The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-05-25

DEMOCRATIC PARTY.-The following able let
ter, from distinguished townsman the Hon.
Reverdy johnson, read at the Cooper Institute
in New York, on Tuesday night, at the meeting Of
the friends and advocates of Mr.. Douglas:
WASHINGTON, May 49, 1860.
SIR: | regret that am unable to accept your in
vitation to the meeting to be held in your city on
the 22nd inst, to approve the action of your State
delegation in the Charleston Convention. Beev-
ing their course to have been right, it would give
me pleasure to witness the sanction it is about
receive. On the issue now so sadly, if not peril.
ously, dstracting country, see we'll ground
ed hope OF mastering it successfully, than by the
selection OF candidate for the Presidency of n
statesman whose opinions upon the subject are,
der all circumstances, the most likely to challenge
general assent, because, when fully understood,
they will be found to be alike Just to all sections of
the nation. The Compromises of 1850 and 1854, it
was confidently predicted, would put to rest for
ever the slavery agitation which had for years so
alarmingy cOnvulsed the land This great end
was to be achieved by removing the subject alto
gether from the halls of Congress, and submitting it
erctusiUeiy (subect ony Y to such restraints the
Constitution imposes) to the people of the Terrific
ries when legally organized. By Southern and
Northern gentlemen, then and now justly high in
the public councils and in the public confidence,
differences of opinion entertained as to the
tent of the Territorial legislative power and of
the Territorial people over slavery. Some held !
that its exclusion could only be effected when a
State Constitution adopted. Others, that the |
Legislature possessed "'entire control over the SUBJ
Ject, and was competent to establish, abolish, or
protect it, Others, again, said it was not ga
matter OF essential Importance at what time the |
power may be exercised by the people of the Ter |
ritories, it being f'of infinitely more importance
both to the South and the Union, that the power
be left to the Territories, instead of the Federal
Government. The present distinguished Secre- |
tary OF the Treasury maintained that the question
itself on which these various views were held in
volved but 'purety theoretical issue-'sthe purest
distraction political point of uie,o that erer ,vas
proposed for political discussion" For, that on
either of the hypothesis contended for "the
majority. of the people,, by the action of the
Territorial Legislature will decide the question,
and all must abide the decision achen made Such
the conflicting, but the then harmonious
practical interpretations of these compromises
To such compromises Judge Douglas, at the mmi-
nent hazard of political ruin in his own State and
section, and from deep sense of the constitutional
rights of the South, has boldly and faithfully ad-
hered. The perils with which they encompassed
him, ana which, with such manly fortitude and
cOnsummate ability, he met and overcame, would |
doubt not, have carried dismay to many whe now
forgetful of his services and loyalty to the South
practically leagued with Northern and South
foes to accomplish his downfall. Not opin-
ion on the question avowed by him during the de-
bate on the compromise has he changed, or in the
slightest particular modified. Who, then, has
changed? Let the record of the past answer. The
vindcation for the admitted apparent change, and
the for the grossly un just and suicidal war
fare on Douglas and his friends, waged by gentle
men of the section for whose rights he hazarded
IS,
the question of Territorial power has been decided
by the Supreme Court. This is asserted daily by
many who, perhaps, never read the bred Scott
judgment, or from their pursuits incompetent
to pass upon it. Having argued the case twice as
the friend of the South, and bestowed upon all the
questions it involved the most careful study could
| state with perfect confidence that the question
was not only not decided by the Court, but was
neither argued nor in any way presented for deci-
sion. The single inquiry in this connection was
Had Congress the power to prohibit slavery in a
Territory? When organized into Government,
what the Territorial Legislature could do was not
before the Court, either directly or indirectly. |
maintained, however, then, | think now, that
the power was with such Legislature by PROPOSE
ton, and it was stated as against the ex-
istence of the Congressional power that slavery
could ''nether be established prohibited by
Congress, but that the people Of Territory when
organized by Congress establish or prohibitit."
| certainly never supposed that there existed in
any part of the civilized world government where
slavery existed in which there wasnot some
where the authority to abolish it. Such propo-
siton to my mind is perfectly incompreheensibe,
and libel on the good and great men to whom we
are indebted for admirable political institu-
tions. There is not word in the opinions of either
of the Judges, even tending to prove that the
Court, or any Judge, intended to pass upon the
question, or esteemed it before them. They ex-
amned only the power of COngress-the sole one
presented for Judgment. differences for or against
the Territorial power from the Courts Judgment
negatving the Congressional power may be drawn,
but to these there honest differences of opn
ion. The passage in the opinion of the Chief JUS
tice relied upon as denying the power, warranted
such conclusion. He is there dealing with the
express restrictions of the Constitution on the
power of the Government His remarks embrace
every part Of the United States over which Con-
gress act at ALL His purpose is to show that al
though the Territories in some particulars and
for some purpose under the government of Con-
gress it is under it only in subOrdinaton to such
restrictions. He applies what he says as well to
the District of Columbia to the Territories gen.
orally. And yet, it will scarcely be maintained
that he designed to assert that Congress- subject TO
the restrictions referred to, has not the power to
prohibit slavery in the District under the authori-
ty "to exercise eccsUe Legislation an all cases 'chat
such District" The exercise of such a
power would be rash, and grossly inexpedient in
the existing atate Of the country; but of the
power there can be well founded doubt. l do
not believe that the authority of the Territorial
Legislature in the mind OF the Chief Justce
tainy the question was not before him, alluded
to, except argument against the Congressional
power. Nor was it ever referred to, as in the case
by any other Judge. 1t is, therefore, idle
to consider it decided. If this be so-and
those who so think, even as honest, and perhaps
capable of forming an opinion upon the sub
ject, as gentlemen having different view-why
should it not be esteemed now an open question, as
it was when the Compromise of "a passed?
Why should the South not continue to agree as
they did then, to abide in good faith by the words
of that act? Of their meaning it is impossible to
doubt The question of constitutional power is un-
decided. SO think nearly all their associates and
friends in the Free Statesmen who, with steadfast
tirmness and unfiinching courage stood by them in
all their past struggles. So think thousands and
thousands of Southern men, devoted to the
rights of their section any of their brethren,
bound to it by the common ties of country and ma
tivity, and conviction Harmony now, North and
South, of the friends of the Union, for the most
part as | believe, to be found in the Democratic
organization y is demanded more than for the
very existence of our common Government Shall
that be hazarded upon what Gov. Cobb Justly terms
hat uoa
for political discussion?" Imagine the Union bro
ken to atoms upon this admitted abstraction. Ina
gine the Republican Lincoln, reeking with the
grossest heresies of political AbOlitOnism; the true
author of "the irreconcilable conflict" elected to
the Presidency, because of politicians dsputing,
and this "from abstraction" started and famed
into flame FROM perhaps, personal rivalry, am
bition, &c, and then try, il you can, to conceive
the fate of the to whose Vaccinations the
dreadful calamity will, by the universal voice, be
referred. trust in heaven no such direful catas-
trophe is in store for U.S. but that, uniting
band of brothers, owing common loyalty, and
pledged, as in the past, to stand by the Compro-
misses of "a, we will do so, with mistaken honor,
and achieve victory, in that case we an,which
will for years, if not for all time terminate the
troubles of the South, and place the Government
upon footing of security which will cause the
hearts of patriots everywhere to throb with delight
and gratitude With respect your GDgdIeRt dHEtos ser
John Clancy, Esq, Chairman, &C., New York.
In Philadelphia on Tuesday, policeman named
VIM. Kochesperger died from a singular cause.
To increase his muscular strength he in the ha
bit of practising with dumb-bells at the station
house, while off duty. On Monday he was thus en-
gagged, when from too violent exercise he inflicted
internal injury. The next day he died from the
effects of it.
At late term of the Scott county Miss Cir
cult Court, man named Matthew Jordon was
found guilty of betting dime with minor, and
sentenced to pay fine of $500 and be confined in
the county Jail for three months. He indicted
for betting with minor knowing him to be such,
and had he been convicted on that charge he would
have gone to the penitentiary for two years.
The two sections of the southern overland tee-
graph already completed, cover five hundred miles
southwest from St. Louis the Atlantic side, and
four hundred and eighty miles east of San Fran
cisco the Pacific. 1t is in expectation, when the
vres are completed to Los Angeles on the one
side and to Fort Smith on the other, that horse
express will connect these points by run of five
days.
The trustees on the part of the old thirteen
States, to select the design and mark out the spot
on Independence Square where the monument to
the "Signers of the Declaration of independence
shall be erected, will convene in Philadelphia on
the 18th day of June next
The New York Central road will bring out this
week no less than twelve anti-dust cars. These
cars are so arranged that they are at all times as
free of dust a drawing-rOom. The Central road
has purchased the patent for this car, paying
$4,000 for the same.
The marriage of Miss Eliza Logan, the dstin-
guished tragedienne, with Mr.. George Wood, for