The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1860-01-28

SOUTHERN lew or TIE DOUGLAS CoNvEN-
TON IN ILLIyoIs.-The Illinois Convention which
nominated Mr. Douglas for the Presidency passed
series ofresolutions, from which we NAV gather
the opinions Of aha Is called TIE Democracy Of
that State in reference to the question of slavery
in the Territories. We may also inform ourselves
of the wide discrepancy between Democratic
principles as they are understood at the South
and Democratic principles as they are under
stood at the North We shall see that If the
doctrines professed and insisted on in the South
are Democratic doctrines, the doctrines professed
and insisted on in Illinois by the followers Of Mr.
Douglas must be emphaticallv anti Democratic.
There IS no common ground. On the great cues
ton of Territorial policy and Territorial rights
the antagonism is broad and distinct, It is i'm
possible that people protesting opinions so con
hieting, on questions SO important, can belong
to the same party for any other purpose than
that OF party victory and party plumber. IF the
delegates chosen by this Illinois Convention he
admitted at Charleston it will be sufficient proof
that the Democratic party has become useless
for any purpose involving the rights or interests
OF the South Black Republicans o. Auoe Moth
i,ags, elected uader pretended Democratic forms.
'r0ad hare good c!aim 10 admission into he
Charleston Coareaioa, u these Miao;s deegtstes Le
'seogaizea u spite Of he odor II ityesy ai;cA su-
ronads them.
In concise terms the Southern Democratic
doctrine, in reference to slavery in the Terrific
ries, may be stated as follows: The Territories
are the common property Of the States; the citi.
zenof each State has the right to take his pro-
petty into any Territory and has lust claim ia
be protected in holding and enjoying it, by any
authority competent to give such projection; tie
fight OF property in slaves is not derived from
any Constitution or any laws, either State or
Feaeiai, but Ike other property rights, existed
before the formation of those Constitutions md
laws, and its protection is one Of the objects for
which they were instituted; neither the people
nor the authorities of Territory can Justly de-
stroy or injure these rights or in any way inter-
tere with them, except for their protection; the
Supreme Court has recognized these principles.
and It is the duty of the Federal Government I'd
apply and enforce them whenever any emer-
gancy demanding such application and enforce
ment may arise.
The Douglas doctrine, as. expressed ii the
speeches Of its author and in the Illinois resolu
tons is this The people Of the Territories have
full power over the question of slavery, even to
the extent Of destroying the right Of property IN
slaves, aud should be- permitted to exercise this
power at their own discretion; the right Of pro.
perty in slaves Is derived from local lay: the SUI
preme Court has not decided that the people Of i
= Territory have no right TO prohibit Or exclude
slavery.
In the face Of an issue SO direct, who will pre-
sumo to say that the Charleston Convention
should not express an opinion either on one side
pr the other? Who will .denounce Us al ex-
for insisting that the South has right
. know where the Democratic party stands On
ms great question? Who viii assert that the |.
oath T. bound % give her united support to any
Dafty which may refuse to recognize her rights
md the principles to which she has proclaimed
Yer inmoyable dssotions N. D, Delta, 10th.