Year: 1859

Douglas has many warm advocates in the
South Among them is the New Orleans
Courier, which holds the following language;


Waving the question of legality for the time
being, we propose to offer few remarks on the
expediency ofa demand from the Southern peo-
pie that property in slaves held IN territories shHii
be guarded and defined by CongreSsiohai Iegsi'-
ton We are aware that in SO dong we are oo-
trudinr upon our readers hacknied subject, put
since the late debate in the Senate, lhe question:
has been galvanized into renewed life, and now
threatens to become an element to distract ana
divide the Democratic party, and put an ehu 10
the harmonious cooperation of its Northern ana
Southern branches. Democrats in the non-slaye-
holding States adhere as firmly as ever to the
Cincinnati resolutions. =,


"They accept and approve the decisions ofth
Supreme Court, which affirm the proprietary
rights of Shareholders in the Territories. Ihey
freely concede that the Constitution recognizes
and guarantees such rights. They support and
advocate at all times the sovereign rights OF the
States in all their length and latitude They
checrfuly and in concord sustain the rights Of
owners of the slaves who escape into their bor-
ders They put aside the low and petty jealous
les of sectonalism and labor for the southwark
progress of the republic. They advocate the ac-
QUESTION of Cuba, endorse that measure in their
conventions, ably sustain it in their presses, and,
indeed, show n greater uuanimity in supporting
it than can be found among Southern Democrats.
They are friendly to the South because they are
willing to sustain Southern States IN all their con-
stitutional rights They are friendly to us be-
cause they oppose the fanatical party that seeks
to trample on our rights through Congressional
cnactments. They oppose that powerful North
ern combination OF men who claim Tor congress
the right to exclude slavery from every foot OF
the public domain, who denounce and witty the
high federal tribunal for its recent decision, who
1 tpng pt
stitution who seek power by playing upon the
lowest preiudices and who will dIssever and rum
the Republic rather than abate one jot or title
from their tyrnous purposes.


But the late discussion in the Senate, the
commeuts of the Northern Democratic press up
on it, the tone ofthe discussions in the late cam
paigns, the language of Democratic resolutions
and other evidences taken in connection with
what we know of the universal preudices OF all
Northern people now and for many yeors past
relative to our great Institution in the abstract
have pretty fully convinced us that Northern DEM
ocrats will with one accord oppose any special
legislation by Congress intended to operate eXclu
sively in the Territories and solely upon the sub
ject Of slavery. TO those who propose Congress
ional action either for slavery or against it. in the
Terri ores or elsewhere, their answer is: d" Let
slavery and Shareholders alone; let il 60 where
the Constitution, as Interpreted by the Supreme
Court opens the door for it let it look for protec





the Territories: the Constitution and the Com
mon Law.


"When tie Black Republicans again attempt
to exclude slavery from any Territory by Con-
gressional action they will unite with Southern
Democrats as cordially as ever in opposing such
action but ifSouthern Democrats ask them to
aid in adopting a code of laws for the regulation
or protection Of slavery in the Territories, they
viii refuse en- mdSse, unless we err widely in our
estimate ofprevalent opinions Without the CO.
operation Of Northern Democrats the attempt will
be a failure Ifsuch and is solicited and denied
the result must be distinct schism in the party,
and It may be an irrevocable loss of all power to
resist the Black Republican fanatics upon other
and more vital issues.


These are some Of the reasons why we deem
the step proposed one Of doubtful expediency.
The time for such measure is inauspiciOcs. 1t |
would give new life to the fell spirit of ant-slaye-
ry fanatcism, and ALLEVIATE the friends ofthe rights |
Of the States at a time when they are most needed
in a united and harmonious opposition to the |
hosts Of the Northern sectional party. |
Such agitation is the very ltes blood Of that par
ty. Agitation is its daily food, and we ought to
think twice before we propose any measure which
must inevitably supply such food IN abundance.
While we should dispute every inch of consttu
tonal ground and 'cavil about the ninth part of |
hair in matter of legal right, we ought to hes-
tate before urging Il measure which, right or
wrong, promises little direct beneftto the owners
of slaves in Territories, but threatens disastrous
effects upon the union and harmony Of the only
party by which the Constitution can be upheld. |
The time is not ripe for such a movement 1t is
better for the advocates of conititutonal rights
to hold and confirm what they have already, than
to endanger its loss by prematurely attempting an
advance"