The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-09-01

republican platform higher th'ii d Mite
With all honest intelligent constitutional
lawyers, republicanism is already nonen-
tity-a thing of the past. Demagogues
are striving to keep the thing kicking I'M
til after the election, by the galvanic force
of lying aud pervcrsion, rs d dead cat still
kicks when touched by galvanic battery.
But the republican papers and orators
have ceased to argue whether the main
point of the bred Scott decision-the
power Of Congress to prohibit slavery in
the territorics-is good law or not. If
not actually conceded, they at least admit
the point possesses no practical impor-
lance, for there l. now no territory III re
ference to which any sane man would pro
pose that congress should exercise such
power: and as to future cases, II Is time
enough to attend to them when they arise.
But they labor to pcrvert and ialsity
that decision, and bring it into odium and
contempt, by assertions that, while 1t de
stroys the republican platform, it also de
Stroys the democratic doctrine of popular
sovereignty To exc this out, they lay
down this formula:
l. The bred Scott decision declares that
under the Constitution Slaves are pro
perry.
>. That being property, it is the duty Of
the general government to protect that
property, like ALI other property. in tho
/ territories.
/ Coroliuy Hence no territorial lcgisla-
ture can pass laws to prohibit the intro
duction Of such property in the territories,
or TO impair its value, but must protect it,
or failing TO do so, Congress must do it.
The first position is substantially cor
rect, but the second and the coroilary are
Il peryersion and laISehood
1t is true that by the bred Scott deci-
sion, slaves are declared TO be recognized
in the Constitution as property; and that
such property il the territories is entitled
to the same protection from the general
/ government as all other property Bat
/ the utter dishonesty and fa!schood OF the
( second position and the corollary results
fro,, ,ho f,ot ,hat tto MI >a.t. 1,a;-;a,
dcries 70 ,ha General oor.rnn,on, fla
power 81 |lation or otherwise to orote-'
Stare or An THEIR PROPERTY il. tie territories
/ except in single case named, 10 wit
! when Il fugitive escapes from his master
! living i'll another state or territory In no
-.,,.S .3..:.:-. ,.
,.,c,
os' 'ei !i!' W ''''' any "''1loi'S oS 'i'e
general government be constltutlonaiiy
excrcised-in reference 70 slaves in or out
of the territories
r,,.,l.,. -. r -. n, CT.
'leIoh III reference 70 'e'i''oiie9 Is SIMPLY
liiiS' ihAt uhuer 'iia' cl"uSe Vi 'ile Ion
s''t"t'on winch authorizes congress 10 aC'-
init new States, power Is given 10 acquire
territory. and a necessary concoInitant Of
| tho, ,,ou.s, : fin. otI,or To Institute or or.
| - .--...-..-
S"hI%S 'chilo''i! 5o'0' ii'ii''''' i'' 3''''
territory While IN territorial condition
but DeSoha t"is congress mas no power u
pass local laws lof the territories OH any
subject whatever
lie language OF Judge ianey Is tins
(p. 4iG:)
" There * certainly no power given by
the constitution 20 the re"er"i "CEefii
L 49, ~ ryI;tiI So, o d.
lance. to be ruled and governed at il.
Congress- own pleasure
Again, same page:
- It may be safely assumed that citizen
OF Inc i.,s,i, c't'e' niLo od liit. ~ 70 'S
cannot be ruled as mere eolonists. depend
ent upon the will Of the general govern
ment, ana to be governed by any law II
my 'n-l 4.H, i''i'- - f'ol''11
''''' sun MOI ei'' - ING i'''
1T says -,
ne ,i,iei,''li , % ,'I, nv ~,
raj states 10 their citizens. who are ..Irea
dy in possession of personal and rolitica
III, Mili'!l iie GOV ef"i'o''' ''''' no CIV
~,
,'' "''-' "''.
s''iiu ~ PoPu''' '"e i'i
o' 'e'i 2o'e' ,'''.sY'', ign. u q pep.
"'.A-
=.
, 49,, ,
o 49,. - ,I,s 1'e.J csl.t 49,,
,..I-a.. 49,. -, c..-.:......., $500.
/
h
: III :, =, =,
.-' g 49, '''''' t''i'e- - :, IN .r
~ .7-"''',e7 ''''i"o' i'I''''''
! win such property lii the telIiIorit>