Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-08-17
local governments; so is Mr.. Douglas. Tc

this question, TO adjust it upon their Mn r.
sponsibility and in their own manner, subject
to the provisions of the Constitutions; so, I'M
uuestionably is the Hon. Stephen y. Douglas.
Both agreeing that slavery is entitled 20 the
same protection in the Territories that any
other property is entitled To. Both agreeing
that if the inhabitants Of 4 Territory rnnt slave
~, they ought to have it, and that if they do
not want it, that it should not be forced upon
them. Both agreeing that the legislation Of
q Territory, no matter by whom enacted, that
the same must be done subject to the ~rcstric-
tons and limitations of the Federal Coastitu-
ton. Both agreeing that the judiciary Is the
proper tribunal to pass upon the constitution
atty Of said legislation, and That the decision
of the Supreme Court shall be final and ITS de-
crccs enforced. -,
1t is all folly Ia say that General CaSs did
not avow the popular sovereignty doctrine IN
his Nicholson letter. Some may, and have
no doubt, did vote for him believing that he
did not entertain the doctrine; but that the
great mass of the Democratic ani every other
party did so understand him there is no doubt.
Indeed his Nicholson letter was circulated
among his friends long before il was published
for their advice rs to the pr0pricty Of lis publ
cation. 1t Was charged upon him By the
friends of Taylor. Mr.. Yanccy and i number
of his school Of politicians refused to vote for
him ON that identical ground. He, Mr.. Van
cev, brought the charge against him in the
face of his friends ut Baltimore. His friends
there knew lie did entertain the doctrine; with
that knowledge they nominated him, and Mr.
Yanccy's opposition 10 him there was Of no
avail. .,
reucat, that there was no ",iSaf0wal Of
this doctrine required OF Gen. CaSS, either be-
fore or after he was nominated; and If 1t was
%reouircd as 4 condition precedent he never
granted it, and we voted for him without tt
and did so consistently with the llrglnia Res
o~lutions in 1913. And why: Because the
Convention, in agreeing that the resolution
would not prevent our supporting ten. C;SS,
drew this distinction, TO wit: That ten. Cass
might believe and express the opinion as 4
statesman and 4 lawyer, that the people oil Il
Territory, having had 4 territorial government
established by act Of Congress, possessed the
power during their temporary territorlal EMS.
tcncc, to lcgislate upon all r!ghtful subjects oil
legislation consistent with the Constitution,
and that they could and would, either by direct
or unfricndly legislation, admit or exclude SIa-
very, as they might think proper.
This opinion the resolutions, rs acted upon
and construed, allowed Gen. CaSS 10 entertain !;
because the spirit of the resolution was aud Is,
that although you may entertain the OPINION
we must be satisfied that you arc not in favor
of any such plan OF doctrine being r"rried int"
execution. The words Of the resolution arc,
that we will, under 10 political necessity, sup
port either for the Presidency or Vice PrcSi'
dency, any person nho stall MT he the .hrm'
md aromed Opponcnt gt anH Ihs" or 1'c'rihe
,,l;.l, -, ,n,. ,.,,, ;p,o,r,tus Gp The wlInlr
lives of Lewis CasS and Stephen \. Douglas
prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that
neither Of them ever Jarored by word, vote or
act, "any plan," or adrocatai the exercise Of
'any doctrine" whicl, in any way interiercd
with the rights OF the citizens Of any one State
to possess and enjoy all their property in any
Territory.whirl, may be or has been acquired
by the Union. This WAS all that the spirit Of
the resolution required. 1t %silenced all Demo.
cratic opposition to Gen. CasS, except the
Barnburners on the Buffalo platform, ut the
North, and the Disunionists and iire-eaterS 1T
the South. Gen. Cass was not required TO
disavow his opinions rs To the powers 81 4
Territorial Legislature. Those who voted for
him did not endorse those opinions. 1t was
enough for them to know that he never favored
any plan, or the carrying into cticc; any dot
trine against the right to settle with slaves III
the Territories.
Your construction Of the Alabama resolution
is the same that was put Oh IL III AlabaIlia;
mine is the construction which, was put on it
by the Convention and acted upon in the can.
yass of 1S4S. In proof Of this, let Inc refresh
your memories by referring 10 the Richmond
Enquirer Of june 18th, Isis. You will there
find, | think, enough to stop this clam0r
against Judge Douglas, and certainly that
condition precedent will vanish FROM yonr
vision. That paper contlins the proceedings
OF the first meeting Of the Democratic ASS0-
citation of Richmond after Gcn. Cass was no
minated. The following extract from the
speech of John NJ. Patton, decd, on that coca
sion appeared in Your editorial Of that date.
and YOU will ~recollect that he was the Presi'
dent of the Convention Of 1913 when the rcso-
lutions were adopted. Here is the extract
reported by yourselves. 't;cn. Cass, he said,
had been his choire for the last ten years.
From u long and intimate acquaintance with
Gen. C.'s opinions and conduct, rs n man and
n politician, he knew no one more entitled 10
our respcc. individually and nur confidence
politically. No man North Of Mason ard
Dixon's line could more readily and safely he
trusted OIL the delicate question Oi Southern
Rights than Lewis CaSs-whose avowalS were
fill and complcte-to every practical purpose
and intent sound, and coming up to the Sir-
GINA PlatfornI-in Il word, entirely safe and
Conservative" Hon. John NJ. Patton was one
of the best lawyers in Virginia and could in
terprct 4 letter; mo mau North Of Mason and
Dixon's line could be more readily and safely
trusted on the delicate question Of Southern
Rights than Lewis Cass-wlosc avowals, mot
"Iisaronak," " were full and complete to every
practical purpose and intent, coming up to the
Virginia Piatlurln-ina word, entirely safe and
conservative
Again: I call your attention to the following
extracts, taken lrurn the speech OF James y.
Seldom, Esq, made on the same OCCASION, AS
reported by yourselves in the columns OF the
!. ENQUIRER. 'Mr. Seldom warmly and cordially
approvcd of the Baltimore nomination., and
was determined to give it his Jealous support.
In reply to the Wings, who had better take the
beam out of their own eyes before they com.
plain of the mote in others eyes, Mr.. S. said
..Gcncral Cass has always been ready TO de.
fcnd Southern rightS-at hosne and ahroad.-
When in i foreign land, and without inStruc-
r tions, he boldly stepped forward to throttle the
ouintuplc treaty-a subject i'll which the South
and the North were deeply interested. And On
the Wilmut ~pruviso, what Northern Wing,
what Northern man mas come ont more hoihly,
more fully for Southern rights? Has Mr.. Fill
more come within u bow'Shot OF Gen. Cass on
this subject: Take Gen. CaSs's Nicholson let
ter, and Mr.. 5. boldly maintained. il comes up
in principle to the Virginia platform. Thr
virginia resolutions declare that Congress shall
have no power, directly or indirectly, to inter
fcrc with slavery in the Telritories-~ dorx
Cass's letter.. When the people act, they act
- CT. r,,ni;,,u. mail moi Itr I n,,isinIt-os
in IN inrhoaie character. The sovereignty Of
the people docs not exist until they come to
form State Conventions. Mr.. S. dwclL with
great power upon this point. demonstrating,
with clcarnrss and beauty, that the letter of
Gen. Cass, in substance, and to all practical in.
tents and purposes. came up to the doctrines Of
Tho Eirniniu resolutions Mr.. = rrSlllurl his