Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-21

" IN
atonal l did not thereby feel bound to support re
iu Mr. Breckenridge being my choice politically v.
YER Mr.. Douglas, and having been nominated by 4,
invention to my mind, With equal claims 70 nation
lily as the one by which Birs douglas nominal
ID. it did not take me long to determine for whom
would vote. 44f
If the tinge Of seetion4lsm attach to either or
9th of these conventions, think the same causes +
hat would create one the southern secti0nals would
orstitte the other the northern sectional nomina
ion. That's if Mr. Douglas was nominated by the I
,reat body of the northern Democracy with spora-
lie Representation from the Seuth 90 Mr. Brecknr
.dge was nominated by the great body Of the south
,rn Democracy with like Representative from the
iorth In times like these, then would spring IN
utiyeIy to the side of my section Nor would mi
case like this, thus precipiteled stop 70 quarrel
with friends as 70 where the plams rests. II
Tn the presidential canvass of 1886, IN which
bore some humble part, the Opposition party, byi
their rress and speakers, everywhere charged the
Democracy with favoring the doctrine OF squatter
sovereignty: that this doctrine was acomponent ele
ment both Of the Kansas-Nebraska act and OF the
C;nc,at; nl,fforua u am sure that myself in the
company of every Democratic champion that mad
the pleasure of hearing, tngether win the wnole
Democratic press foremost OF which was the APf
pedD denied this charge and repuuiated ths uoc7
trine Last summer, even, in reply 70 set OF wrl-
ton interrogatories propounded to me on the stump
nv Mr. Currin one of which was "are you IN fayor I
of suuatter sovereignty ~ unhesltatlngly fepheu
in the negative The ground taken ey the whole
Democratic party, as have UNDERSTOOD y. AZ lTas'
in this portion of the confederaey was that Ter
ritorial legislature could not consttutl0naly legis
late to exclude slavery from the Territories; thas
the only time when they, could properly pass upon
and determine these great rights OF ours was "heil
they came to form State Constitution Sol thought
then. so Inow think So thought the whole Demo
cratic marty South. So thought Mr.. Brecklnrldgei
so he thinks now. Mr.. Douglas does not. therefore
prefer Mr. Breckenridge. 4
Since te nrornuIgatoTi Of the Cincinnati platform,
~ of laaSu jOufG
10 fort,fy MS in this position To this decision upon
these distracting questions | thought we mad al
agreed to defer Allow me briefly 10 cite "hAs
the Court said upon this subject ii
In speaking OF the power OF Congress over P
sons and property the supreme Court says IN tne
bred Scott case that the rights OF cltzens OF Ter
ritory are placed on the footing as the clZens
OF tile States and guards them as firmly and plainly
| against any inroads which the general govern
! ment might attempt under the plea OF lncldentai
'aAnd ifasays Chief Justice Taney-Congress it
self cannot do ibis if it is beyond the power confer
red on the Federal Government 1t viii be admltteu
/ we presume that it could not authorize Terrific
| rial government TO exercise them. Il could confer
no power on any local government established by us
authority to violate the provision OF the Cons'l'u
| ton
aAnd the Constitutoa recognizing the right Of pro
perty of the master in slave, and making no dis
tinction between that description of property and
other property owned by citizen no tribunal un-
der the authority of the United States, whether II
be legislative executive judicial has right to
draw such distinction, deny to it the benefits OF
the provisions of the guarantees which have been
| provided for the protection of private property
against the encrOaehmentsOf the Government, Now,
as we have already said in an carrier part OF tins
opinion upon different point the right OF properly
in slave is distinctly and explicitly affirmed IN the
Constitution The right TO traffic in it, like an or
binary article Of merchandise and property, was
guaranteed to the citizens of the United States IN
every State that might desire it. And the Govern
ment in express terms, is pledged to proteet II IN
all future time if the slave escapes from his mas ter
This is the explicit language OF the Court IL Is
olain and easily understood. The conlnonest mind
can easily comprehend what IS meant by IT,
In standing uIsr the Cincinnati Platform, and de-
Tending it against the charge of sIuater sovereignty,
we said everywhere that this vexed question OF the
powers of territorial legislature over slave pro
| perty should be settled by the Supreme Court Inc
, Supreme Court had not then spoken upon the SUD,
iect Although this particular question OF pohuca
controversy was not raised in the record which was
before the Court. yet appeal to every candid mind
from, the language OF the Court If their opinion up
on it il not just ss much given as u the questiOL
had been contained in the record. IL the Court nae
gone even as far as it has in support OF instead O.
denying the power OF a. territorial legislature on
this subject perhaps further intel pretatlon a.
to the meaning of the Cincinnati Platform would
have been desired but as IT did not SO decide ash
is it very unreasonable that such an nerpretauol
! -
cisIon. 4at p -AafA
Mr.. Douglas, denying that the Supreme Court hal
made such decision, uses in his FreepOrt speech thu
2 language; aN Es .EEE
2 sit matters not what the Supreme Court may
hereafter decide the abstract question, wheth
err slavery may may not go INTO Territory unde
the Constitution, the people have to introduce or ex
cude il as they please, tor the reason that slavery
cannot exist day or an hour anywhere unless II /
r supported by local police regulations.
t SO # matters not with Mr.. Douglas whether th'
4 Supreme Court has or has not decided, or whethe
it win hereafter decide this question. Such decision
wonld not be binding, the territorial leglsla
e Is placed by him above and beyond their decisions
. This would call squatter sovereignty and agains
f this think the Democratic party here have hereto
4 | fore been united. ....
o Now as to the question of Congressonal inte-ven
y ton. ~ le,' s.l .ts aF&.
Last summer in my canvass tor Congress- 1t IS tru
Mr. Sneed took strong grouad in favor OF the lmme
date action Of Congress upon this subject lie SAID
were he elected to Congress he would introduce bill
forthwith providing for the protection OF slave prop
erty in the Territories While did not deny the RICH
;. nor the power of Congress to pass such laws,
thought the time unpropitious to propose sue
: measures, as we were In minority IN the House
e and consequently had no power to pass them Fol
g as then said, while Mr.. Sneed would rise In hl
r place and introduce bin providing for congress
: ional protection, q Black Republican would imm'
diatey rise in his place and propose to strike GU
V "protect" and insert abolish" with the power {
U | DaSS II over MS nedu was lHelelOFS OppOScu
the question being raised. was and ever have bee
opposed to Intervention of Congress or the neryer
ton of a territorial legislature either to establs
B. or abolish slavery in the Territories OF the Unite
l. States. / occupy the same ground now. How stand
2 Mr. Breckingridge! In his letter OF acceptance,
g find the following language: ........... ID
2 The friends of constitutional equality do not an
s never did demand congressional slave CODE nor an
J. other code in regard to property IN the Territories
They hold the doctrine of nOn-interventiOn by Cor
y gress or Territorial Legislature either to establish
or prohibit slavery but they assert Fortified by tn
II highest judicial tribunal in the Uni9n) the plain dut
= of the Federal Governmental all its departments,
secure tcen necessdrV the citizens of all the State
the enjoyment of their property in the common Tel
rItores as everywhere else within its jurisdiction.
: find, then that neither the declaration of Nj
= Breckenridge, nor the platform upon which he ha
y been pla3ed, does more than meet the decision
!, the Supreme Court, That is to deny the power
!. territorial Legislature to do what Congress cannC
do itself and to assert the right and power Of Cor
gress protect the property of citizens of the I'm
ted States and Territories when necessary.
~ To DENY these would seem to me to assert soVt
e reigntyi the Territories which the Supreme CouI
. denies; or to deny that the constitution recognize
q property in slaves, which the Supreme Court asserts
- Nc Southern man, should think, ought to be pre-
= pared to do either. Surely am not. Leaving OU
y of view then the fact of fatal disagreement bC
:. tween Mr.. Douglas and the whole South, Democrat
y and all upon the admission of Kansas under tn
y Lecompton constitution think have shown point
of difference upon the one SIDE. ana suI1cent con
4 cdence on the other to warrant me- without cor
u demnaton, in going for the one and against tn
. / other. s.-af %. ..-.--
N Notwithstanding these points of difference hav
{ all along been known, yet if Mr. Douglas has bee
= the nominee of the national Democratic party
n would have waived them and warmly supporte
Y him. because he would have been my choice b.
= cause of the nomination. As it is he is not. r
= I have taken this position under the convictions
= my calm and deliberate Judgment 10 the exercise
!. the high prerogative of an independent America
= citizen TO those of my friends, personal and pc
!. litical who fit to differ with me, am willing
accord the same sentiment of patriotic duty. Trul
have we fallen upon strange and evil times if vii
= dictiye feeling of ostracsm is to seize upon an
y rSnkle IN the heart of brother against brother, 70
the same mere exercise Of this great right in cas-
u like this prescribe no man for exercising hi
'e choice between Democrats claim the same for ny
- | self. F-er-r.-. 1...-
!. Who are John c. Breckenridge and Joseph LAM
" that Southern Democrat should be called upon
vindicate himself for lending them his support
Men against whom no whisper of disuniOn dare
be breathed. Patriots who have periled their live
bearing, amid the smoke Of battle, the banner {
1 sf,a;, Statesmen ho in thc councils {