Lot 235
"Popular Sovereignty in the Territories: The Dividing Line Between Federal and Local Authority" is a highly influential political essay written by U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas and published in September 1859 in Harper's Magazine. The essay served as Douglass definitive philosophical defense of popular sovereigntythe doctrine that the settlers of a federal territory, rather than the U.S. Congress, should possess the sole authority to determine their own local institutions, specifically regarding the legalization or prohibition of slavery. Written just a year after his famous 1858 debates with Abraham Lincoln and right on the eve of the pivotal 1860 Presidential Election, Douglas used this essay to accomplish two major political goals. Reconcile Popular Sovereignty with the Dred Scott Decision: The Supreme Courts 1857 ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford held that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories. Douglas attempted to thread a needle, arguing that while slave owners might have a theoretical right to bring property into territories, local territorial legislatures could still effectively ban slavery simply by refusing to pass police regulations protecting it (a concept known as the Freeport Doctrine). Unify a Fracturing Democratic Party: Southern Democrats wanted explicit federal protection for slavery in all territories, while Northern Democrats favored popular sovereignty. Douglas presented this "dividing line" as the ultimate compromise to prevent a national rupture. The Imperial Analogy: Douglas grounded his argument in the history of the American Revolution. He claimed that the American colonists rebelled against Great Britain because the British Parliament insisted on regulating their internal domestic affairs (like local taxation and governance). He argued that if the federal government tells a territory whether it can have slavery, it behaves exactly like the tyrannical British Empire. Ultimately, Douglas's essay failed to bridge the widening sectional divide. Rather than satisfying both sides, it deeply angered Southern Democrats, who viewed his ideas as an underhanded attempt to keep slavery out of the West. This ideological rift caused the Democratic Party to completely shatter during the 1860 convention, paving the way for Abraham Lincoln's election and the subsequent outbreak of the American Civil War. Please ask specific questions on details, condition, and shipping prior to bidding, ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS IS, and the bidder will be responsible for payment. We box and ship what we can to keep costs low, and use USPS and UPS. Large items, extremely fragile, and high value items will be packed by UPS. Quotes available on request
- Dimensions: 6" x 9.25"
- Condition: Very Good Condition
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $49 | $5 |
| $50 | $99 | $5 |
| $100 | $199 | $10 |
| $200 | $499 | $25 |
| $500 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $2,999 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $9,999 | $250 |
| $10,000 + | $500 |