Summary

The Democratic editor reprinted this article from the Vernon Times in Louisiana. Democrats argued that slavery was protected in the territories by the Dred Scott decision and that the final arbiter of constitutional issues regarding slavery was the court. Agitation for a federal slave code, the editor suggested, only exacerbates the situation by conceding the judiciary's decisions.

EXCERPT:

"The advocates for a slave code in the Territories deny, we believe that the question of protection of slavery is a judicial question, and they will not consent to leave the matter to be decided by the Courts."

Full-text web version of newspaper

"Augusta's Democratic Party emphasized that slavery was the country's economic engine of success, protected in the territories by the Dred Scott decision, and they defended Stephen Douglas to the end as the best candidate to defeat Lincoln."