Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-07-20

and another territorial Legislature may
abolish it, and so The struggle will be
continued throughout the territorial ex-
istence. The people instead of devoting
their energies and industry to promote
their own prosperity, will be in state
of constant strife and turmoil, Just as we
have witnessed in Kansas. Therefore,
there is no possible principle that can
be so injurious to the best interests of
Territory as what has been called squat
ter sovereignty.
Now let me place the subject before
you in another point of view The peo-
pie of the Southern States can never
abandon this great principle of State
equality ia the Union without self-degra-
dalton. g Never !" Never without an
acknowledgment that they are inferior
in this respect to their sister States. -
Whilst it is vital to them to preserve
their equality, the Northern States sur
render nothing by admitting this princi-
pie. In doing this they only yield
obedience to the Constitution of their
country as expounded by the Supreme
Court of the United States. While for
the North it is comparatively mere alb
straction, with the South it is question
Of co-equal State sovereignty in the Union.
If the DEGREES of the high tribunal es-
tablshed by the Constitution for the very
purpose are to be set at naught and dis
regarded, it will tend to render all prop
erty Of every description insecure. What,
then, have the North to do? Merely to
say that, as good citizens, they will yield
obedience to the decision Of the Supreme
Court, and admit the right of Southern
man to take his property into the Terri
tories, and hold'it there, just as North
ern man may do; and it is to me the
most extraordinary thing in the world
that this country should now be distract
ed and divided because certain persons
at the North will not agree that their
brethren at the South shall have the
same rights in the Territories which they
enjoy. What would | as a Pennsylva-
MAN say or do, supposing anybody was
to contend that the Legislature of any Ter
ritory could outlaw iron and coal within
the Territory? Laughter and cheers
The principle is precisely the same
The Supreme Court of the United States
have decided What was known to us all
to have been the existing state of affairs
for fifty years-that slaves are property.
Admit that fact, and you admit every
thing. Then that property il the Terri
tories must be protected precisely in the
same manner with any other property -
If it be not so protected in the Terrific
ries, the holders of it are degraded be-
fore the world.
We have been told that non-interven-
ton on the part of Congress with slavery
in the Territories is the true policy. -
Very well [ most cheerfully admit that
Congress has 10 right to pass any law to
establish, impair, or abolish slavery in
the Territories. Let this principle of
intervention be extended to the ter
ritoral legislatures, and let il be declared
that they in like manner have no power
to establish, impair, or destroy slavery,
and then the controversy is in effect end
cd. This is all that is required at pre-
sent, and | verify believe all that will ever
be required Hands off by Congress and
hands off by the territorial Legislature
Loud applause With the Supreme
Court Of the United States | hold that
neither Congress nor the territorial legis-
lature has any power to establish, impair.
or abolish slavery in the Territories. -
But if, in the face of this positive pro-
hibition, the territorial legislature should
exercise the power Of intervening, then
this would be mere transfer of the Will
mot proviso and the Buffalo platform from
Congress. to be carried into execution in
the Territories to the destruction of all
property in slaves. Renewed applause
An attempt Of this kind, if made in
Congress, would be resisted by able men
on the floor of both houses, and probably
defeated. Not so in a remote Territory.
TO every new Territory there will be a
rush of free-soilers from the Northern
States They would elect the first terri
torial legislature before the people Of the
South could arrive with their property,
and this legislature would probably set
tie forever the question of slavery accor-
ding TO their own will.
And shall we for the sake Of squatter
sovereignty, which, from lis nature, can
only continue during the brief period Of
territorial existence, incur the risk Of d.
yidiug the great Democratic party of the
country into two sectional parties, the
one North and the other South ? Shall
this great party which has governed
the country in peace and war, which
has raised it from humble beginnings
TO be one of the most prosperous and
powerful nations in the world--sball
this party be broken up for such cause ?
That is the question. The numerous,
powerful, pious, and respectable Metho-
dist Church has been thus divided. The
division was severe shock to the Union.
A similar division Of the great Demo
cratic party, should it continue, would
rend asunder one Of the most powerful
links which binds the Union together
/ entertain no such fearful apprehen-
sions. The present issue is transitory,
and will speedily pass away. In the ma
ture Of things it cannot continue. There
is but one possible contingency which
can endanger the Union and against this
all democrats, whether squatter soyer-
oigns or popular sovereigns, will present
a united resistance. Should the time
ever arrive when Northern agitation and
c.nul.o.n.. .LalI ..rnnunl 20 O. o.. u 80.