The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-08-31
OFFICE IN HoOPER'S BRICK
BIDDEFoRD, ME-, FRIDAY


ready to reatirm the Cincinnati platform
for they wanted to say, zone man says popu'
lar sovereignty and then means what h'
has n mind to, and another cries out popular
sovereignty and means whatever he pleaset
by it, They were ready to go farther, and
incorsentcd into the platform this disguised
slave code: r..L.
THAT inasmuch as differences OF opinior
exist in the Democratic party rs TO the
nature and extent OF the powers and duties
of Territorial Legislature, and rs to thu
powers and duties Of Congress under Tho
Consultation of the United States over tht
institution Of slavery within the Terrific
rics; -,
Resolred, That the Democratic party will
abide by hhe decision Of the Supreme Court Q,
the Uni,ed Saies on the guesiions cf Consf'fu
fonai ka,r.' ---
The Douglas leaders proposed. spoke for
and voted for this proposition, but finding
that their Southern allies were not concili'
ated by II. they abandoned 1t and stood upon
the doctrines OF the Cincinnati PLATFORM
At Baltimore after their Southern confeder'
ates had retired, and when they were foI
once masters of their own position, the sup.
porters Of Douglas eyinced their utter want
Of principle by adopting with unanimity,
amid enthusiastic plaudits, the slave code
plank proposed by Gov. Wicklif, under the
empty promise that its adoption would give
Douglas forty thousand majority in Louis.
ana. The followers Of Douglas-the men
who have proclaimed with passionate vehe-
mence that the people Of the Territories were
.leit perfectly free to regulate their domestic
affairs'-adopted with vehement applause
the proposition, That it is in accordance
with the Cincinnati platform that, during
the existence Of Territorial governments, the
measure of restriction, whatever 1t may be,
imposed by the Federal Constitution ON the
power of the Territorial Legislature over the
subject of the domestic relations, rs the same
has been or shall hereafter be finally deter
mined by the Supreme Court 'of the United
States, should be- respected by all good citi.
zens, and enforced with promptness and hdel-
ity by every branch of the General Govern
ment.'
This resolution assumes that the Supreme
Court has determined or ought hereafter to
determine, that there is a measure OF rcstric-
ton TO be imposed by the Federal Constitu-
ton ON the power of the Territorial Legisla-
ture over the subject of the domestic rela-
tion,' and that this measure Of restriction
should be enforced with promptness and
fidelity by every branch Of the General
the measure of restriction
imposed on the power ofa Territorial Legis-
n al t.ft nSf Ia IA. la
determined by the Court, and its decision Is
to be enforced by every branch Of the Gov.
crnment, by judicial action, by executive
poper and by legislative enactments. The
points decided and the dicta Of the Judges in
the Dred Scott case, leave no room to doubt
what the Court will decide, when case
shall arise under tho Territorial laws. In
cepting the nomination, Mr.. Douglas refers
to this Wicklifrresolution, which ho declares
lis in perfect harmony with the Others and
in whice he finds "a faithful cmh,diment Of
the time honored principles Of the Democratic
party!' Never has Mr.. Douglas admitted
the constitutional right Of the people OF n
Territory to prohibit slavery whilea Terrific
~. On the sixth page Of his reply to Attor-
ney General Black he says, that II the qucs-
ticn should be brought before the Supreme
Court he would be willing to volunteer his
services .to maintain in argument before the
Supreme Court, the constitutionality OF
the slave code of New Mexico;' but he
nowhere tells us that he would volunteer his
services TO maintain in argument before the
Supreme Court the constitutionality Of a code
excluding slavery from that or any other
Territory.
The 'popularsovereignty' of Douglas means
the power Of the people to introduce slavery
NOT to exclude ii, the power to protect it,
not to destroy it-for he declares in this
reply to Black that lit is untrue and absurd
to assert that he is in favor Of the con6sca.
ton Of private property by the action OF the
Territorial Legislature or any other power.
When the Kansas Nebraska bill was pend
ing, bill which professed to leave 'the pco-
pie perfectly free to form their own domestic
Mr.. Chase, seeing that ithe
people were to be deluded by unmeaning
phrases, cheated by the stump speech in the
bill, moved to amend it by adding these
words:
"Undcr which the people Of the Terrific.
ry, through their appropriate representa-
tiyes, may, il they see fit, prohibit the exis-
tence Of slavery therein"
This amendment was resisted by Mr..
Douglas and his compeers. and promptly yot-
ed down. Seeing that the Governors would
be under the control OF the slave interest,
Mr.. Chase moved that the people Of each
Territory be allowed to choose their own
Governor; and this, too, was denied by the
same inexorable majority, under the lead OF
Douglas; protesting to give perfect freedom
TO the people of Kansas and Nebraska, be
would not give the right to the people
through the Territorial Legislature to ex.
clude slavery, nor would ho allow them to
elect their Governors; and the Governors Of
10Th Kansas and Nebraska have, rs foresccn,
bccn the instruments Of slavery; they have
vctoed bills for the exclusion Of slavery from
the Territories. Never, never, did Douglas
intend to clothe the people Of the Terrific
ries with authority to exclude slavery
thcrefrom by Territorial legislation. Con.
gressional Intervention against slavery was
prohibited, and presidential and judicial i'm
teryeution for slavery substituted by Douglas
and his pro-slayery confederates, when they
removed the landmarks Of freedom, and OPEN
Cd half million Of square miles to the in
vasiye tread Of slavery.
On page sixth Of his reply to Judge Black,
Mr.. Douglas says:
"In order 10 facilitate The decision Of oil
questions arising under the territorial enact
menis upon the subject Of slavery especially, a
provision was inserted in the tenth section OF
the Kansas Nebraska bill, that 'writs OF er.
TOR and appeals from the final decisions OF
the said Supreme Court (of the Territory
shall be allowed, and may be taken to the
Supreme Court Of tho United States, with
out reference to the usual limitations in re-
spect to the value Of property, m all cases
inrolriny title 10 slares, and upon any writ
Of habc.s corpus, inroiriny the question Of
personal Esedom.' This peelhar provision
was Incorporated into that bill for the aro~-
ed and only purpose of enabling every person
who might feel a2gr'cred By me Territorial
leoi,iafion, or the decisions Of the Territorial
-. >. -.....t On sl1reru To take an appeal