Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-06-24

two kinds OF citizens spoken Of citizens Of The and chi
zeus Of the United States The citizenship az the former ht
and mmunes Of czens OF the several States The citizen
ship Of the latter by express authority given In the con
tuition conferred by laws made by Congress IN behalf Of al
the States and they called citizens Of the United States
The word citizen Of Territory Is not known ia the constu
ton and If there Is such person, who Is neither the citizen
Of State nor Of the United States, he be party
controversies in the Of the United States These
can take cognzance only Of between citizens
OF different States between citizens OF the State claiming
lands under grants of different States and between state
the citizens thereof and foreign States citizens, subjects
BY treaty stpuatons the citizens OF foreign obtain the
benefit Of this clause whilst by express amendment OF the
constitution, State be sued In all the other
enumerated citizen Of State must be party but ii there
are no citizens Of the States in Territories but all the in
habants citizens Of the Territory, a sovereignty
any arise which the Of the United
have Jurisdiction The OF the United States
ey stripped Of their power, If this doctrine Of territorial
sovereignty be true There redress, from that source,
against territorial legislation The fact however, that
such person citizen Of Territory Is mentioned in the
constitutions pretty good proof that in constitutional lam
guage such person exists, whilst citizens of the States
and citizens of the United States being alone recognised in
the constitution, affords strong continuation Of tie argument
have presented that only such citizens exist IN Territories.
Mr. McLAsE nterposed and said that one coniended
that the Territories possessed entire absolute sovereignty
they had limited qualified sovereignty, by which they
may legae this subject Of slavery, they thought fit
Limited qualified sovereignty My friend and differ,
cord ng to my conception Of the meaning of terms limited
qualified sovereignty is mpossibility by
eighty what all writers the laws of nations meanthe
preme ultimate authority in State In every State this
thory somewhere for in every State there must
be supreme power which command obedience and which
resist 1t is from this source the fundamental
law constitution Of country must originate. Coequaiy
such matter is absurdy fr two authorities IN State
be supreme Limitation qualification must equally
of the question sovereignty II limited another
limits and controls it. and therefore is not supreme is
not sovereign soveegn, must be above aimitation
quaicatonthe great Of oil power in Government IL
SELF To eucidae the position take the of Terrific
es they be supreme and subordinate, sovereign and
subject at the time. If they sovereign then they
supreme within their limits they receive reject the laws
of Congress pass any other laws they deem expedent and
all within their limits bound to obey their sovereign will
treason resist it, If the contrary, they subord
Congress- then they soveregn they sub
ec and have authority to pass laws but such the
sovereignty them shall bestow. maintain that the Ter
toe subordinate subject to the great soyeregntes
in hi Unionthe States the people of the States, where
Alone under system of free Government sovereignty
sides The position therefore, that there limited quail
fed sovereignty in Territories appears to quite untena
ble They either wholly sovereign wholly subject
But sir to return to my argument II may be said that
there Is danger whatever that the Territories will pact
cay exercise the power OF excluding the Southern States
clear that if any portion of Western domain TO belong
the South be when they Territories. If exclu
ded when Territories will Of be excluded when
States Is there danger under this doctrine OF territorial
sovereignty that we will be excluded If not what the
meaning Of the agitation Of this question by gentlemen of the
North They tell that their citizens will not coonze
settle territory where slaves may be introduced II is lues
lion, they say, whether they shall have the territory
VIII they not, then, if they have the power most speedily
exclude Is from any territory they choose to occupy Look
the condition Of Oregon California. There may be
few slaves bodyservants to their masters within these Ter
ores, bot OF the population from the free States
II taught that they have the right will they not through their
Legislatures, exercise the power Of excluding US Let
acquire territory further South, whether filled with
Northern people Mexcans-will not the thing take
place The doctrine, if true, fear prevents the Southern
forever from extending and shuts them from any
territory have may hereafter acquire On the first
organization of Territory handful Of men, consisting of
Mexicans from whom have il, Of foreign adventu
~ fugityes from JUSTICE spectators, and squates meet
together and, under the sanction OF laws make for them,
gravey determine whether the citizens of the United States
and II any, which Of them shall be allowed the terri
tory s'belongng the United States. Sir they will deter
mine the question according their Understanding
their eengs and if this doctrine Of territorial sovereignty is
acted another Southern State may be added The
Union The Wmot proviso IA Congress is harmless COM
pared with this doctrine In Congress meet this ques
ton whenever agtated and here high debate indicate
the rights OF the people represent We have intelligent
men, statesmen, TO appeal to- and should fail in this
House. there stands the Senate where the Southern States
not yet poweress. And should fail in the Senate the
constitution nerposes yet another barrier in the Executive
veto. The value Of these high guarantees of the constitution
IN protecting rights proved by the fact that the povso
lOng'tss passed III Will
Congress- and may be- because is bafed in Congress-
that seek to enforce it by territorial legislation Beyond
all question, If TO be excluded from Territories il is
far less offensive 10 State pride and far less degrading
the South to be excluded from them by the Representatives
OF the States and OF the people Of the whole Union here
sembed, than by the settlers of Territories, Terri
tories must always be first populated If TO submit TO
ineroyfwe TO surrender the coequaliy of the States
IN our territory let US bow to those with whose tmehonod
sovereignty have long acted in the organ zaon and
duct Of this Government But elected from rights
by dependency-a weak, temporary dependency
which protect whilst excluded and support whilst
we scornedhis Is rather hard bear. Yet, with
without constitutional authority, it Is intended that shah
bear IT, Those who advocate this doctrine and talk Of redress
through the judiciary Of Territory, know that whe-
ther the doctrine FALSE will be sufficient for our
exclusion they only get the people Of Territories
act upon IT, They the authorities Of Territory against
the planter, they excite the people place themselves in
hostility against him. Will he the Territory
ter lawsuits contention, and violence He may win the
law but lose his propertyssse bis rights and be ruined.
S, ths doctrine will convey contention and bood amongst
the settlers Of Territory whore hitherto peace has prevail
ed. will do this, II M sophistres in the public mind
and will exclude the Southern people from Territories.
IL will be unus, in It's operation il Is false in principle
The whole error IN the position that Territories
sovereign results from the idea that sovereignty in
nifty necessary liz happiness and liberty There
cumsances under which people neither desire ought
rule themselves Take the people Of this District quite as
numerous Territories which have been admitted States
into the Union they ought rule themselves, from re-
gard 10 the welfare and interest Of the great Commonwealth
Of which they part. Yet, are they slaves Do they
not enjoy that protection to person and property Is The great