The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1860-03-23


Non-nmtcrVcntioD
Non.in,efvention By Congress with
slavery in the Territories 10 the great
hobby of the democratic party ot The
North; and, ~ necessarily 10 their Pc
prrs and stump orators ring their chang
e. upon this exploded humbug, that il
has become stale aud ihread-bure. The
Ransas-Nebraska Bill is referred to as
the embodiment Of a great principle,
heretofore undiscovered by ali the wise
Statesmen Of our country. Douglas is
held up os the author and champion Of
Popular Sovereignty-'lhe right Of he
people Of The territories, like those Of a
state, 10 regulate shcir domestic instiiu-
lions In their own way without any in
reference BY Congress. Heretofore il
had been held by Democrats and Wings
alike that Congress had power over the
territories TO prohibit slavery. II was 50
affirmed by the Ordinance Of 1887, drawn
up by Jefferson himself, and one Of the
frat acts Of the drst Congress, that ne
semblod under the Constitution, was 70
ro-nilirm that Ordinance, as tho settled
policy og the Government
The principles Of that Ordinance have
been reahirmed by nearly every Congress
from that day down 10 the time Of james
K Polk, and, by its application, slavery
has been excluded nom ali the States,
formed out Of the North.Western Terri
tory. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan
and Wisconsin owe their freedom to-day
10 the operation Of this Ordnancei and
the application Of the same principle
made free states Of Iowa, Minnesota,
California and Oregon.
But, all at once, il was. discovered that
those Congressional restrictions Of slSv-
cry were unconstitutional, and, in 1904,
Stephen A. Douglas, who, only a few
weeks before, had reported against any
interference with the time-honOred Mis-
ssuri Compromise, as breach Of faith,
now, with the perfdious hand ofH traitor
and demagoguc, inserted a clause in the
Kunsas-Nebraska Bill, repeating said
Compromise Act.
But il WIS said that all this was done
In order to inuugurate the new doctrine
ofPopul6r Soyereignty--thut the people
Of the Territories should bc perfectly
free TO decide for themselves, whether
they would have slavery or not, How
has this been doncl How have these fair
promists, made to tho car, becn broken
10 the hopei Why, when this bill was
pending before Congress, an amendment
was offered by Gov, Chen SENATOR Chase
providing that the people of Kansas and
Nebraska should have the power, under
the bill, 20 exclude slavery. This umend-
mont, so seemingly fair was promptly
voted down ly the Democrats, Douglas
himself voting Ogaiust il. Another
amoRdment wos offered, providing that
the people should elect their own officers,
and this shared the same fate.
These things 90 to show what the real
design Of the Kansas-Ncbruska Bill was,
az the time it passed--that il never was
intended the people Of the territories
should have the power to exclude slavery
or even to elect their own territorial Off
GERS. That bill provided for the appoint
ment over the people, by the President
with the concurrence Of the Senst', Of
their Governor, Secretary, Treasurer,
Judges and other territorial officers. II
regulated the time, place and manner OF
holding elections aud even defined the
duties of Justices Of the Peace. In these
important things the people have no say
whatever, and yet democrats tell US, the
people Of Kansas are perfectly free tC
regulate their domestic Institutions il
their own way"
When the people OF Kunsas did az
tempt TO carry out the principles Of Pop
ulur Sovereignty, as they understood il
how were they treStedl Why, they wer
driven from the ballot-box, theirProper,.
pillaged and many Of them murdered an
driven from their homes, by bands o
armed soldiery, commissioned and pOi
BY democratic Administration. Tn
Constitution Of their choiCo was spurne
BY Congress and a Constitution, reeog
mixing slavery, was attempted to be fore
cd upon them, and all in the name @
Popular SOvsrsigRty."
Blu, not discouraged yet, the people Q
Kansas, by their territorial Legislature
passed an act prohibiting slavery IN sal
territory. What was the result 0o'
MEDARY, an SpPointee of tho Presiden
sent from Ohio TO rule over them, and
professad Popu lar sovereignty democra
VEToEs THE BILL and democrats O.
erywheFe eRdorse tho act, This despo
ie, ono.man power is made use Of to d,
feat. II possible, the viii of the poopI
aad fssten slavery upon them. A sim
Tar case is found in Nebraska, whel
Gov. BLACK, another popular sOpereigH
demoesat, vetoed q similar till passed
the Territorial Legislature,
The position OF the democratic pua
Is that slavery can 60 into 1ll the territ
Ties, the same as other prOpertyi that Il
people cannot prohibit il and that Coz
sress can only interfere to protect IT,
Congress, they say, can interfere in 4
he other internal affairs Of territoT
even 70 defining the duties Of a Justice
the Peace, and il may interfere to pr