Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-06-04
CONGRESS AND THE TERRITORIES.

the Chicago platform. That resolve reads as
follows -
Resolved That the normal condition of all the
territory of the United States is that of freedomi
that as our republican fathers, when they had abol-
ished slavery in all our national territory, ordained
that no person should be deprived OF llie liberty,
or property, without due process of law, it becomes
our duty. by legislation, whenever such legislation
is necessary. to maintain this provision OF the con-
stitution against all attempts to violate III ana we
DENY the authority OF congress of territorial leg
stature or OF any individuals TO give legal exist
ence to slavery, in any territory Of the United
States"
This part of the platform, it will be seen,
was written in the spirit of our expressive
motto-"Freedom NATIONAL slavery sectional"
Freedom is primarily the law of the nation.
1t is the normal condition OF all our national
territory. This condition of freedom does not
depend ON acts of congress or grants from the
federal government. 1t comes from the spirit
and purpose of our political institutions, and
it is confirmed and guarded by the fed
eral constitution. 1t is a device Of mod
ern democracy TO represent, that slave
ry may operate in this republic with as
much right and authority as freedom ITSELF
that it may exist in the territories as if it had
no superior anywhere, and no less right to be
there than freedom and the Declaration of In.
dependence. One Of the first things to do in
our present controversy with the slave power,
is to expose and denounce this outrageous as
sumption. Neither Congress, nor the federal
constitution, nor the federal courts, have power
to establish slavery anywhere. We may
as well think of their having power to estab-
llsh monarchy, or an order OF nobility, or
system OF cannibalism. The right to forbid
and exclude barbarism does imply authority
to establish it, Congress or the courts must
interfere against the establishment of monar-
chy, if necessary ; but this does not give them
right to make monarch. So it is with slave
ry. Therefore, eve deny the authority of
Congress, of a territorial legislature, or OF any
individuals, to give legal existence to slavery
in any territory of the United States"
This eighth resolve of the Chicago platform
also maintains the right and duty of Congress
to protect this condition of freedom in the ter
ritories, whenever such protection becomes
necessary. The authority Of Congress over
the matter of slavery in the territories. has al
ways been maintained. Not a whisper was
heard against it, in the first days of the repub-
lie, and it was never called in question, until
the slave interest eXtorted denial of it, first
from leading democratic candidate for the
presidency, and then from the whole demo.
cratic party From the date of the famous
Nicholson letter, " hich Gen. Cass never
would have written, if he had not been
democratic candidate for the presidency to
that atrocous proceeding, the repeal of the
Missouri compromise restriction, the crusade
against the old doctrine, practice, and purpose
of the government, had gone on. Calhoun first
inspired it, and the usurpations of slavery
have forced it into the democratic policy
where it is now working that confusion and
destruction to the party, which it so richly
deserves. When the republican party carries
the country, the old doctrine and practice will
return to power, and that filibustering conspir-
acy of the sluve interest which would trans
form the government into a slave despotsm,
will no longer have supremacy. Meanwhile,
the doctrine of our platform should be main
tanned with the utmost strictness. We SHALL
at length, have senate that will not vote it
down, and president who will not fail to en-
force it.
1t will be noticed that this doctrine of our
platform is very different from that of our
representative in Congress, Mr.. Thayer, on
the same point. He does not admit that Con-
gress has power to interfere against slavery in
the territories. He does not admit even
that Congress has authority to organize
territorial governments, and limits its power
to the creation of Gland districts" and
to arrangements for the survey and sale of the
public lands. Mr.. Thayer is so far from adj
hitting either the duty or the power of con-
gress to interfere in the territories against
slavery, that he makes point of opposing
prominently every measure that implies it.
The slave code that has been framed in New
Mexico presents case, which, according to
the spirit and purport of our Chicago platform,
imperiously demands that congress should in
terfere "by legislation" to protect the constitu.
tional right Of freedom in the territories, by
multiplying that slave code. This New Mexican
code for the establishment of slavery is the
work chiefly OF executive and other influences
hOm w dshluSlOu Ii was not created by lne
New Mexican people, and does not represent
their sentiments but executive influences
and officials appear TO be supreme in that terri
tory They do what they will in the terri
toral Legislature. Therefore it would be
difficult to imagine a stronger case of
necessity for interference by Congress than is
now furnished by New Mexico and Mr. Thay-
er's action and vote against the bill to make
void the New Mexican slave code, show to
to what extent he fails to accept that cardinal
doctrine Of the republican party to which we
call attention. We refer to his views in con
nection with our statement of that doctrine,
because, in this connection, they must neces-
sarily be a matter of considerable interest to
his constituents.
The Chicago platform is well written
throughout. The expression of principles is
clear, frank, and generally admirable 1t
tells us, in every resolve, precisely what is
meant. The more tits studied by republicans,
the better they will like it, and the more deeply
will they feel the Importance of maintaining its
principles firmly against every solicitation, So
phistry, or other assault ofthe slave power, con-
fdent that their triumph is sure. Lack of con
hdence may bring us strange devices Faith
and courage find transfuguraton in the
principles they uphold.
THE PLEUR0-PNEUMONIA.
Legislative visit to Nh. Che.ery,s Herd,