New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-21

The letter of Alexander II. Stephens of Georgia,
deprecating the course of the seceders from the
Charleston Convention, is calculated to make II
strong impression upon the more moderate slave
holders. He takes the ground in this letter, that
the doctrine of Congressional nOn-interyenton with
Slavery in the Territories, which it is now sought
10 supersede BY setting up constitutional oblga-
ton upon Congress to intervene for its protection
is eminently Southern doctrine. 1t was an
nounced by Mr.. Calhoun in lo4s, in his speech on
the extension of the Missouri prohibition TO the
Oregon Territory. After two years discussion, it
was adopted as the basis of the adjustment made
in 1850, n to the Territories of Utah and New.
Mexico; and since then it has been repeatedly
affirmed and reafirmed by Southern party conven-
tions, and Southern State Legislatures, in every
form in which it was possible to sanction and adopt
it.
Dir. Stephens himself had opposed the adoption
of this platform. He had wished to go further
q TO insist upon Congressional Intervention for
the protection of Slavery in the territories.
But it was objected that if the South conceded
the right of Congress to intervene at all, they
would admit the right to intervene for the prohibit
tion of Slavery and it thought best and safest
for the slaveholdibg interest to stand upon the
doctrine Of non-inteTentiOn. To this view of the
case though he did not admit the force of it, find
ing that large majority of the Southern members
of Congress would not ask for or even vote for
Congressional intervention, he and those who
thought with him had yielded, and the doctrine of
mt OF no al
the benefit of the slayeholdng interest, adopted
by general consent as the creed of the Democratic
party.
The question presented by the Charleston seces-
sion is: shall the South abandon her own position
thus assumed, and set up as the condition, not
merely of further cooperation with Northern Dem
ocrots, but of remaining in the Union, Congress
siopa Intervention for the protection of Slavery in
the Territories
The reason given for this change of ground is
that certain Northern Democrats, while maintain
ing the doctrine Of Congressional non-interveption,
set up at the same time the doctrine of Squatter
Sovereignty, the doctrine, that is, that the people of
the Territories, can while they still remain in Ter
rtorial condition, and previous to the adoption of
State Constitution, by Territorial legislation ex-
clude Slavery.
But Mr.. Stephens insists that the existence of
these opinions among Northern Democrats was
perfectly well known ut the time the non-nterven-
ton platform was adopted. 1t twas then agreed TO
leave this point Of the Legislative power Of the
Territories over Slavery to BIO settled by tho
Courts, and Mr.. Stephens is surprised that having
got the bred Scott decision, the South should now
be asked, instead of holding their Northern allies
Ia their agreement, to turn round, throw aside the
whole of the old platform, and insist upon forming
new one on the basis of Congressional inter.
yention.
II the object of the seceders is to pick quarrel
with the North anyhow, Mr.. Stephens would pre-
fer to have it put on more tenabe grounds. lie
would rather base it on the aggressive acts of OPP
ponents than upon any alleged shortcomings Of
political friends. lie thinks that this driving up
the Northern Democrats upon this theoretical