The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-08-29
A tumble of Words---The Wicklife
Resolution---The Intention of 1t was
to Deceive.

! We have never read more perfect tumble
of nonsense than is contained in the Wick
| life resolution, which is the last resolution Of
the Douglas platform adopted at Baltimore
| Here is the resolution
"Resozved, That it is in accordance with the
true Interpretation of the Cincinnati platform
! that during the existence of the Territorial
Government, the measure of restriction, what
ever it may be, imposed by the Federal Gov
ernment on the power of the Territorial Leg
islature over the subject of the domestic re-
lations, as the same has been or shall be here
after finally determined by the Supreme
Court of the United States, should be re-
spected by all good citizens, and enforced
with promptness and fidelity by every branch
of the general Government"
Now this tumble of words put together
with pretence of meaning something but in
reality nothing, is simply disgraceful to a
body of high-minded, honorable men, and
should subject its author, and those who
adopted it, to the contempt and loathing of ev-
/ E fair and upright man.
What is it? 1t requires careful reading to
tell whether there is an idea at all conveyed
in it. 1t will be found, however, that the
sum and substance of it is simply to declare
"that whatever restriction the Supreme Court
has or may decide that the Constitution i'm
poses on the power Of Territorial Legisla-
ture, should be respected and enforced by all
the departments Of the Government
NJ -.
ance of the nomination.:
upon a careful examination of the plat
form of principles adopted at Charleston, and
re-affirmed at Baltimore, with an additional
resolution, which is in perfect haruaony NTH
the Others, find it to be faithful embodi
ment of the principles of the Democratic par
ty, as the same were proclaimed and under
stood by all parties, in the Presidential con-
tests of 1848, 1852 and 1856"
To understand the language of Mr.. Doug
las letter of acceptance, it is necessary to
refer to tn, language used in his speech at
Freeport, August q, 1858. Here it is:
at matters not what way the Supreme
Court may hereafter decide as to the abstract
question whether slavery may or may not go
into a Territory under the Constitution, the
people have the tawfm means to introduce it
or exclude it, as they please"
Such was Douglas language before the
Cincinnati platform was changed by the
Wicklife resolution, and, in his letter of ac-
eeptance, he says the Wickliffe resolution is in
perfect harmony with the others" So that
he stands exactly where he did on the 9th
day of August 1858, declaring that it mat
tered not how the Supreme Court decided the
question, the people still will have the LAWFUL.
means to exclude slavery. From the day Of
the declaration of this doctrine at Freeport,
down to this time, he has been defending his
doctrine of popular sovereignty, which, ac-
cording to his language at Freeport, means
that the people have power higher than the
Constitution or the Supreme Court. This is
full up to Stewards higher-law doctrine, and
goes beyond Lincoln, who voted for a fugitive
slave law because he was sworn to support
the Constitution, and\ it gave to the South
such law, but Mr.. Douglas tells the people
of Territory that it matters not what the
Supreme Court may decide, the people have
the lawful means to exclude slavery from the
Territory, which simply means that the will
of the people is to override the Supreme law
of the land and the Constitution, as inter-
terpreted by the Supreme Court.
This Wickliffe resolution, therefore, is
weak invention of the enemy, to humbug and
to deceive. The attempt is as shallow as the
motive in which it originated is base