Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-08-17

To- r!ilcr from "~Fircinius, whose ''iiiih''l:a'''h "PPei's
to-day.
error a To Judge Douglas that We have before pointed Hni'
W. rulLI-h with ~. communication from ''ire'AI", an
extract from the 'l'liladclphiu rFrsS.
f., Judp, Douglas answer to Mr.. liucoin's s"c"nl T'rs.
tIon he is stating an existing fnct, aud mol enuI'rihiIng u
,rincinir or LAYING down . policy. His answer Is, That III
nv opin!un the people Of 4 Territory can, ny lawful means;
exclude 81 avery from their limits prior 10 Inc lnrhlat'nh o.
a State Constitution and then he proceeds 10 point "ut
bow the exclusion may be made under existing leIl>iatio'i,
,n,I .avs. at matters not What way the supreme Court
may hereafter dec. lie rs 10 the abstract question: whether
slavery may or may mt 20 into a TERRITORY unIs. u S"H H.
s,itulioI,, the people have the lawful means 10 Introduce IL
ar exclude II ~ they please, Tor the rca>on that slavery
cannot exist Il LAY or Mn hour anywhere, unless SUPPORTER
by loral rnllrr regulations judge poneiHs POSITION 10
not ,lut tm. Constitution does nn, IL theory carry slavery
into the Territories, but tl,at the nature al the ihsituti"hi l.
snclI "tlIat II cannot exist u 'mF "r "a n"" ri" ri. I,,n.,i,m.
les, supported hy local police regulations. rohs'itu'
lion Hoes In theory authorize "~Elrf:iiiuis I" carry hS sIa'f'
Into any Territory, but "~Sirginlus' fnGs n" '"ch' ia%''"
munish \ man Tor running said slaves aSay he hnds II"
local laws to reclaim his runaway slave; hr mus every
! imue,Iimert Ihr0~n in his way By the want oil local law,
and reclamation prevented: anu ih"Wsn 'ns to.'u'M :. hM'
,nrhoriz.s hin 10 go, yet 'Nirglniu.' would not risk his
nrorer,y upon III. empty rights conferred by The CoI''iiu-
| lion. The protection OF local legislation may Ice necessary
u make the rights conferred By the Constitution ni any
%raliIiry, and therel l.. no authority To COMPEL u Territorial
! Legislature to enact The local "policc regulations.
Judge Douglas Is explaining existing legislation lie -
showing how, under The bred scot, decision, The riGi'S "i Ia
snu,h under and conferred by the Constitution, are mere
empty and valueless rights. lie says 'ihrsr pnHce s"Eu.
! lstiors can only be established hy local irS',,a.,"h: anu II
Ne urnul. are OPPOSED to slavery. they VIII elect rerrrsri-
| tutivr. 10 that body, who will, b. uhfiisnHly leeislaio;i, e.
| fcctualiy prevent the introduction ni IL mo Ihrir mloS. -
This il no new doctrine: il i mt ori2iilh! win Juhet Doug
las; II was pointed out hy Orr and stephens, ~heh ul-cu's'
siu. the Kansas Eli.
On this Hon. James l.. Orr i sincularly clear AID eNpll.
81. Ills yi,wI were given Ina debate In lie HOase OF Rep
r.srIta,ir.s on the power Of Congress over slavery in the ter.
ritorirs in December, I>.G. THERE'S = remarkable similarity
h.ty..r III. view. O. Douglas, in his Frrrpnrt speech, in
ls5s and the words @! Orr, in Congress, in l73h. Mr. Orr
said
"fsay. although ! deny lila: =quait.rs sovereignty :AI>ts IA
,b, T-rri,o;irs OF Kansas and Nebraska by virtue Of hi.
lin. IL |. , matter practically VI LITTLE consequence "hc;hcr
I, does or nos: and think l shall h. able 10 satisfy t@e gen
,Ieman OF that. The gentleman knows shat, in every sl:'e'
holding community Of this Union, We have lucaI legislation
md local poiire regulations arperiaining /" tlia' ih-ii'I
tor. without which the institution would mol only be raluc'
les. hut a curse to the community. Withsu: them NE
Il, yehoIdrr couli not enforce his rtlh:s when inrLi-d ny
others: anil II you had no local legislation f"r ii- iuFr'7-
Of giving protection, the Institution would BE- Gi 10 f''ar'
can appeal to every gentlemen upon hi. haor "h" repre-.
!: s-nts 4 slavrlo.ling constituency, 10 .:!rs' 'e :'n't oil
what | have stated unon tia; point.
.sSnw. The legislative authority Of = Territory u ,h'r' ii
with "A discretion to ru;r Tor Ur against ihS 'a"5' "rlhHHh
they oucht 10 pass laws in every Territory, "irh IN" 'erri'
tory I, open 10 settlement; and sIaTrho'GeTs ~ I'efe, 10
uro,r,t slave property. Bat II they 'ler lie t" pa: suC!l
law. what /. The remedy? Npoe, sr. u NE majority Of
,- n,o,,le mr.. onpo.-d 10 The in.:i.Uti6n, aud il they 10
no, desire !; rngraftsd upon their territory. al nhry nave
10 do i. .irnpiy 20 decline to pas. laws in the Territorial
I.,I.,,,ur- for L., protection, and then II l. AS we'll -Sciu-
Lei ~ n the power Was invested IN The Territorial Lesisll-
,ur. ani exercised by them. 20 prohibit II. SoT, ! ask the
gentleman, what l. the practical Importance to result from
The agitation and discussion Of this question a. 10 whether
suuatter sovereignty does or does not exist: Practically,
IL l. 3 matter Of lttls moment: