Year: 1859

Three Corncred COntest-Thc issues.
Itis now reduced to certainty that three
political parties will have candidates 10 the
field for State officers in the approaching con-
test The Republican State Committee have
called Convention Of their party, to meet in
Sacramento on the 9Th of June, and the con-
trolling members of the party are determined
to have full State ticket before the people.
There are many individual members of the Re-
publican party, who are disposed to give up
the doctrine of Congressional interference, to
prohibit slavery in the Territories, and the
most of these will doubtless vote the anti-Le-
compton Democratic ticket. But the majority
Of the party, and those who are likely to con-
troll its Convention, still adhere to the Phila-
delphia platform. As an evidence Of this. it is
merely necessary to refer to a resolution Of
their Central Committee adopted last week at
San Francisco, which invites to cooperation OF
"all citizens in favor Of preventing the extern
sion of slavery through squatter sovereignty"
&c. BY this 1t appears they are still deter
mined to invoke the aid of Congress to prohibit
the people Of the Territories from the exercise
Of their inherent right to regulate their own
affairs, at least so far Is the institution Of sla-
very is concerned.


The Lecompton Convention, on the other
hand, will be controlled by men who subscribe
to the equally obectional doctrine of forcing
slavery on the Territories. whether the people
would have it or not. AS this doctrine is so
directly In conflict with the platform Of the
Democratic party, and the principles ever ad-
vocated by prominent Democrats, the Lecomp-
ton Convention will probably take no position
upon the question, and their candidates will
undoubtedly avoid the issue before the people
But the Convention will take good care that
their nominees for Congress are men that can
be depended upon to vote for slave code for
the Territories, in case it is deemed advisable
to attempt to force such measure through the
National Legislature.


To the true Democrat the principles Of these
parties are equally Objectionable. If the peo-
pie of the Territories want slaves, they will pro-
tect the institutions; II they do not want tsem,
let them pass laws to prohibit their introduc-
tion among them. II 10 question which con-
Germs them only, and to them alone can 1t safe
~ be left to decide.


The anti-Lecompton Convention will, of
course, reiterate the well-establshed Demo-
cratic doctrine Of 'non-interferenoe by Con-
gres in the domestic affairs Of the Territories"
and assert the right of the people to manage
their own affairs in their own way subject on
ly TO the Constitution Of the United States. or
the three parties which will have their candi-
dates in the field the anti-Lecompton Demo-
Gratis will be the only one that will sustain the
Democratic doctrine that the people of the Ter
ritories are capable Of governing themselves
and shat 1t is neither necessary nor just for
Congress to interfere in their affairs. The Le-
eomptonites would invoke the aid of Congress
to protect slavery in the Territories; the Re-
publicans would have Congress prohibit it;
while the true Democracy would allow the peo-
pie to attend to their own business and regu-
late their own affairs