Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-10-24
Two Faces.

Two Faces.
Stephen 4. Douglas is certainly one of
the remarkable men of the age He is uni
versally conceded to be an adroit political tao
tician, and eloquent and plausible public
speaker. But in nothing does be display SO
much skill. as in the facility with whioS he va
ries his views to suit the different localities
he visits in his electioneering tours. When
he visited this State a few weeks ago, he at
once abandoned his free trade doctrines, aud
became the advocate of Protective Tariff
On the slavery question be has two sets of
views; one for the North, the other for the
South. In order to prove this we publish the
following extracts from his speeches aud wri-
tings. 1t will be seen that according to his
southern text, he is as ultra an advocate of
southern rights as III. V. johnson or W L. Yam
cey, while his Northern doctrines indicate that
he is pretty near as good Black Republican
Abraham Lincoln. No man can be Justly
regarded as Statesman, who displays such
gross inconsistency with regard to his views
concerning the important political issues of
the day.
SOUTHERN TEXT.
81, in common with the democracy of Illi-
nois, except the Dred Scott decisionsy.of the
Supteme Court of the United States, in the
Dred Scott case, as an authOratire opposition
of the Constitution. Whatever Limitations
the Constitution as expounded by the courts
! imposes the authority OF a territorial leg
islature, We cheerfully recognize and re-
| spect in conformity with that decision. Slaves
are recognized as property, and are placed on
an equal footing with all other property.
Hence the owner of slaves-the same as the
| owner cf any other species of property-bas
! q right to remove to 4 Territory, and carry
/ his property with him ."-iStephen Il Doug
| las speech at NeI0 Orleans, December, g,
/ 1853
We Chat is, he and Senator Brown, who
goes for congressional protection) agree that,
Under the decision of the Supreme Court of
the United Stats, slaves are property standing
on an equal footing with all other property;
and that consequently the owner Of slave
has the same right TO emigrate to Territory
aud carry his slave property with him, as the
owner of any other species of property has to
move there and carry his property with him. "
Stephen 4. Douglas speech IN The L. S.
Senate, February %. 1859.
My opinion in regard to the question
which my colleague is trying to raise here has
been we'll known TO the Senate for years 1t
| has been repeated over and over again.
Ny answer then was, and now is, that
if the Constitution carries slavery there (the
Territories) let it go, and no po~er on EARTH
can take 1t dway."-!Stephen 4. Douglas
speech IN the T. S Senate, july, ., 1859.
NORTHERN TEXT.
at is difficult to conceive how any person
who believes that the Constitution confers the
right of protection in the enjoyment of slave
property in the territories. regardless of the
wishes OF the people and Of the action of the
territorial legislature, can satisfy his con-
science and his oath of fidelity to the Consti-
tuition in Withholding such congressional
legislation as may be essential to the enjoy
ment of such right uGder the constitution
Under this view of the subject 1t is impoSsi-
bic to resist the conclusion that, if the con-
stitution does establish slavery in the Terri
tories beyond the power of the people to con-
troll it by law, it is the imperative duty Of
Congress to supply all the legislation neces-
sary to Its projections; and If this proposition
Is untrue it necessarily results that the Con
stitution neither establishes or prohibits sla-
very anywhere. but leaves the people of each
State and Territory entirely free to form and
regulate their domestic affairs TO suit them
selves. without the Intervention of Congress
or of any other power whatsoever. ."--,Stepher
A Douglas Harper's Magazine article.
The people of Territory can. by lawful
means, exclude slavery before 1t comes in a:
State;' and mo matter egItat may be the de-
cisioa Of the .SHpreme Court, on that aGStrac
question, stiU tie right of the people Of til,
Territories to make siave Territory or G
free Territory IS perfect and complete. p
S. 4. Douglas speech at Freeport. H., 1858
Il have only a word to say in reply. l
that gentleman had read any oue speech tina
l have made on the subject In the last fvt
years. he would have found an unequivoca
answer to the question. have made NOR,
than fifty speeches this year in which 1 hav,
answered that question, and yet political op
pOnents insist on putting it to me. for the pur
pose of creating doubt on the subject. | can
not believe that there is a man in America o
ordinary intelligence who does not know tia
1 hold that the people Of 1erritory, tcIile
Territory. and during territorial condition
may introduce, e1clude, abolish, or regutdt
stacery Just asthey please. hare said hd
North and South and hold the same dOctrin
erery'chere. When [ have seen newspaper
r and small politicians renewing that question
1T has excited in my bosom other feeling
than that of unnitgated contempt, that the,
: should pretend to have doubts on the subject
-&ephen A. Douglass speech at CiitO
Springs, ". Y, Sept Is, 1860.