Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-08-11

the Territory any article OF property winch
the Constitution of the United States rec
ognizes. 1t recognizes slaves as property,
and pledges the federal government to pro-
tcct it, and Congress cannot exercise any
more authority over property of that des
cripto on than it may constitutionally ex-
ercise over property Of any other kind
The act Of Congrc -, therefore, prohibiting
any citizen of the United States from taxi
ing with him slaves when he removes to
the Territory in qu ston to reside is an
exercise Of authority over private property
which is not warrented by the Constitution
and the removal of the plaintiff, by bis
owners to that Territory, gave lin no title
to freedom.
Now if all acquiesced in this decision,
like good citizens; had yielded willing and
cheerful assent and obedience to it as an
authentic construction of the fundamental
law, by the highest tribunal, the question
of slavery in the Territories, would have
been at rest, and the democratic party
would have been on its way rejoicing
But, every kind of means was resorted to
to evade it. Rampant abolitionism, more
manly than its accomplices in mischief
openly denounced it and defcd it as it is
wont to do all legal obstacles to the con
summation of its own distcmpered idea
-demagogism inflated itself-fanaticism
foamed, and trimming cowardicc shrunk
around it and insisted that the question
was not decided and all these combined
together, sought to deny to the ci izens of
the slave States the benefits of the dccis.
ion either in theory or practice. (Chcers
repeat, the South were satisfied with
non,intcrvcntion, awaiting in good faith
the decision of the courts before this adj
dication; since the decision, they would
have been satisfied with non-intervention
and the acknowledgement and practical
,xecu ion Of it according to its fair and
'quitablc spirit.
THE OBJECTION OF THE SOUTH TO MR.
DOUGLAS,
The South did not object to Mr.. Doug
las because Of his principles Of non intel.
lentiou - nor OF his doctrines OF qualified
popular sovereignty in the Territories, as
Is SO often and so pompously alleged bu,
their opposition 10 him ARISES. to say moth
ing of his unfortunate controversy with the
administration, from his advocacy Of wha
they regard as Il most rank and mischev
| tb, tt.r
contending, as he does, AS we have alread
seen, that notwithstanding the dccis. on o
the Supreme Court in the bred Scott cas-,
i holding that all citizens with their proper
ty are to be admitted there OH, OH oqua
terms, slave property included, Tern o
rial legislature may, by its enacted law
exclude slave properly from the Territor,
- thus virtually investing tie r.toria
+ Legislature with power to annul this pro
r vision Of the constitution as construed b
I the highest tribunal known t. the law
These are the articles of creed propose,
by Mr. Doug as, to which the South oil
ject. In the celebrated campaign debat
It with Mr. Lincoln, previous to the Dire
a Scott decision, in answer 10 certain ques
tions proposed by Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Doug
, las answered as follows -
The next question propoandcd to m
Mr.. Lincoln is, can the people of Terr
tory, in any lawful way, against the viii
!, es of the U. States, exclude slavery frol
. their limits prior to the formation of
State constitution l answer emphatica
ly, a Mr.. Lincoln has heard me answe
e humid rod timnS from evnrv ,tumn of III
= nos, that, in my opinion, the people Of
e Territory, can, by lawful means, exc'ud
y slavery from their limits prior to the fo
:, nation of State constitution. Mr.. Lii
. coin knew that | had answered that ques
ton over and over again. He heard m
argue the Nebraska bill on that principl
a | over the State in 1854, in lS55, and
ls56, and he has no excuse for pretendin
y to be in doubts as to my position on thi
question.
After the Drod Scott decision had bee
,e pronounced and published, Mr., Dougl'
}. states his position thu':-
!. 1t matters not what way the Supren
Court may hereafter decide as to the al
u stract question whether slavery may c
may not 60 in a Terri ory under the col
n stitution, the people have the lawful meal
g to introduce or exclude it as they pleas
"a for that slavery cannot exist day or {
-, hour anywhere unless it is supported
~ local police regulation can only be esta
as lished by the local legislature; and if Il
people are opposed to slavery, they W
" elect representatives to that body who W
If by unfriendiy legislation efrctually pr
ir vent the introduction of it into their mid
It. If, on the contrary, they are for it the
ne legislation will favor its extension. Hen
in no matter what the decision of the S
ne preme Court may be on that abstract out
il. ton, still the right of the people to ma
to slave Territory or a free Territory bi
C. | hope Mr., Lincoln deems my answ
ne satisfactory on that point.
to If it be true, that the Territorial Legis
te ture can, by au act, exclude the citizen
O. a Southern State with his slave proper