New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-11-15
M. Is.,sj.sT.ass I.ETrnFS.

comport with his convenience The correspond
ence was handed in at too late an hour TO admit o.
comment yesterday morning.
Senator Douglas gracefully acknowledges the
compliment paid him. but declines to speak,
giving rood reasons for the deelension. In this we
think he acted wisely and judieicusly. Bat instead
Of d speech, he has written q long letter, which
has no doubt, been read by most Of our citizens
ere this. Upon that letter We propose comment
ing. touching some Of its more salient points.
Senator Douglas is, of course, o strong Union
man. and holds that the Constitution affords q
remedy for every grievance. This was to be ex-
pected, for the Senator has reiterated The senti-
ment on numerous occasions during the late eau
vass. We do not question his sincerity, but we do
most positively and absolutely deny the verify
Of his proposition. The Constitution affords no
remedy for Southern grievances. To the Southern
people the Constitution is as worthless as piece
Of waste paper so far as protection to the slavery
interest is concerned The Consultation authorizes
slavery; the same instrument declares that fugi-
tves shall be returned to their masters; Congress
has passed laws in accordance Herewith; and the
decisions of the Supreme Court affirm and main
tan the mandates of the Constitution and the laws
Of the National Legislature. Yet, if STAKEHOLDER
of the South in pursuance of the rights guaranteed
BY this Constitution these laws end these decisions
attempts to reclaim his servant, nine greet North
ern States by express legislative enactment, have
declared that he shall be fined from one to five
thousand dollars, and imprisoned in tile peniten-
tiary from three months to fifteen years
4 Now, here is direct notification of the Constitu-
ton, the laws, and the DEGREES of tho Supreme
Court, and an intolerable grievance to the South.
Where is The remedy Where the power to right
Tie south2 Where the authority to vindioate
tile Constitution? Where the might to enforce
the decisions Of the Court with stern and strong
handa These laws have been in force for years.
Some Of them Were in force during Gen. Pierce's
administration. All of them have been in force
during Mr.. Buehanan's administration As Gen.
Pierce, with Democratic Congress to back him,
could not enforce respect to the Constitution, the
laws and the Court and as Mr.. Buchanan, with
Democratic Senate and d Democratic House Of
Representatives to sustain him, when he went into
Offices failed utterly in the premises, the presump-
ton is reasonable that the Constitution is power
less when the rights of the South are in question,
and that it has no remedies for any grievances, no
matter how unjust and atroeious, that may be per-
petrated upon us.
Senator Douglas says: It Is not pretended, 50
far as / am informed, that any precision Of the
Constitution has been violated in the recent cleo
tions Granted But the spirit Of the Gonstitu-
lion the only valuable part of it, has been utterly
violated ana destroyed BY the action Of the North
ern people in electing Abraham Lincoln. The
Constitution was created " in order to form more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic
tranquility provide for tie common defence, pro-
mote the general welfare, 4 etc. Those were the
objects for which it was formed--the sole and ex-
elusive objects. Has the plighted faith Of ourfore
fathers been observed? Has the spirit Of the in
stFum,ent they created been maintained No
Nine Northern States denounce fines and prison
houses upon all Shareholders who attempt to vindi
cate their rights under this very Constitution; and
every Northern State, with asolitary exception,
voted for Lincoln, after protracted canvass,
which was marked by every extreme Of hatred and
naleyolenee to the South, and fanatical desire to
subjngate her to the rule of those who proclaimed
times innumerabe that they would, sooner rlater,
utterly root out and destroy her social and indus
trial institutions. No violation! Nearly every
thing precious in spirit and meaning in the Consti-
tuition has been violated SO often that the en-
croaching section only looks upon it as means of
CARRYING out schemes of wrong and oppression;
and if they ever succeed in naugurating the Presi-
dent elect, six months will not elapse before the
District Of Columbia, the forts, arsenals, navy
yards, hospitals, custom-houses post-ofices nints
magazines, dock-yards, warehouses; lots and par
GELS of ground owned by the United States, will
swarm with Abolition workmen and Abolition Off
Gals This cannot be prevented, except by force;
for section Of the Constitution confers upon the
Government exclusive jurisdiction in such cases.
This would build up an Abolition party in our
midst, disturb our domestic tranquility, and en-
danger our general welfare, but as it would all
be done without violating any precision of the
Constitution, according to Senator Douglas it
would be our duty to submit to it, If his theory
be correct, we should submit, and keep on sub
hitting, even if the incendiary's torch is in our
dwellings and the assassn's knife at our throats,
because we have the Constitution, the Supreme
Court and a temporary majority in Congress on
our side and if all these should fail US, and few
scores of thousands Of our people should be muir
dered, and few hundred of our cities and villages
be laid in ashes, we have the consolation of know
Ing that the distinguished Senator believes that
such outrages, or similar ones, would not only
| make the Southern people unit but would arouse
/ and consolidate all the conservative elements Of
/ the North in firm and determined resistance, by
l overwhelming majorities.n
Make the Southern people unit?n Senator
! Douglas. we admire you for your pluck, manhood
/ and bravery, and have always, although differing
politically, spoken good word for you, as oppor-
tunity presented ITSELF We have the satisfaction
of Informing you that that portion Of the South
j which is the handspring Of the mighty time-piece
i of the earth's commerce, is unit, p and that
i when it determines upon its course Of action, as
shortly will, that it will move unitedly.
conservative elements Of the Northn Why
Senator Douglas, we are astonished that 80,
4 should make use Of such an expression Yol
4 might as well say, conservative elements' o
Massachusetts,. That State, on the 9Th of the pre-
i sent MONTH rejected the pure, the wise, the peer
i less Edward Everett, by over seventy thousand
j majority and on the very same day, and within
| the very same hours, elected Chief Magistrate b,
| an overwhelming majority, who had presided owe
1 a meeting in Boston, and who, as presiding officer
made speech in which he compared the execu
/ ton of the felon and murderer John Brown to TIL
| martyrdom Of the Apostle Paul Conservative
| elements indeed! We want nothing to do will
such conservatism, and the quicker we separat,
l ourselves from it the safer it will be for us.
| Senator Douglas speaks Of the Constitution a
! the asupreme law of the land. we have the higl
| authority Of Daniel Webster for saying that bar