Weekly Trinity journal., 1860-10-13
RINITY JOURNAL.
x,v.son,s Review on Home Politics.

<bc following candid article, under the head
Of "Poltics at Home" is from late num-
of that able Catholic Quarterly, BropnSon' 4
= siw:
b. hold that we of the North have no right to
,obt;cal abolitonists for in our States slave
5oes not exist, and the Federal Government
M mower over it in any of the States. We
no right to get up political party in q
,slavehoiding State for the abolition of slave
81 for there is in such State no subject on which
a marty can act, and TO act on il politically
Xanotber State is not permitted. for ii is in
nation of the principle that all the States in
- Union stand upon an equal footing. We
Il no right to get up Federal party, or a
,v to force the Federal Government to abol-
& Il in the slave States, for the States in form
% the Union reserved the question of slavery to
b rcse,ves in their separate and Independent
hacity. All political abolitonism is contrary,
refore. either to the Federal Constitution or
e. the mutual equality or independence Of the
tps The abolition Of slavery is legitimate
stion for political parties within slave holding
les Whatever, then, may or may not be our
.sa of slavery, we who belong to non.slave-
dino States have no right to make it polit-
- anestion. or the basis of a political party,
i Ter State or Federal. We may say slavery is
q evil. sin, but that is moral question, and
Her our system of government not to be
ched hy political action. So we may say
F psbvteransm or Methodsm is an evil, a sin,
one that will ultimately bring down the
oments of God upon the people that sustain
%but we have not therefore the right TO form a
&itical party for its suppression.
Furthermore, though strongly opposed 10 the
ensien Of slavery beyond the limits of the
&sent sIaveholding States. we hold that we
zre no right TO form and support a political
rty for the prevention Though the action of
noress of its extension TO new territory. The
%rritories of the Union are the common prop
n of all the States, and Congress has no right
Il mass an act or ordinance that prevents the
liens of one State as well as those of another
BIN entering and settling them with their
<operty. Congress has no right to discriminate
tween different species of property, but is
ound to regard as property, whatever is prop
ay by the laws of the States or any one of the
htes. Here we agree entirely with the South
IN statesmen, and hence we deny TO Congress
,e constitutional right. either to authorize or
ephibit slavery in the Territories no less than
1.-The States themselves. The only doubt we
hid entertain on this point arises from the fact
10 till quite recently, Congress has uniformly,
#organizing a new Territorial Government,
lined and exercised the power to permit or to
Xlude slavery.
should not this fact be taken as evidence that
ngress has the power. at least by prescription?
j the doubt must vanish the moment we reflect
q the Federal Government is one Of express
gers under q written Constitution aud that no
Rscrption can authorize the exercise of power
4 expressly conceded il by the States creating
8 Here we differ not only from the Republican
ktv. but also from what is understood at the
nth to be the doctrine of the Northern Demo
Its headed by Mr.. Douglas. The Republicans
<oeralIy hold that Congress in organizing the
<rritories may either permit or forbid slavery
|lil the Territory becomes State. Mr.. Douglas
Understood to deny this power to Congress,
a to assert it for the people Of the Territory,
der the head Of what is called "Squatter
5vereignty" We know nothing more discred-
<ble to a man who has had the honor to be a
1ge, even in an inferior court.
zIt is decidedly opposed to that clear. logical
Sdprstanding, boasted not in vain, by the peo-
! of the Green Mountain State, and especially
4 Old Windsor county, from which both he and
hail The people of Territory have no
3wers except such as are conferred by Congress
*the organic act and Congress can confer no
kver which il does not itself possess memo ddi
NJ non habet. Squatter Sovereignty is Fiction,
4 Fiction of that ultra Democratic school
ch justifies John Browns raid into Virginia.
bgress cannot authorize another to do what it
no right to do itself, and Mr.. Douglas
trine, if conceded. supposes Congress has the
yer to periait or prohibit slavery in the Terri
es-in principle, the doctrine of the Repub-
in party, or else that the people are sovereign
bout reference to legal Organization, what
Xeall John Brownism. If we believed Con-
es Mad the power,we should of course demand
exercise to prevent the further extension of
very, for we claim to be heart and soul an
slaVery man. But not believing it has the
yer, we deny the right of any class of Amer
n citizens, to form political party for the
press purpose of exercising it through Congress.
10 far we go with the Democratic party South,
dissent from both the Republicans and the
hglas Democrats. The Republicans on this
INT, we believe, are wrong: but they are in-
Eligible, logical and are sustained by the al
st uniform practice of Congress, ever since
had Congress. If they err, as far as an
or can be, it is a respectable error. The
.[nglas Democrats are "neither one thing or
pther, neither fish nor flesh, nor yet good
FIRING" IL involves the error of flibustering,
if analyzed and reduced to some degree OF
sistency, it will be found to be John BrOwnism.