The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-02-16

slavery from all of the Territories then
in the possession of the United States ?
Mr.. Douglass historical recollections
of the Ordinance of 1877 seem 10 be
very indistinct.- Indeed, he deems it
only worthy of an occasional passing,
almost contemptuous notice. He speaks
of it as "the Ordinance of the 18th of
July, 1897, which was passed by the
remnant of the Congress Of the confed-
GRAFTON, sitting in New York, while its
most eminent members were at PLiladel-
phia, as delegates to the Federal Conven-
tion." For three quarters of q esnturv
people were in the habit of thinking that
the Ordinance of 1897 was an act of the
highest order of importance, but we now
learn that it was rather indifferent af-
fair, passed on an Indifferent occasion by
an exceedingly Indifferent set of fellows,
while the plan of 1894, mere abstract
programme, completely overruled by
subsequent legislation, is represented as
the true glory of the age. How is this ?
The reason is obvious. Mr. Douglas
belongs to that class of historians who
dwell upon those facts which suit their
convenience, and unceremoniously drop
the rest. | once heard of Jesuit col
lege where they used textbook of his
tory, in which the French Revolution
was never mentioned, while the Emperor
Napoleon figured there only as modest
Marquis Bonaparte, who held commits
sion under Louis XVII, and fought great
battles for the glory of the Catholic
Church. Laughter and applause.
So it is with Mr.. Douglas and the his
tory of this country. He ignores the
universal principles of the Declaration of
Independence, and represents the great
founders of the Republic, as merely pa
wing the way for his ''great principle, !"
while a few village politicians get up an
abusive ordinance. adverse to the general
tendency of things. But as those Jesu-
ties never could prevent their students
from peeping out Of the college windows
into the wide world, where they perceiv-
ed very different state ofthings, so Mr..
Douglas cannot prevent us from travel
ing ont of the'yellow covers of Harper 5
Magazine, into the open records OF His
tory, where we find Mr.. Jefferson's anti
slavery clause, although lost in 1894,
strenuously insisted upon by the leading
spirits of the republic, incorporated in
in the great act of 1897, solemnly re-
affirmed by the first Congress un-
der the constitution of the people OF
one of the territories. Cheers. This
is the true "Jeffersonian plan,' the
plan which jefferson framed, voted for,
and which was carried out in spirit not
that mangled report of 1884, which Mr..
Douglas wants us to take as the founda-
ton of all territorial government, because
an historical accident happens to coincide
with his schemes.
That true Jeffersonian plan rested. in
deed, on the principle of popular sover-
eighty, but it will be conceded, that Mr..
Jefferson's great principle was as widely
different from that of Mr.. Douglas as the
ordinance of 1877 is different from the
Nebraska bill. While Mr.. Jefferson's s
notion of popular sovereignty sprung
from the idea that man has certain inal-
ienable rights, which the majority shall
not encroach upon, Mr.. Douglass doc
trine rests upon the idea that the highest
development of liberty consists in the
right of one class of men to hold another
class of men as slaves, if they see fit 10
do so. Applause. While Mr.. Jefferson
excluded slavery from the territories, an
order TO make room for true popular soue-
reignty. Mr.. Douglas invents his false
popular sovereignty in order to make
room for slavery. The ordinance of
1897, the true Jefersonian plan" was
indeed no mere accident, no mere occa-
sional act of legislation. 1t sprang from
the idea, as Madison expressed it, "that
republican institutions would become q
fallacy, where slavery existed" and in
order to guarantee republican Institutions
to the territories, they excluded slavery.
The ordinance o: 1887 was the logical
offspring of the principles upon which
our independence and your constitution
are founded it is the practical applica-
ton of the Declaration of independence
to the government of the territories. Its
very existence sets completely at naught
Mr.. Douglass doctrine and historical
construction, and the dwarfish hand OF
the demagogue tries in vain to tear this
bright page out of your annals. Cheers.
The ordinance of 1897 stands written on
the very gateposts of the Northwestern
States; written on every grain field that
waves in the breeze on every factory
that dots the course of their rushing wa
ters; on every cottage that harbors thrift
ty fIeemen written in every heart that
rejoices over the blessings of liberty
Long continued applause. There il
stands in characters of light. Only a
blind man cannot see it; only a fool can
misunderstood it; only knave can mis-
interpret it, Repeated cheers
Such is Mr.. Douglass principle OF
popular sovereignty in its logical and
historical aspect; apparently adopting
the doctrine that slavery is the creature
of local law only. and fighting against a
Congressional slave code, but, on the 9th
er hand, admitting the very principle on
which protection to slave property be.
comes logical necessity and again as
suming the ground that slave property
may be introduced where there is no To-