The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-09-15
HersCheI Y, JohnsOll>s Record.


HerscheI Y. Johnson's Record.
The Hip'ram publishes what il calls
IIerschel Y. johnson Record VIII .
Claudius answer this question; Is it mean .
er to tell lie outright, than TO tell the ,
truth in such q way that it amounts to
a lie?
We freely admit that all the extracts
given by The Hiy,eaD from speeches of IL
V. johnson may be genuine. And what
do they amount to? Simply this that
Mr.. johnson holds that under the coI.sti-
tuition the slave owner has right TO go
into the territories with his slave, and
hold them there, and that neither Con
rress nor the territorial legislatures can
deprive him Of this right
We are unable just now, TO think Of a
Southern politician OF any note that does
not maintain the same doctrine This
has always been the southern view. They
never minced 1.-THE democracy OF the
north never denied IL
But while thi, has ever been the South
crn doctrine, the democracy Of the North,
with Douglas at their head. have held
different doctrine: that Is, not denying
that the slave owner may have the right
t. take his slaves to the Territories like
all other property, they maintain that he
must hold there subject TO sucn laws a.
the territorial legislatures may pass.
/ Here. we freely admit, is ar important
difference The south deny the power OF
the territorial legislature over the ques-
tin-the northern democracy affirm II.
This was exactly the rock upon which the
democratic party came within one Of split
ting in 1870, and again in 1854; when
they happily agreed on this accommoda
ton, or compromise. That they would
leave the question Of the power Of the ter =
-is>-<al legislature "a establish or prohibit
to the courts. where 1t properly belonged.
and. so far as congress was concerned they
pledged themselves for al time TO come.
&c let the people Of the territories dispose
Of the question in their own way.
To this agreement the democracy OF
the north and south both cordially assent
ing, shook hands on it, end baptized the
doctrine popular sovereignty.
Now the dishonesty Of the Hipcao. :
: Record consists in this, that while it
= gives the views Of II V. johnson in favor
p of the southern doctrine, it wholly sup
= presses his assent 10 the agreement TO
2 waive the point and abide by popular So
If tho
Htyean had given this part Of his record
it would have been complete-it would
have told the whole truth - and Ii
= charge of disagreement between Douglas
and Johnson would have vanished We
g take the liberty to supply this important
= omission
!, In a speech delivered at Washington
t June %, 1860, Mr. johnson said:
! The demand for congressional inter
e venton Vas properly rejected a: 81 aries
e ton. And why do say SOP Because il
was the agreement between the north and
- the south that the slavery citation should
D. be removed from the halls of congress
! and the people of the territories be let
perfectly free 70 regulate their domestic
institutions in their own way, subject tc
the constitution OF Inc B1teu states
a This was the principle Of the compromis.
G, measures c and practically applied
, to tie Hans, -'-braska act in lSji. l
was .dopted by the great political par,ie
al of tie United States in 1853. 1t tri
e. umpaed in the election Of Franklin Pierre.
n in flat year, and of Jas Buchanan in 1856
~ 1t is perhaps the best ground of compro
mise between the north and the south
Id which human ingenuity can devise.
o. II is understood by the people Of al
of sections, and by it the democratic party, a
least, of all sections, should be willin:
y to abide 1t gives advantage to no section
n over the other, because, it refers all ques
is tons Of dispute between them to con
"a gresspnal or territorial power over tn
:; subject OF slavery, to the final arbitraimen
!" of tie supreme court of the United States
OF 1t is.thertorc, safe for the north, and saf'
m for she south. Its practical working il
is not without satisfactory results. Where
n the people OF a territory desire slave labor
~ and thes and climate are suited to it
NC slavery will 90; where these conditions d.
S. not exis, it will not so"
Mr.. Johnson is now waging sublime
ne battle with the interventionists and dis
i'll unionist of the south, and the heavy bat
or oa tle-axe lie yields against them, is tn,
n, above agreement and the bad faith of tn
o. secessio,ists in ignoring it.
OF Any 'Record' of II. V. johnson that il
:" inconsistent with this straightforward
. honorable view of his course, is a shame
- full and sicked perversion.