The Shasta courier., 1860-09-15
SHASTA COURIER.
BIgIer on the Territorial Question.

VIM. Bigler, of Pennsylvania, is regarded as
the ripht-hand man of Mr.. Buchanan, in the
United States Senate. He has attempted to
take leading part in ostracising Douglas be-
cause of his views relative to slavery in the Ter
ritories He is row opposing Douglas because
ofthose views. And yet only few years since
he held identically the same opinions. On the
lst ofJuy, 1856, in the Senate, he said:
In 1850. when the peace of the country seem
ed to be in imminent danger the experienced
men Of this body, such as Clay, and Webster,
and the venerable Senator in front of me, Mr.
Cass, and others, conceived and presented a new
mode of adjustment. That was simply to take
this question out of Congress and confde it to
the people of the Terrtory-to submit it to their
judgment and their will. For one, thought
the principle an admirable one. 1t seemed to
me that it ought to give entire satisfaction to
the country, and that it would have a salutary
influence upon national relations.-a prin-
ciple so perfectly in unison with our whole re-
publican system of government, mere recog-
milton or extension to the Territories of that
vital principle of self lf-government-a principle
suited to all times, all occasions. and all Terri
tories, and as imper:shable as our mountains
no temporary remedy ne arbitrary rule, no per-
ishable expedient but simply this, that as the
people of State can at all times settle this
question of domestic policy for themselves,
Congress will enforce that the people Of a Ter
ritory shall have the same opportunity that
that power which is to be complete and exclu-
sive when the people become State, should
operate during the Territorial existence. Not
only because it was perfectly right in principle.
but because believed it would be wise in prac
tice, preferred it to any which had previously
been practiced in the Government, or any other
idea presented at the time antagoHistic to it
ADpeadi1 Congressional Globe, lst session, 3ih
Congress, Uol, 49, pages 729, 73o.
Again, on the 9th of July, 1856, in the Sen
ate, when Kansas affairs were under discession,
Mr.. Bigler said:
want to put myself right on another point.
! mean the question of the measure of power
which the Territorial Legislature can exercise
over the subject of slavery. On this point no
man can misunderstood the import of the Ian
guage of the Kansas Bill it is explicit to the
effect that the people shall be left perfectly free
TO decide the question according to their own
pleasure but it is a question of what degree of
law making power it is competent for Congress
to confer upon the people and Legislature OF a
Territory. 1t is question of constituting the
Constitution, and therefore judicial question,
nhiNH am hOI N"iiCu upoH W uSNiuN' Du'i eii'
| have no views to conceal; | agree with the
Senator from Michigan, that the Territorial
Legislature has entire control over the subject,
is competent to establish, abolish or prohibit
slavery in the Territories.
A Senator holding such views as these in
1856, who would now attempt to read Douglas
out of the party for entertaining the same senti-
ments, is a political scoundrel, unless be claims
that he has since chauged.h his yiews-and Big
Ter has avowed no such change