The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-08-31
LOUIS O. CowAN,
VOLUME XVI.


dant as has been his professions OF devotion
to the great principle Unpopular sovereignty,
the records OF the country will bear to aiter
times the amplest evidence that his action
has impaired the rights Of the people oil tho
Territories rather than enlarged their rights;
increased the influence Of slavery which
weakens the power Of the people to assert
their rights, rather than increased the IN
auenccs Of freedom, which empowers them
10 assert their rights. Let us appeal 10 the
record for the truth ofthese declarations.
The supporters OF Mr.. Douglas, represent
ing sections OF the Union where the Demo-
cratic party Is powerlc~, where the party had
gone down under the stunning blows OF
betrayed people, went into the National
Convention at Charleston filed with the con-
flicting emotions Of hope and despair. The
leaders Of the Northern Democracy; IN the
battles OF the party for the interests OF the
slave propagandist, had, in the mourntul
language Of Senator Pugh, sealed their de-
yotion with their blood The ranks OF the
Northern Democracy, staggering under the
burdens imposed upon them by their South
ern chiefs, plainly indicated that all was lost.
The confederates Of Douglas went into the
National Convention with the desperate hope
that his nomination would saye them from
the impending doom Of utter destruction
and a more desperate band Of political ad-
ycnturcrs never met in cOnclaye. Not the
interests of the Republic, but to be OF not
10 be- was the question with these men
no humiliation was too great that might
secure for them the poor boon OF political
existence. They had echoed the pet phrases
Of their rleader-.squatter sovereignty y'-'non.
intervention'-'my great principle-and
and with these words upon their lips they
had labcred for slavery, and therefore shnank
instinctiyely irum the imperious demands OF
their Southern allies to stop cheating, to
openly ayow their principles and purposes
and accept the Legitimate result OF their own
cowardly concessions. Concession after con-
cession had been extorted from their chief
and lrum them, and they were now asked to
ayow their readiness TO enforce rights which
they had inglOriously yielded while delnding
the free States with professions OF devotion
to popular rights. Douglas, while pro-
claiming the inherent right OF seli-go'ern-
ment to be in the people of the Territories,
and arrogantly bidding the people mind their
own business, declared in the Senate, on the
23d of February, 1858:
Il hold that such thing Us sovereign power
attaches to Territory as u Territory.
hold that Territory derives whatever power |
IL possess from the constitution under the
organic act, and no more.
The Supreme Court rules in the Dred Scott
case that .the Constitution Of the United
States recognizes sipdes as property. and
pledges rhe Federal Government to protect
o.; :,
That every citizen has right to take with |
him into the Territory any article OF proper.
ty; which the constitution of the United
States recognizes rs property.
That Congress cannot prohibit slavery in
the Territories; That the Territories them
SELVES cannot prohibit it.
By this decision Of the Supreme Court,
.The only power conferred ON Congress or |
its creature, the Territorial Legislature, was
the po,cr coupled trith the Duty 81 guarding
and proteciisg the owner OF slave property IN
his rights
The republican party denied the correct |
ncs, of this dicta Of the Supreme Court |
Douglas FASTENED to denounco them Tor de- |
nyinr the soundness Of doctrines that make
the exclusion of slavery from the Territories !
e;ther by Congress ora Territorial Legisla- |
ture impossible.
In 1857 he declared:
.Thc Republican party say that decision Is
infamous. The opposition 20 that Just dad
uprigki decision is REASONABLE, Infamous and
disqraceful 10 the age in rhieh ,ce hre.
Standing before the people Of New Orleans
on the 9th Of December, 1858, Mr.. Douglas
said =,
The Democracy Of Illinois, in the first
Mace, accept the decision OF the Supreme
Court Of the United States, in the case OF
Drcd Scott, rs an authoritative interpreta-
ton Of the Constitution I'll
.In accordance with that decision, we hold
that slare, are property, and hence on an
equality with all other kinds oil property
and the owner Of slave has the same right
TO move into territory, and his slave prop
crty with him, as the owner OF any other
property has to 50 there and carry his prop
erty.
In the Senate Of the United States, on the
I'D day Of February, 1889, MIR. Douglas
said:
Il do not put slavery on different footing
from other property. recognize 1t as prop
erty under what is understood 10 DC the de-
eisios Of The Saprcme Court
Mr.. Douglas and his followers entered the
Charleston Convention fully and unreserved-
ly committed to the doctrines embodied in
the opinions Of the Supreme Court in the
Drvd Scott case, and their Southern allies |
demanded that they should carry those doc.
trines to their logical results, that they should
declare for the protection by Congress OF
what they admitted to BE- property under the
Constitution. They sbrank from an open |
and manly ayowal of their readiness to per-
form that cowning act for slavery, for they |
heard the voice Of the Northern millions
behind them, and they knew that their hands |
were ready to smite them, but they were as
ever eager to do indirectly whatever Slavery
demanded. i
The Cincinnati platform was interpreted
i'm one way at the North and in another way
AT the South. At the North, in favor Of
Popular Sovereignty, ut the South, against
Trritorial power. Mr.. Benjamin tells Us il
wa, framed in the Senate for that purpose,
and the forthcoming decision ofthe Supreme
Court in the Drcd Scott case WAS 10 DO
aeqaiesced in by all parties and enforced ey
the Government. 4,
Bepjsmin =. Hallett. Of Massachusetts,, the
author Of the paragraph in the Cincinnati
platform concerning slavery in the Territories
has furnished translation OF IL Tor the
public enlightenment. lie says;
1T recosnires no act 20 be done touching
slavery by the people or the sgisldtur Of a
Territory bstorc tie forming Of a VConsiifufion,
hut declar,s that when they hay, adopted
Constitution. with or without, slavery. then
they are entitled to be admittted into the
Union
This whole question Of popular sovereign
ty,' SAYS Mr.. nallett. 'is the mercst abstract
cfan abstraction: nothing that is practical
or applicable to any existing Territory in the
United States; question ON which one man
ux. .popular sovereignty and then means