Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-07-04

I
to interfere with and control the domestic affairs
Iof the people in the Territories through the
agency of the Federal Government. If the
power and duty Of federal interference be con-
ceded, two hostile parties must be the inevitable
result The one inaaming the passions and
ambition of the North, and the other of the South;
and each struggling to use the federal power and
authority for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of its own Sec
ton at the expense of the equal rights of the
other, and in derogation of those fundamental
principles of self-government which were firmly
established in this country by the American
revolution as the basis of our entire republican
system.
During the memorable period in our political
history, when the advocates of federal interview
ton upon the subject of slavery in the Terrific
ries had well-nigh precipitated the county into
revolution, the northern .interventonsts, de-
handing the Wilmot proviso for the prohibition
Of slavery, and the southern interventionsts,
then few in number and without single repre-
sentative in either House of Congress, insisting
upon congressional legislation for the protection
of slavery in opposition to the wishes of the
people in either case, it will be remembered that
it required all the wisdom, power and influence
of Clay and Webster and Cass, supported
by conservative and patriotic men, Wing and
Democratic, Of that day, to devise and carry out
line of policy which would restore peace to the
country and stability to the Union.
The essential living principle of that policy,
| as applied in the legislation of 1850, was, and
now is, no1e-inte1ventionJ Congress aoiM szaue1y
IN the Territories. The fair application of this
just and equitable principle restored harmony
and fraternity to distracted country.
IF we now depart from that wise and just
policy which produced these happy results and
permit the country to be again distracted, if not
~ - @''.l': .s,.-
ventionists, where shall we look for another Clay,
another Webster, or another Cass to pilot the
ship of State over the breakers into the haven
of peace and safety?
| The Federal Union must be preserved. The
Constitution must be maintained involate in all
| it's parts. Every right guaranteed by the Con-
stitution must be protected by law in all cases
where legislation is necessary to its enjoyment.
The judicial authority, as provided in the Con-
stitution, must be sustained, and its decisions
implicitly obeyed and faithfully executed. The
laws must be administered and the constitution
al authorities upheld, and all unlawful resistance
suppressed.
These things must all be done with firnness,
mpartiality and fidelity, if we expect to enjoy
and transmit, unimpaired to our posterity, that
blessed inheritance which we have received in
trust from the patriots and sages of the revolu-
ton.
With sincere thanks for the kind and agree
able manner in which you have made known
to me the action of the Convention, | have the
honor to be, very respectfully,
Your friend and fellow citizen,
S. A. DOUGLAS.
Hon. w. II. Ludlow, of New York; r. P.
Dick, of North Carolina r. G. Wickliffe, of
Lou anl atlnnrc of tho Ga,aa