New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-06


that the mass OF bis followers are either too igno-
rant or too careless to ses or discover il, and bis
purpose is answered If they believe it.
In speech at Syracuse about fortnight ago,
Mr.. Douglas set forth more at length the grouno
for this assumption Of his that Ohio and ilnnoi.
were Free States not by virtue of the Ordinance oil
1857, but because they preferred 10 Dc 'o' Inv
subt ct was brought up by an i'll constructed quo'
tion mt by an ungise Republican, who requesseu
Mr. DouOlas TO explain Jeferson's views OF Tue
@ Ordinance of 1884," The first reply was that' Oh
chat nart;cular ordinance Jefferson knew nothing
=. ba was then in Paris thus covering up and con-
ceiling the essential fact that the Ordinance OF
1871. with certain necessary notifications "hch
tbs lapse of time had rendered necessary, was
based upon the Ordinance of 1884 presented by
MFR. .Jefferson while on the one point TO winch
the question referred-Savery in the Territory
the only difference in the two Ordinances was thar
in 1884 it was prohibited after 1900, but in 1877
its existence was not allowed at all. In both, q
condition precedent TO the formation of either tenn
poraIy or permanent governments was that there
should be "neither Slavery nor involuntary servl-
tude in the said Territory Cor States) otherwise
" than in punishment of crimes whereof the par
" ties ahall be duly convicted"
But having, in this unworthy and dishonest way,
attempted to convict his Republican catechist OF
ignorance, by the unwarrantable assumption that
because the Ordinance of 1877 was not Jefers0n's
it therefore differed essentially on the question OF
extending Slavery from that of 1854, Judge
Douglas proceeds to still another, and not less
important Justification, the effect of which would
be all the more mischieyous upon his hearers,
because ii would hardly occur to them that any man
with character at stake would venture to so de
face and blot the historical record He goes on to
cav how, by the Ordinance of 1884, the inhabitants
of the Western Territory, which, it was expected,
would be ceded to the Federal Government, were
to form, fret Territorial Government, then State
Governments, and finally to be admitted into the
Union, having taken, at the outset the ConStitu-
ton of either a Slave State or Free State, as
they pleased. "Thus you fnd," he exclams
triumphantly, " that the plan of government for
" the Territories reported by Mr.. Jefferson, and
" adopted by the Continental Congress in 1854,
"was the broadcast popular sovereignty ever pro-
claimed in America" And thereup)n, some
one in the crowd shouts exultingly for another
Republican to send up another question 1t must,
of course have been very amusing scene. There
was only the little moral objection to it, that the
Judge was making falsifer Of himself and fools OF
his audience The Ordinance, afterla laying downthe
law for the organization of the Territory, and the
States to be carved out of it, as he had already
correctly stated, has I" PROVIDED" which he
does not even allude to. And one of these pro-
visions is that there shall be neither Slavery nor
&" involuntary servitude in any of the said States
" after the year 1900"
But evidently he had q second thought. Every
body intelligent enough to take newspaper must
know that there was some sort of supposed pro-
hibtion Of Slavery in that Territory, and he proba
bly, reflected that he might be suspected OF lodging
that point if he made no allusion to it, he ackuo"
edges presently-after his declaration OF the Popu-
lar Sovereignty of Mr.. Jefe son, and the scene
which followed, to which we have just refened-
he acknowledges that there we're certain PROPOSE.
tons, one of which re a ed to Slavery. But these
propositions, he AYERS, to be submitted to the
people to reject or accept as they pleased"
" Mark you" be continues, " that on Slavery was
" but proposition, aud was not binding unless
agi eed to by the people, in which case only it
L" became al article of compact irreyocable except
by common consent. Thus you find that Jefier-
son held to the doctrine of Popular Sovereignty
I" even on the Slavery question. Now some Re-
L" publican leader has taken from Mr. Jefierson's
"plan the one article about Slavery, and, sup
q pressing all the stpulstions, has made the poor
:. low believe that jefferson wanted to prohibit
Slaye,v against the will of the people, and has
{. sent him Here under that delusiOn."
We beg the leader to mark the truth The Or
dpapce of 1884 fl ,smed by Jefferson, was g char
"ter of compact" to be duly "e1ecuted by the
% President Of the Uf tied States in Congress as
sembled, to be promulg, >ted and to stand as
% fundamental conditions b, tween the old States
and the new. There is in it, TOM oee'noiue 70
end, no word of submitting the pr 'poSlIion 10 The
people of the Territories; 40 word OF eneir power
to reject or accept as they pleased; but on 'ne
contrary it expressly provides that there sh vi oe
no organization Of either Territorial or State Gov
erDneDts except on the basis of the proysO, the
prohibition of Slavery among them The only pre-.
text for the assertion Of Judge Douglas is final
implied condition that in case any State asked for
a change in any of the fundamental provisions of
the Ordinance it might be granted by the joint |
consent Of the State itself and of "the United |
I" States in Congress assembled" Thus every step |
In his arprment in relation TO both Ordinances ia
untrue. BY making distinction between them |
which is without difference, he eDdeavors first to
confute his hearers and then follows up the bewil