The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-03-21
D0liti.faI,,.
REs0LUT. ONs OF THE DEMOCRATIC
SENATORIAL CaUCUS. ri.


We publish below series of resolution
finally agreed upon by the members of the [
S. Senate, as AN expression of their unite
views ON tie subject of slavery, and the re
quirements of the Constitution in connectio
Herewith These resolutions were adopted o
Wednesday in caucus of the Democratic Ser
ators, and will go forth to the country with tn
weight which will be attached to them on &C
count of the high source from which the
emanated p.
| /. ResolDea, That in the adoption of tn
Federal Constitution, the States adopting tn
same acted as free and independent sovereign
ties, delegatng portion of their powers to b.
exercised by the Federal Government for TIL
il reased security of each ag,i,st dangers, do
mest;c as well as foreign and that any inter
n:eddling by any one or more States, or by
con, bination of their citizens, with the domes
t C institutions of the Others or any pretex
whate. er, political, moral, or religious, with
view Of their disturbance or subversion, is il
violation of :he Constitution, insulting to the
States SO interfered with, endangers their do
mestic peace and tranquility-objects torwhcl
the Constitution was fUrmed-and, by necessa
ry consequence, tends to weaken and destroy
the Union itself.
2. Resozued, That negro slavery, as it exists
in tfteen States Of this Union, ccmposes an
imp portant portion of their domestic institutions
inherit from their ancestors, and exciting al
the adoption of the Constitution, by which ii
is recognized as constituting an important ele.
ment in til. apportionment of powers among
the States and that no charge of opinion or
feeling on the part Of the non-slav veholding
States of the Unirn in relation to this institu-
ton, can justify them or their citizens in open
or covert attacks thereon with asvsiew t. its
overthrow and all such attacks are in mani
fest violation of the mutual aud solemn pledge
to protect and defend each other given by the
States, respectively, on entering into the con
stituticnal compact which formed the Union
and are manifest breachlo of faith and viola
tioy of the most solemn obligations. j..
-. 3. Resolued, That the Union of these States
rests on the equality of rights and privileges
among its members, and that it is especially
Ike duty of the Senate, which represents the
States of their sovereign capacity, to resist all
attempts to discriminate either in relation to
persons or property in the Territories, which
are the common possessions of the United
States, so as TO give advantages to the citizens
of one State which are not equally assured to
those of every other State. ..s.5a
f. RexoiUeI, That neither Congress nor a
Territoiill Legislature, whether by direct legs-
latiun or Legislation of an indirect and un-
friendly character. possesses pow r to annul or
impair the Constitutional rig.. of any citizen
of the United States to take his slave property
into the common Territories, and there hol-
and enjoy the same while the Territorial con-
d dltiOn remains. ..-.. r. -.-
5. Resolced, That, if experience should at
any time prove that the Judiciary and Executive
au hority do not POSSESS means to secure ade-
quate prcte to Constitutional rig in Ter
ritnry. and if the Territorial Government should
fail or refuse to provide the necessary remedies
for that purpose, it will lie the duty of Con-
gress to supply such deficiency.
g. ResdUetI, That the inhabitants of Ter
ritory OF the United States, when they right.
fully form a Constitution to be admitted as a
State into the Union may then, for the first
time, like the people of State, wher forming
IA new Constitution, decide for themselves
whether slavery, as domestic institution, shall
be main ntained or prohibited within their juris-
dictiun and "they shall be received into the
Union, with or without slavery, as their Con-
stitution may prescribe at the time Of their ad-
mission" -s
I. Reso1ced, That the provision of the Con-
stitution for the rendition of fugitives from
service or labor, without the adoption of which
the Union could not h We been formed, and
:he laws of 1893 and 1850, which were enact
ed to secure its execution, and the main fea-
lures Of which, being similar, bear the impress
Of nearly seventy years of sanction by the
highest judicial authority, should be honestly
and faithfully observed and maintained by all
who enjoy the benefits of our compact of
Union; and that all acts of individuals or of
State Legislatures to defeat the purpose or null
lily the requirements of that provision and
the laws made in pursuance of it, are hostile.
in character, subvelsive of the constitution,
md revolutionary in their effect. <+''.-
COMMENTS ON THE ABOVE.
The 5th resolution of the series is cayiled
II by the Opposition press, and is pronounced
% be in favor Of Congressional intervention
,r, in the clap-trap of the day, to favor a slave
,ode for the Territories.
As We understand the resolution, and as we
,ndorse it, it looks to a contingency when,
rom want of power in the judiciary, the
Courts NAV find themselves powerless to carry
'ut the requirements of the Constitution, and
be President powerloss to perform his sworn
luty Of taking care that the laws be faithful
y executed. This may be done by a factious
efusal, to egslate at all, or by what Mr..
Douglas calls sunfriendly legislation" which
after, although without tie warrant of consti-
utional authority, and in derogation of that
may require time before decision
an be had by the Courts which will pronounce
UGH laws unconstitutional and void and hence
necessity may arise for laws to enable the
judiciary of aTerritory m'r re promptly to set
lie these questions and to have its decisions
led into immediate effect. fifsr'
To argue that, under such circumstances,
he Constitution, uhich requires The President
0 take an oath to see that the laws are faith
nlly executed-which organizes Court and
eclares it to be the SUI rene Court of the
United States, gives no power to pass laws to
nable the President to do his duty, or the
ourts to see thier Judgments carried into ex-
cution, is the height OF absurdity, and cannot
,r moment be entertained.
Thus constituting the 5th resolution, we en-
orse the resolves of the Democratic Senator
j Caucus. in whole and in rart-as sound and
not only demanded by the
ocular relation of parties, but as the true in
mt and meaning of the Constitution, and if
new platform is to be constructed at Charles
IN, in place of that adopted at Cincinnati, we
, uld be willing to take the resolutions above
wen, and risk the fate Of the campaign on
leir success Cleveland National Democrat.