect OF fixing
slavery in that country The effect Of the repeal there
fore IS neither to establish exclude, but leave the
future condition of the Territories dependent rAoiiy up
o., tLc aetoa Of he inhabitants, subject only such
limitations as the Federal Constitution may impose
Blu, to guard fully against honest miscOosructon, and
even agaus, malicious peryersion, the language Of the
bill is perfectly explicit on this point
ut will be observed that the rights of the people to
regulate in their way all their domestic institutions,
ia left wholly untouched except that whstever is done,
must be done in accordance with the Constution-the
supreme law for Us al And the rights OF property I'M
der the Constitution weh legislative action is pro-
perv left to the decision Of the Federal Judiciary. This
avoids contested issue which it is hardly in the compe
teuey of Congress decide and refers it to the proper
tribunal.
Then sir neither the purpose the effect Of the bill
il 70 essae slavery into Nebraska and Kansas but is
effect Is TO sweep away this vestige of Congressional die
taOn on this subject, TO allow the free citizens OF this
Union enter the common territory with the Const
tuition and the bill alone in their hands and TO remit
the decision OF their rights under both the
OF the eountrJ Who eau 20 before his constituents
fising to stand on the platform Of the Constitution
Who can make to them Of refusing to abide the
decision Of the courts Of the Union.
Sir care nothing about refined distinctions or sub
letes or verbal criticism repeat the broad and plain
proposition that if Congress may intervene on this sub
ect may intervene on any other and having thus sur
rendered the principle and broken away from the con
sutonal limitations YOU driven into the very lap of
arbitrary power BY this doctrine you may erect des-
potsm under the American system. The whole theory
i libel on our institutions IL carries back 10 the
bhorrent principles OF British colonial authority, against
which made the issue of Independence have never
acquesced in this odous claim and will not believe that
il can abide the test of public scruny.Ses opp Cong
Globe, roi. go page l4l
This scertainy as conclusive the subject the Ap-
"psal says the English language make it. The free
citizens of the Union says Mr.. BREcKNRD6E must go
into the common Territories with the Constitution and
the BILL (mesnng the organic ac alone in their hands
Had he come up to the standard Of the seseders or
southern extremists he would have said that they
shave the privilege of going into the the Territories with
the Constitution the bill and protective iar of Con-
gress in their hands. But Mr.. BREcKrSMDGE never
dreamed Of such doctrine. lie stood fairly, squarely
and strictly on the noa-interventon pla form. Upon
this platform be elected Vice President of the Uni
ted States and the seceders all know that he has al
"uays been the steadlst friend and supporter Of
Nc DOUGLAS.
But it may be said that Mr.. BREcKISRIDGE and Mr..
"DouGLAs differ in their views with regard to the pow
ers of the territorial legislature and the time when the
pople Of Territory may settle the question Of slave
~ To- III m.elves Mr. BRECKENRIDGE also meets this
point and disposes Of it satisfactorily. In the
speech and on the page of the Appendix to the
Congressional Globe, will be found the following pas
sage:
cit is eontended on one hand upon the idea of the
eanaty Of the States under the Constitution and their
cannon pFoperv in the territories that the citizens Of
Abe saveholdng States may remove to them with slaves,
and that the local legislature cannot righuy exclude
slavery while in the territorial conditions but il is
coded that the people may establish or prohibit il when
they come to exercise the power Of sovereign State
on the other hand t said thai slavery being in dero
CATION Of common right exist only by force OF posi-
tive law and il is denied that the Constitution furnishes
this law for the terrtories and il is further claimed that
the local legislature may establish or exclude il any time
after government is organized As both parties appeal
to the Constitution and base their respective arguments
on opposite construc ions Of that instrument the bill
wisely refuses to make question for judicial construc
ton the subject Of legislative conflict and properly re-
r il to the tribunal created by the Constitution ITSELF
for the very purpose Of deciding a in law and
equity arising under il"
There il the doctrine Of BREcKSRIDGE, which Is iden
tical with the doctrine of DOUsLAs. BREcKISRIDGE is
against the Secedsrs doctrine Of protection to slavery"
Ia the Territories and is for leaving the whole question
Of slavery TO the decision Of the nhGbtans" Of the
Territories! Taus it appears that the prneple-oying
Seeeders-the advocates of protection to slavery" in
The Territories and the mortal hAers Of SquAtter Sove
reieaty-have nominated candidate for the Presidency
who Is outandOut against protection slavery IN the
Territories, and who as much Squarter Sovereignty
4an as STEPHEN A. DOuGLAs himself Was there ever
% dsgussng display Of Inconsistency and insincerty