Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-09-06
For tho Innrnal.


Mr. EDIroR:-ln the journal of the
9th ult. proponnded twelve interrog-
atories to the editor of the Winches-
ter Democrat see by reference TO
tho Democrats issue of the 23d ult
that the editor dodges the 9th. 9th.
9TH. 9th. 10th. llth and 18th, and re-
fuses to answer them
The editor of the Democrat assigns
two reasons for not answering q por-
tion Of the interrogatorieS. and | will
say here that it may be all right to
charge ignorance upon the drafter of
thc intcrrogatorieS in order to get rid
of answering them, but To man Of
any reasonable portion of intelligence
Dur reason is worthless one. lou
have intelligence enough to under
stand that il you answer those inter
lrogatorics fairly and honestly that You
CohNlCt uc-lcn-uS VI Noui ica'-i>
with demagOgueiSm. inconsistency
and dishonesty. You dare not answer
them honestly and fairly.
in your answer to the first inter
rogatory you say that popular sover-
eighty is the right OF the people OF an
organized Territory to manage their
own local affairs. and determine their
own domestic policy. subj ct only to
the Constitution of the Unitel States.
You mean by this. if the Constitution
gives the people the right. they have
it, or, that they have this right, SUBJ
jcct to all the restrictions anil prohi-
bili0ns OF that instrument. Now. this
is nonsense. For the people either
have that right or else they have 1t
not, and ii is dishonest to tell them
they possess this right when You do
not know whether they do or not -
Douglas SAYS it is Judicial qucs-
ton. That is. that the right was
questioned. anil hail to be settled by
the Supreme Court.
In your answer to the 81 interroga-
tory yon say. "the provisions of the
Constitution extend to the Territories,
so far as applicable. when extended by
act Of Congress" | am surprised
that there should be n man in this en-
lightcne,l age who is SO ignorant, or
who relies so much upon his power to
gull the people as to assert that Con
grcss has the power to extend the pro-
visions Of the Constitutions of the
United States. The Constitution, by
its own comprehcnsivcness, extends to
. the Territories or it does not. | will
not stop here to argue that question
1t is true Congress might pass law
and incorporate an embrace within its
provisions the precise language of the
ConstiAtion, but when this is done II
> would only be an act OF Congress,
which act would be subject to amend
mcnt or repeal. rs any other act ol
Congress. While it has this right,
Il does not possess the power to
amend. abridgc, repeal or extend any
of the provisions of the Constitution,
and the only way that any person can
claim protection or enjoy the rights
4 and privileges of its beneicent pro.
visions is by becoming citizen Of the
United States. The Constitution be.
ing made for the States alone 10y tn,
: States. it is in force only in the
States.
As you have failed 70 answer the
:. 10th. ll,h AMI l2th interrogatoiics
will explain them for yon. believing
you did not know or else was afraid
to answer or explain them.
Mr.. Douglas. in his letter of accept.
ance. accepting the nomination as the
candidate of the Democratic party fol
the Presidency. says: Upon a care
ful examination of the platform oI
principles adopted at Charleston. and
re-aflirmel at Baltimore. with an AL.
litional resolution. which is in perfect
harmony with the others, find 1T to
be a faithful embodiment Of the time.
honorel principles OF the Democrat,
party, as the same were proclaimed
e anil understood by all parties in the
: Presidential contests of 1913, lS5.
and 1856" Now. asked you in my
10Th and llth interrogation to ex,
plain wherein this additional resolu.
tion conforrcl with the principles o
the Democratic party in 1913. ls3:
nj 1856. That resolution says th'
measure Of restriction, whatever il
\ may lie. imposed by the Federal Con
stitu,ion on the power of the Tefrito
rial Legislature over the subject of tn,
domestic relations, as the same ha,
been or shall be hereafter determined
+. by the Supreme Court of the Unite,
States. should be respected by all goo,
n citizens. and enforced with promptncs,
! and fidelity by every branch OF til,