The register. (Monroe, La.) 185?-1861, 1860-09-06
Extract from a Letter Of Albert
Pike.
READ, READ, READl
LITTLE Rock. Jnly 81. I

READ, READ, READl
LITTLE Rock, July 81, 1860.
Gentlemen: have had the honor to receive
your Invitation TO address q meeting of citizens
of Arkansas, to be held in Jefferson county. OF,
the 9th of August next, for the purpose of ap
proving the nomination of John q. Breckinridg,
and Joseph Lane.
1t is not in my power to be present; hui
courtesy requires, and confess inclination
prompts me, to acknowledge and reply to youl
invitation.
If the theory Of squatter-sovcreignty should
be established as an accurate exposition of the
Constitution, and as the settled policy of tht
country it will be idle for the South to cxpcc
any future addition 70 the number of slave
States Let this he the settled policy, and il
will needs have great and oiten-controlline
influence upon the action Of the South in regard
to many matters of national concern will
greatly sway it in the decision as to peace
and war, and so, perhaps. imperil the national
the creation Of Territorial Governments, expen
ditures for the Territories, cxtinguishment O
Indian titles, the authorizing Territories to take
steps to become States. Continually the slave
ry question will obtrude itself into Congress
and it will be found, as in like cases, it alway:
has been found, that men cannot aviod blink
ing it, nor getting q lion out of their path by
shutting their eyes, and trying to convinc,
themselves that he is no longer there. There
can be no Non -lnterreation by Congress- without
nOn-intervention by the Territorial Legisla
lures. The South asks for bread, and squattel
sovereignty offers it stone. Agitation in tn,
Territories will create agitation in Congress
and the doctrine of popular and
the principle Of fNon-Interyention cannot eXis
together.
Then another step will be taken. The prin
ciple Of popular-sovereignty will he applied tt
the District Of Columbia. Why not? All Mr.
Douglas glittering generalities will apply quit,
as we'll there as they did to Kansas, and it vii
to send down thither, out Of the swarmina
Northern hive, voters enough to settle the qucs
ton as a Republican Congress desires.
Then. on the same principle that the Consti
tuition does not carry slavery anywhere, ant
that the laws of a State from which man em
CRATES do not follow him, or protect his right:
beyond the limits of the State, it will by-and
by be concluded that no compensation shall be
demanded for slaves taken by foreign nation
If Congress is powerless to prevent the aboli
ton Of the lawful tenure which holds the slav,
to labor, when he is in the common territory
how can it assert the validity Of that tcnur,
on the high seas?
Then ii will come to be held, that slave
escaping into territory where slavery no longc
exists, cannot be reclaimed. but is frcc-th'
Constitution requiring States only to give vi
such fugitives. ftle people Of a Territory CA
abolish slavery, slave taking refuge there is re
and as sat6'ds he ecould be IN England; and so
Territory or province can effect that which
sovereign State cannot. Why will Southern
,1,l I1,:,,
reflect OH the logical consequences Of his doc
trine?
These are my opinions; and compelled b.
them, regard it as u sacred duty to vote 70
no candidates who do not, at least in the mair
avow them as their creed.
|
| find those candidates in John G. Breckin
ridge and Joseph Lane and in them only an
SO l cannot choose but vote fer them. 1t twou
notbetrue to say that would as readily vote 70
Mr.. Lincoln as for Mr.. Douglas. Passion
which alone could produce such IL remark,
its only justification. Butt am ready to sa
that, between the two doctrines, ! would rattle
vote for the power Of Congress to prohibit, tha
for thcpower of Il Territorial Legislature TO d
so. Yet many true Southern men think III
doctrine Of Mr.. Douglas sound and wise, an
sufficient for the South. We shall bye and bye
hope, convince them of their error but i
the meantime let us not be so unjust as to cen
sure or rcproach them, impcaching their INC
tives Or charging them with dsloyalty.
My eyes rest next with affection and regar
on the candidates presented by that politieo
organization which inscribcs on its banner
these words ''7Hc Constitution, the tlioa, an
tie enforcement Of The Laws." That's the mott
thank God! off all parties and of almost n
men, in this great Republic Maintain The Coz
srwurloS unimpaircd, and who is there tha
wishes TO sec the Union dissolved. What hol
est man is not willing to see the laws, cnacte
in conformity to the Constitution, enforced an
obcyed? All doctrines, of all SHADES, tia
have made themselves heard in our country
have claimed to spring from the Constitution
and all parties may swearallegiauce to the fla
that bears this motto, as Catholics aud Protc
tans of every sect might to banner inscribc
with the device, "Tlle Bible, Christianity, al
the observance of the Moral Law