Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-24

THE recent two-day speech of Senator
Douglas, in the Senate, is regarded by his
friends as the greatest effort of his life: He
triumphantly established, by platforms, res
olutions, letters and speeches almost innu-
merable, that the Democratic party has been
fully committed to the doctrine of popular
| sovereignty for the last twelve years. The
fact can not be disputed. His success in es-
tablishing his great principle as the doctrine
of the party and thus vindicating his De-
mocracy, was not less brilliant than his can
dor in admitting and reiterating that popular
sovereignty-which, being interpreted, is the
right of the people of a Territory, the same
as State, to admit or exclude slavery
is purely a judicial question. If popular
sovereignty is judicial question, GER
tainly it is not Il subject for political
platforms or agitation. OF course Mr.. Douglas
means that popular sovereignty is taken out
of politics and henceforth belongs only to the
Courts. 1t cannot be possible that it is serious
ly intended to keep up political party and
political agitation, and to run q candidate for
the Presidency, solely on a doctrine which is
entirely question of law, and which either
has been or is to be decided by the Judiciary,
and which cannot be agitated either by the
people or by Congress without the charge
of creating an improper influence on the
judgment of the Courts. AS Mr.. Douglas
freely declared his willingness and even anx.
iety to submit to the decision of the Court on
| this question, we are assured that he
has no intention Of using any agitation To
bias their decision, and his speech may
be regarded as the final withdrawal
of any declaration as to the right of the peo-
pie of the Territories over slavery, from the
political arena.
1t is probably better so, as good people say
when afflicted. The limited faculties of mar
have never been able to see the way clear fol
any practical working of popular sovereignty
and it is probable that Mr.. Douglas never ex.
pected that it would work more than one
way. He admits that the Constitution af
firms the right of property in slaves, and thai
the citizens of all the States have the righ
by the Constitution to take their property
into the Territories. Yet neither Douglas
nor any sane man will pretend that popular
sovereignty or any other sovereignty, OF
principalities or powers can legislate away
rights of property.
| We are aware that Mr.. Douglas used Il
draw parallel between legislation agains
slavery and against intoxicating liquors, ant
called il similar 'police regulation" but
saying nothing of the doubtful constitution
ality of the laws coniscating liquors, the,
are based on the evil nature of liquors anC
their injury and danger to society; while nc
sound Democrat will pretend that slavery i
an evil, and dangerous tosOciety. Mr.. Doug
Las does not, for he processes himself indit
ferent whether the Territories ''vote SLAYER
up, or vote it down. Surely he would no
feel that way toward any great moral o
social evil that required police regulation +
exclude it,
Whether Mr.. Douglas will continue il
trade, after this general and final assigimen
ofhis whole capital stock, will be decided q
meeting of his friends in few weeks a
Baltimore. An attempt will be made to sub
scribe new capital to set him up in busines