The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-09-19
No Ground for Cayiling at Mr.. Breck.
inridge's Position.

f. IF Mr.. Breckinridge's endorsement of th'
Democratic platform has not been sufficient tt
remove all doubts as to his position, and sat
isfy all objections on the score that he does
not explicitly advocate the principles on which
the South must rely for the security Of her
rights in the common Territories, we trust
that his late speech at Lexington will accom-
plish this good purpose.
In this speech, he argues with Irresistible
force the right of the STAKEHOLDER to protection
in the Territories, and leaves no possible room
for any Southern man to accord to him a re-
luctant support. We have now before us
three representative organs of the opposing
parties and factions, all constituting his speech
in this respect precisely alike, and all con-
STRUNG it as bold and manly declaration of
Southern rights.
Here is what the New York Tribune, the
leading organ of the Lincolnites, says:
1t pleasant to dojussice to an opponent
| pleasant, in these days of truck and dicker, to
meet face to face with one who proposes
neither to cheat nor be cheated, to sell nor be
sold but who meets the issue before the neo-
pie fairly and squarely, and is ready to do bat
tie on that issue. This justice and this praise
we award to Mr.. Breckenridge. Conserving
reluctantly to step out Of the course which it
is considered dignified and proper for Pres
dental candidate to maintain, he comes before
the people to give q sincere and uneqnivocal
explanation of the principles he believes in,
and by which he is and means to be governed
There is in the statement Of his position no
shifting and shutting, no specious pleas made
to suit all ATTITUDES no cunningly devised for !
mulas, no wordy propositions to persuade his
hearers that he has an ingenious theory, |
whereby one party is to be tickled with words |
and the other to enjoy the thing which the |
words seem to promise; but in fair, and |
frank, and manly temper, he sets forth pre-
cisely the difference between his own party |
and the party opposed to it, and leaves the
country to Judge between them. Slavery is
either good thing or bad thing; either it
ought to go into the Territories, o. it ought to
be kept out of the Territories; Congress either
has power over that question, or it has no
power over it; the Constitution either carries
and protects slavery wherever it goes and has
jurisdiction, or it does not so carry and protect
1t; and this, as the great, vital, ail-absorbing
question of the day, is to be settled on this
basis. Mr.. Breckenridge so meets it. Slavery,
he believes in as the true relation between the
white and black race; as such he thinks the
Territories should haze the 6e1eft of it, schereuer
the t,oo races may meet; shareholders and non.
he believes, have precise rights +
under the Constitution, and the property of
each, i1hether in staves or ether cattels, should
be protected By Congress subererer the citizen
may choose to carry It. We need not say how
this is to our sense of natural JUS
tice, our belief in divine law, and our under
standing Of constitutional right But it is Mr..
Breckinridges doctrine, and aCe rejoice to meet
him and his party On, so fair an issue
And here is what Forney's Press, the ora
lie Of the Douglas faction, says, in the course
,f long article dissenting from the views Of .
Mr.. Breckenridge:
If Mr.. Breckenridge is right, and the Su-
oreme Court has so decided, then Congress is
'ouna to protect slavery in the Territories
against the popular soiH, at every hazard, and Ia
Mr. Breckenridge, being sworn officer of the +
and future Senator of the Uni
= - lsssa1d b bis oath % sup
ghssf J1.ls4Iz " i l:6T7Ey, and q zls59sl - y
Congress SHAH ersrciss its posOer f1r lie pro- Il
sction of SLAVERY IN the Territories. And
vhere does this folly Ierd but to dissension,
onfusion, and final disruption of the con-
sderacy? If Congress does not, or will a
Iot, exercise the power contended for by Mr. n
breckenridge, then is he not compelled in fol- {
owing the logic of his position to its rresisti-
le conclusion, to assume the ground of YAM a
ey, Rhett and all his other supporters, uho a
ay that ,ohsn Congress shall fail to do these .
hings our Government is an oppression and a
espotisns, and the South cannot remain inside
+ the Unione
The New Orleans Bulletin, a prominent
3elleverett organ, states the case thus:
Passing over several minor topics, Mr..
3reckinridge comes to his main purpose, :
which he declared to be to show that his party {
md himself occupy the ground now in refer e
nee to squatter sovereignty that they have
lwsys done. This ground, he says in sab-
tance, is in favor Of Congressional inteluen
ion in the Territories in tauor Of slavery tolsen
ver it shall be necessary.