Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-02-14
OF GOV ERN OR S,
JUDGES, &c. BY THE PEOPLE.

ing Report Wnlcn aCCoi'P""ieu '"0 o''' ~
troduced by the committee on Territories
in the House of Representatives OF the
S. for the election of Governors, Judges,
and Military officers by the people OF the
Territories. The reasons assigned IN the
report why this elective prerogative should
! be conferred upon the people, are such as
must meet the approval OF every Trend to
Republican governments.
Mr. BLACK, of Georgia, from the Com.
mittee on Territories. submitted the fol-
ing REPORT:
The Committee on Territories, haring had
the subject under considerfaton, beg
ledre TO Report:
! That if il be true, as we hold II 10 bet
the people are capable Of government,
it would seem 10 be equally true that they
arc capable Of selecting those agents by
whom, for the convenience of the whole,
that government is to be administered
With this principle, and its deduction be-
! fore them, the committee on the Terrific
ries have no hesitation in recommending
to congress the passage of law authorlz-
ing the people of Florida, Iowa and Wis
| consn, TO elect the militia officers, the
Judges, and the governors Of their respec-
tive territories. The committee cannot
understand why Florida, with population
| Of 10000 or 10000 souls, Iowa, with
600, and Wirconsin, with 10000, are
not as much entitled to elect their execu-
tive, legislative, judicial, and military Off
GERS, as the state Of Delaware, with fed
eral population of 5000
Surely the bare formality Of an admis-
sion as States into the Union can add no
thing to the capability Of the people Of
these territories, either to govern them
selves or 10 elect the ipnclionaries Of their
local governments. TO be fully repre-
scented in both houses of congress, to par
ticipatc in the election of chief mags-
trate of the confederacy, and in the amend
ments Of the Federal Constitution, are the
only additional rights tina: an admission Of
them into the Union ought TO confer. Other
than these, the civil and political privileges
Of all the people, a. least so far as self
government is concerned, should be made
as equal as circumstances will permit. A
territory, as such, cannot be fully repre-
scented in congress, or engage IN the cleo
ton o! Il chief magistrate, or in amend
ments of the Federal Constitution, only
because these are conventional rights,
which appertain exclusively to the organ
lied and sovereign States, who have en-
tered into a compact, and dcputed this Co
yernment rs their general agent, 10 per-
form certain enumerated acts which ii
would be announcement for the States indi-
viduaIly to accomplish. BY the consttu-
ton, certain number OF representative is
required before a territory can be admitted
as a State into the Union, and then not
without the consent Of the states composing
that Union. When these pre- requisites are
satisfied, it has not only the right to be ad-
mlted, hut to come into the Union with all
the privileges and powers Of a constituent
Of the Federal Government.
The committee, however, cannot con-
sent that, in the mean time, a small deficit
Of population should operate 10 deprive the
people OF a territory of The inestimabIe
right Of suflragc-a franchise which dis
tinguishes the citizen from the subject, and
has ever been regarded by republicans as
essential to free government.
Nevertheless, we do not intend by this
recommendation 10 strip the United States
OF their property 10 the soil OF the terrific
res, nor to deny the Jurisdiction of the
Federal Government over them. In this
regard, as trustees Of the States, we will
always maintain our just constitutional do
minon; but, while we reserve this ulti-
mate control, the committee are anxious
TO illustrate, by some practical demonstra-
ton, those great principles upon which our
institutions are founded. that the people
are, and ought 10 b e, the fountain Of all
our political power, and are not,only capa-
bic of governing themselves, but Of select
ing those TO whom they may be willing 10
entrust the power OF administering their
laws. 1t is true That the Federal Govern
ment owns the soil of the territories, and
may dispose Of it without any restrictions,
save those imposed by the Constitution. or
specified in the deeds of cession; bnt it has
no property in the people who nhabit them
They differ from the citizens Of the states
only in their Federal relations. To the
right Of governing themselves by officers
OF their own selection, they are as much |
c ntitled, in the opinion Of your committee
as the people of Ohio, Tennessee, New |
York, or any other state Of the Union.
This, then, is not a proposition to rem
der Florida, Iowa, and Wisconsin, indie
pendent Of the Federal Government, but
simply TO change the appointing power
to take it from the hands of the Executive,
and give it to the people. BY the one, it
may be abused; by the other. according
TO the the theory at least Of our Govern
mcnt, it never can. While this Union con-
tnues 10 be best with a wise, virtuous, and
patriotic chief magistrate, VIC may have
no reason 10 fear that the power Of appoint
ment to Office will be exercised for any
other than the public good; but popular
wisdom, tho of .r,,.h