Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-07-10

COMMUSICATED.
DOUGLAS MEETlSG.--The speech of Mr..
Schnable at the Douglas meeting on Thurs
day evening was certainly very little suited
to further the interest Of the popular sover-
eighty party in the South. His elaborate
dissertation upon slavery as a question OF
political econony--ihe beneiicent arrange
ments Of Providenca-the commercial policy
of government-high or low tariff--the ire
pressible conflict Scheme-abstract questions
the purposes of politicians. &C., were all
wide of the question which has involved the
Democracy in it's present dilemma.
The only point requiring calculation is how
Mr.. Douglas can justify his position as to
the power of Territorial Legislature to pro
hibit slavery-a power that neither the Com
promise measures, Kansas act, Cincinnati
platform, Buchanan letter Of acceptance, nor
speech of any Southern politician comedies.
That principle neither Mr.. Douglas nor his
advocates can satisfactorily explain, and I'M
til it be done, ali side issues will be wholly
impotent to secure Southern aid and comfort
for it's advocate. The question is not, rs
Mr.. Douglas in his New York speech would
have us infer, the non-intericreuce Of one
State with the affairs Of other States, but as
to the right of "any tribunal, be it executive,
legislative, or judicial" to inhibit slavery in
any T,rito,y. That is the question that
must be met, and it is one, we imagine, that
not even "a Philadelphia lawyer will be
able to justify upon any principle OF State
equality, however great the Sound and fury
signifying nothing" with which he may seek
to conceal the true issue.
When Mr.. S. refers fippantly 10 chick
skulls he should be sure that. like another
Ajax, he does not describe himself and prove
to
"Be physician, that should be Tie J,afie"t:"--
for when he says Douglas and Davis start
from the same point and traye! eiiiptically
it is evident that he either does not under
stand the Southern position or wiIlnliy ais
represents it, and hence, shows that he IS
entirely unreliable rs an expounjer OF point
ical principles or measures. MIR. SchnaDle
says that Mr. Davis believes that Congress
may exclude slavery from Territory, when
the fact is that Mr.. d., with the entire South.
declares that neither Congress nor a Terri.
torial Legislature can exercise any such
power. Mr.. S. also says that the Democra-
cy is not divided upon principle, but merely
upon men and measures. Exactly the re-
verse of this is the case. The division has
been caused caused by principle alone. the
measure, rs to the expediency Of the exciu
sion of slavery from Territory, not having
been at all mooted by either wing OF the
party. But for the maintenance Of a prin'
cple the South would willingly have sup.
ported Mr.. Douglas for the Presidency.
Had Mr.. Doug las been content with mere
ly enunciating 1.-THE essential living prime
pie of that policy" to which he refers, in his
letter of acceptance, he would now have
been the only candidate Of his party but
having sought to couple popular soverel gn'y
with non intervention he has disrupted his
party and may now we'll say with "olsey---
az have touched tho highest point of all my great
ness:
Aud, from that full meridian of my glory,
haste now to my setting SOUTH