Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-07-20
Vol. VINO. 81.


preme Court has so decided, and we can
not question the judgments of that tri-
bunal. Congress cannot annul that
right and it is absurd to suppose that
territorial Legislature, deriving all its
power from Congress, can do so. There
fore, as honest men, as law-abiding citi-
zens, we are bound to agree, that if u
territorial legislature transconds its pow
ers, and attempts to destroy Or impair
constitution fights, it is tho paramount
duty Of the Federal Governmentina all its
branches to arrest tho wrong-doer and
remedy the wrong. The master is as
much entitled to protection in the quiet
possession OF his slave because his Slave
is his property unGer tho Constitution az
we are to the possession of ANYTHING
which lawfully belongs to u.s." Dema-
gogues and fanatical followers of tho for
tunes OF an individual may seek to oh
cure the true nature of the issue, and
present it in false light; but the intel
llgence of the people will see that there
can be no ta'ctm means Of ovading the
fullest recognition of all constitutional
rights, or Of escaping the plain oblga-
ton to protect those rights against inju-
ny or destruction.
Lincoln and Hamlin ropudiate tho
Constitution, and insist that Congress
has the power to prohibit slavery in
every Territory of the Union, and thus
exclude the citizens of fifteen sovereign
States by whose efforts and whose means
these Territories were acquired.
Douglas and johnson declare that Con
gress cannot interfere either to establish
or prohibit slavery in the Territories.
Douglas declares, the Supreme Court of
the United States and the Constitution to
the contrary Notwithstanding. that ter
rltorlal legislature can prohibit slavery;
and Johnson, while he acknowledges that
the Supreme Court has decided that the
right to hold slaves in a Territory is
GUARANTEED by the Constitution, and that
1t is the manifest duty of the Govern
ment to protect the right, is willing that
1t shall not be protected, on the ground
OF what he calls re xpediency"
breckenridge and Lane stand by tho
Constitution. and insist that all rights
which that instrument guarantees shall be
protected, whenever and wherever it is
sought to impair or destroy them.
The great body of the black -republican
fanatical abolitionists of the North sus-
tain the doctrines of Lincoln and Ham
lin, They want to array the North in
lrrepressible conflict against the South,
and therefore they say boldly to the
South, "W We deny your right to hold
your property in the Territories. We
are the numerical majority, and you must
submit"
A portion Of the Democratic party in
the Northern States too firm in its blind
attachment to an individual, or too weak
in its allegiance to the Democratic faith,
adheres to the squatter sovereignty doe
trines of Mr.. Douglas and though that
dogma has been repudiated in every State
in which the Democratic party is in the
ascendant, eyinces a determination TO
cling to it at all hazards, even though it
disrupt that party, and lead to tho
Triumph of black.repubicanism.
The honest Democratic masses, with
one acclaim maintain the constitutional
doctrine and announce their resolution to
stand or fall by it. They are unwilling
to compromise their principles or their
honor, and they grapple the enemy, de-
termined to conquer. They form tho
mass OF the population Of seventeen
States; they are numerous in States
where they have been temporarily over
powered. They are the men who will
vote for Breckenridge and Lane. They
are able to beat tic IL black-republican enc
my in fair fight; but If on the contrary
they are beaten, it will only be by the al
lance open or secret Of the black -ropub-
lcans aud the Douglasites, and that alli-
ance will be as complete if the followers
Of the Illinois senator cast their votes for
him, as if they cast them for Abraham
Lincoln.
There are only two real candidates for
the Presidency, Breckenridge and Lin
coin. For one or the other Of them the
people must vote, since for whomsoeyer
they vote, if it be against Breckenridge.
they really vote for Lincoln and black
republican rule. There is but one is
sue, and that is between the party Of tho
Constitution and the Union of which
Breckenridge is the staEdard-bearer, and
that Of violence and treason Of which
Lincoln is the accidental champion.
I