The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-04
The New Pandora's Box.

The doctrine OF squatter-soverelgnty as
recently expounded and practically enfor-
ced in California, and the precedent thus
afforded, seem destined to be the fruit
full fountains of troubles and dangers as nu-
merous as those contained in the box Of
Pandora, without even the cheering appari-
ton of hope at the bottom In this age and
country of ours, the event of to-day be-
comes the precedent of tomorrow with
rapidity that confounds all calculations based
on previously existing order of things,
and the auguries to be drawn from the latest
developments are most inauspicious for the
permanent establishment of peace and har-
mony, or the exercise of even-handed JUS
tice. The fatal celebrity with which a
new precedent is followed, and any exer-
else of what is deemed the popular ,ciH
attains the authority of binding law, Cat
least in the opinio, of certain polticians,) is
exempli6ed in the late action Of "THE Poo
PIE " of New Mexico.
Full of warning as the whole course pur-
sued in California had been, and pregnant
as it was with important results, it was
scarcely to be imagined that repetition
Of that novel experiment would be tried
on new field before the frs: plot had been
fully consummated, and one gross violation
of the Constitution, and bold assumption of
undelegated powers unsanctioned by Con-
gress or the country, be trumphantly para
ded as precedent to justify second act Of
kindred character, if possible, more Augran Mt
than the first.
Yet such is the case with regard to the
attempt to manufacture State, by this short
and easy process Of proclamation, out oil
New Mexico; and intelligent editors, (aye,
and Senators, are found hotlyadvocating the
instantaneous recognition of the new State,
and gravely contending that New Mexico
has the same undoubted right to come into
the bonds of union as her young sister, Cal
ifornia, who, in Mr. Clay's expressive
words: " cocks up her nose and refuses to
associate with those girls" New Mexico
and Utah. This second triumph of the Ca
ifornia proviso has put its friends and sup
porters in high gee. 1t satisfies them that
it is the genuine Old Jacob Townsend after
all, extracting all the valuable properties
of the root by secret process" instead Of
being "sour fermenting compound" like
the young Doctor's-the original Wlmot.
"We, the people" of New Mexico, that is
a Colonel of the United States army, a
Quartermaster, and few individuals in
Santa Fe, have cut the gordian knot which
so many busy fingers here have been fumb-
ling at: and in close imitation of the Cali
fornia precedent, slipped their necks into the
halter of the Free-Soilers, and present their
State for immediate admission, on grounds
as good as those on which California bases
her application.
1t was we'll said by Mr.. Butler in the
Senate the other day, that there was no
difference in the principle regulating the
mode and manner OF application; that both
of these pretended popular movements for
the establishment of State governments were
utterly null and void, equally gross and pal
pable infringements of the Constitution and
the rights of the South.
And yet, gentlemen high in position and
in the public confidence can get up in the
Senate, and gravely advocate the one out
rage, while in the same breath they repu-
date and denounce the other--see clearly
through the fimsy veil of sovereignty claimed
in the one case; while with the other it is
made cloak capacious enough to cover any
multitude of sins
Statesmen cannot be expected always to
be consistent; for to insist upon that, would be
claiming more from the infirmities of human
nature, and the fallibility Of human judg-
ment, than could be asked; but they should
at least be consistent in applying the same
rule to cases identically the same, at the same
moment of time. Applying this rule, we
cannot see why those who eagerly embrace
California, with all her notorious irregularity
Of conduct, should turn the cold shoulder on
her sister, who has followed in her footsteps,
sues more humbly, and has waited more pa
tiently, for the small boon of two senators
and representative, as well as all the privi-
leges pertaining to a State.
What constitutes the difference between