Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-08-21

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/ language:
The principle. that he (Donqla<) stood
nPon was the right Of the people to make
the-r own laws, and 10 establish institutions
10 suit themselves. That was the principle
OF The Revolutionary War Democrats: but it
Is row said thai Congress can pass Federal
laws, not loca! and domestic laws, for the
people of a Territory who have equal rights
OF seif-governlnent, ant who went from the
old States where they had these rights Why
should they lose them in the ferry boat eros
sing the Missouri Riyerl''
IL seems very difficult 10 believe that these
expressions are put forth with any other than
a deliberate intention 20 deceive. In our
Inst issue we think we show very clearly
that, as regards the question OF slavery at
least, Mr.. Douglas does not stand upon the
nights Of the people 10 make their own laws
ia the territories; but that he and his party
stand pledged TO .labide by decision of
the Supreme Cour; which distinctly denies
1.-The right to make their own laws prohibit
ing slavery, or impairing the supposed right
TO property in slaves. Il is possible that Mr.
Douglas may stand ''upon the right OF the
people" Of territory to ESTABLISH instiiu-
tons to suit themse YES but We apprehend
that their right TO make their own laws" to
be Of any value, shoul3 embrace the right to
PROHIBIT Institutions that DO not suit them
as clearly and fully as the right to establish
those which 90. Mr.. Douglas accepts the
decision of The Supreme Court which de-
clares that the people Of a Territory cannot
prohibit slavery, ''as an authoritative expo
siilon OF the Constitution, and pledges hlm-
self TO abide by ill., and hence he is careful
to stand only upon the right of the people TO
AUSTRALASIA institutions to suit themselves
In the language which we quote above
Mr.. Douglas evidently designed to create
the impression on The minds of his hearers
that the people Of territory 'have equal
right, Of selt-governmeni" with those pos
sessed by them IN the "old States from
which they emigrated, and blandly asks
"Nhy should they lose them in the ferry
boat crossing the Missouri RIyer9' How
can We believe that this is not intended to
deceived The Territories Of Kansas and Ne
braska are peopled mainly if not entirely by
G. lzens who emigrated to them from some
one other of the "old States.'' In each
and every one Of these sold States the peo-
pie have the ri ht TO establish their owr fun
damental law by the adoption of Consiitu-
tlon; TO elect their own Governor; to estab-
lish their own courts, and EJECT or provide
for the appointment Of their Judges; 10 have
an equal repr- sentation and vote in the Unit
ed States Senate; to have Proportiona,e rep
resentation and vote in the House of Repre-
idents and Vice Presidents of the United
States. Let Us ask Mr.. Douglas in his own
words, ''A ny should they lose them in the
ferry boat crossing the Missouri yer? He
should be well able to answer, for the Act Of
( Congress organizing those Territories was
drawn by his own hand, and in it he with.
held FROM the people who were 10 settle
them, every one Of the rights which we have
enumerated. He made 1t inevitable for then,
TO lose those rights, VII, ch they had possessed
as citizens of the old States,-sin the ferry
boa; crossing the Missouri River" Why
did he do it? why should they lose theml "
! We say again, that when we compare
these declarations of Mr.. Douglas with the
synopsis Of the decision of the Supreme
CouFt in tie DEED Scott case, as published
IL our last, aud with that resolution in the
platform upon which he is running for the
Presidency which declares,
That the Democratic party will abide by
the decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States over the institution of Slavery
with n the Territiries.''
We can come to no other conclusion than
that he is deliberately attempting to deceive
the people.