Year: 1859

Congressional Interference.


The organ of the Bogusites denies that it


ever intimated that it would, under any cir


cumstances, be in favor of a slave code for
the Territories, and challenges us to the
proof that it ever made such an intimaton
! What the deuce does it believe in then? If
It is neither for Douglass doctrine of non
Intervention, nor for the Lecompton doctrine
of Intervention, what is it in favor of ? The fact
is the Express is afraid to say what it does
believe in. after the election, it will have
no hesitancy, but just now it desires to be
excused


But, we said the Express intimated that it
'coHd be in favor of a slave code for the Ter.
ritories should it ever become necessary, and
we think we can prove that it used language
which legitimately bears that construction
Like r. Beverly Cole, it may say it did not
mean what it said, but here are the words
that it used:


Stephen A. Douglas to the contrary notwitb-
standing we hold that any citizen of the United
states has n natural constitutional and ndefeasi-
ble right to 60 into any of the common Territory
with his property, no matter what species of pro-
perty It may be, and there peaceably and lawful
ly hold it, and enjoy full protection in holding il
whether the Legislative Council of the Territory
does or does not recognize it as property, or
whether 1t does or does not pass Territorial en-
actments FIR It's protection


We beg leave to say, here, that Stephen A.
Douglas does not deny that slave-owners
have a right to take their slave property into
the Territories, but he says that the owner
ship is in effect nullity without special en-.
actments for its protection either by the Ter
rtorial Legislature or by Congress, and he is
opposed to any cnactments by Congress. be.
cause he is in favor of the principle of non.
Intervention as laid down in the Kansas Ne
braska bill.


The Express goes on to say;


Should it ever become necessary-of which
there is no reasonable pr0babty-tO have spe-
clal laws for the protection Of any species of pro-
perty whether slave other, in the Territories,
IL 'roulI be entirety competent for Congress to
D9ss such ka1rS without in the slightest degree
infringing on the right of the people "to frame
their Institutions in their own way, and without
in the remoest manner tending to legislate slave
ry into or out of such Territory.


This we consider pretty strong intma-
tion in favor of a slave code for the Terrific
ries and direct cut at the principle of the
Kansas-Nebraska bill, which distinctly guar
antees to the people that Congress shall not
in any manner interfere with the question Of
slavery in their midst.


Further on the Express says:


The greater power involves the smaller; and
if therei is no constitutional power in Congress to
pass Il special law to enforce protection to every
species of lawful property in the Territories |
slould tie necessity ecer arise for such hao. il |
follows necessarily that the Fugitive Slave Act is
unconstitutional aud of no binding force in the !
States, although the Supreme Court has decided |
it to be constitutional.


The intimation seems very clear in this
passage that Congress ought to pass q special
law to enforce slavery in the Territories,
should a necessity ever arise, as much so as
it ought to have passed, when it did, the
Fugitive Slave Law


The Express seems to think there is no ne
cessity for a slave code now. Well, jeff
Davis and other leaders of the Lecompton
party think differently They think that
slave code ought to be passed nor, and they
intend to demand such a code at the hands
Of Congress. jeff Davis, and the other Le-
compton leaders, (of course including Ham I
nond who sneeringly calls the working men +
'mud-sills, y are not governed in the expires q
sion of their views by any consideration of
the municipal election in Marysville, as the
Express is, and they have no hesitation in
avowing their sentiments.