The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-01-29
The Aryu,,,,, and Tire Au,wer.

Speaking of Mr.. ass's letter, and his view Of
sovereignty, the Chrleston Mercury remarks
:" He has no justonception of sovereignty,
OF government, or national law, who does not
know that territor has not the right of self
government, aud 10 not a sovereignty. IL has
only such rights n are confirmed by the gov
eminent to whioh belongs. The inhabitants
OF territory are in Ihe condition Of conquered
people--are no. citizens of the United States,
and can becous such only by the admission Of
territory into the Union rs q State. Neither
the constitution nor laws of the United States
apply to territry, until they are extended to IL
by act Of Congnss.
THE territories are the common property Of
the States of In, Union In their character Of
Confederate Statss--the reward of their common
valor, or the acquisition Of their common treas
are. Congress as the trustee Of all tho States,
has jurisdiction over it for the common benefit
Of them all, and IL isconceded cannot perpetrats
the injustice aid wrong Of excluding from them
the citizens or property Of any one Of the joint
owners. Yet zen. Cess asserts for the inhabi-
tants Of territory, consisting of Indians, Ne
groes, and Spmiards Of mixed blood, power
which he deniis 10 all the States, through their
common trusle, Congress, TO exclude fourteen
States Of this confederacy from participating in
the advantages and benefits Of such territory,
even with its own motley and mongrel inhabi-
tants.
"Monstrous ar 10 this proposition, there 10
reason to fear that u has been adopted, ineon-
siderstely 1t is hoped,by number Of southern
members Of Congress The South should look
with sleepess vigilance to its rights, and see that
they are not sacrificed TO party and to President
making"
A leading Democratic Journal Abe New York
Post, takes the General TO task, and says the
views of tho Mercury might have been strength
ened by considering the consequences to which
Senator Cass's doctrine would lead. Thus:
The view which the Charleston print takes OF
the sovereignty Of the United States over the
territory it may acquire. might have been
Strengthened by considering the consequences
to which General Ciss's doctrine would lead
Suppose that body of emigrants from the con-
tineIt Of Europe should arrive in that territory
suppose that, by anI chance, they should form
a majority, and should be persuaded TO establish
orders Of nobility, aud religious hierarchy un-
der the patronage Of their government. They
would have full power TO do this II, as General
Cass CONTENDS the sovereignty Of Congress only
extends TO question: which regard the rights Of
things, and has no power over the rights Of per-
sons or tho relations which persons bear to each
other. This, however, is a consequence too alb
surd to be admitted, and Is enough to show that
If the federal government has a right TO acquire
to possess, and 10 dispose Of territories not or.
ganized into States, ithas also the power to leg.
sfate for them.
Well put, this! Isit not conclusive We
should like, certainly, To hear It answered by ell
Their side. We think The General will have to
surrender ct discretion.