The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-29
Non-Intervention.

....s Non-Intervention.
The doctrine of non-intervention has been
made the most elastic and comprehensive
platform that tickle aud feeble politicians
ever stood on, or fell from. 1t has assumed
so many questionable shapes, and so many
additions, repairs, and alterations, that the
original structure is almos. obliterated.
Let US review its progress.
Mr.. Calhoun, the author Of the doctrine,
held that people have the right to choose
their own institutions-th in our syste,
the inhabitants of territory did not possess
the sovereign right Establishing institutions
until authorized by Congress to form State
constitution for admission into the Union,
and that the question Of boundary, in such
cases belonged to the jurisdiction Of Con-
gress. ~# ......a.l
General Cass next took up the subject,
and held, in his Nicholson letter, that the peo-
pie of Territory have the right of choosing
their institutions. But doubts having arisen
as to whether they had this right from the
beginning, or only when about to become
State by consent of Congress, General
Cass expounded that thu right belonged in
herently to the people Of, the Territory, no
matter how few in number, nor how alien
in character, and did not at any time depend
on the assent Of Congress.
The third school Of on-interventionists,
which comprehends large number ofrecent
Wilmot Provisoists, hold that the people of
Territory have the right not only to form their
own institutions, whenever they please, but
to extend them over as much United States
territory as they please.
The climax of non-intervention has, how
ever, been achieved by the fourth and last
school of non-interventionists. They sup
port Mr.. Clay's CON promise bill on the prn-
ciple of non-intervention. They propose to
buy the claims of Texas to large terri
tory-pay the price out Of the United
States Treasury and transfer the juris-
diction to New Mexico. They do all this
by the act of Congress, but on the principle
of non-intervcntioh. They ratify the Cali
fornia claim of beundary-ratify it by act'o!
Congress, on the principle of non-interven-
ton. They abolish the slave trad in tle
District of Columbia on the principle of nom
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, making the most
elaborate effort of Congress to abstain from
interference in the several questions involved,
that any party has yet made.
Talk with the advocates Of any of these
plans of non-ntervention, and all clAim the
authority of Mr.. c; lhoun-make objections
to any part Of the respective schemes-the
objections are admitted, but the blame is
laid on Mr. Calhoun, who would have it So.
But if some sceptical and obstinate friend Of
Mr.. Calhoun repudiates these imputations
nhis memory, the latest edition Of non-inter-
ventionists will tell you-well, they are COM
mitted on the subject, have been elected on
sach platform, and must GO for it, even if
the effect would be a burlesque on all pre-
fences of justice and constitute onal right.
Even the Executive is for non-interven-
ton, and insists that the proclamatio;.s Of
military and civil governors to the people of
new Territories, to form States and const-
tutions, prescribing how it rs to be done,
fixing the time, and even apportioning the
sentation-insists, that this, too, is all
non-interventon.
But there is, nevertheless, larger party,
perhaps, than any Of the others, who insist
that Congress shall fix the boundary Of
Calilornia-that it shall provide Territorial
Governments for South California, Utah, and
New Mexico, without restricting the peo-
pie now there, or who may hereafter go
thther, to any class of institutions, either
by the Wimot Proviso, the Mexican Pro
viso, or the California Proviso, but prohibit
ing the Intervention Of any of these Pro-
visos with any right Of property recognised
by any of the States.