Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-01-25
PLAQUENIINE:
SATURDA JANUARY 25, 1851.
Letter to Gov. Quitman mo. 2
IBERv1LLE, La, Dec. 18th, 1850.

IBERvlLLE, La, Dec. 18th, 1850.
Dear Sir: In my letter of the Both ult,
promised to notice that portion of your mes
sage, which relates to the admission of Cali.
fornia, and which you assert is a most fragrant
violation of the principles of justice and equal.
ty, and breach of the constitutional compact
between the States. | understand the word
'.9agrant' in the sense you here use it, to be
''notorious-prominently standig out-so that
the mass of the American people cannot fail
to see the unconstitutionality of the act" Now
is this so! Does not the assembled wisdom OF
the country, rs we'll as the history of large
number of the States positively contradict your
assertion! But, sir, if it was so glaring a
breach as you assert it to be, why did you not
point your constituents to the violated clause,
instead of attempting to esconce yourself be-
hind a subdolous argument, to prove that the
people of territory are not sovereign, and
which if proved would not sustain your asser-
ton tsthat the admission of California is uncon-
stitutional and void" Now my democracy
teaches that the sovereignty is in the people, I
care not where they reside, and though this
may not be Soule or Quitman democracy, it
certainly is the old fashioned Jeffersonian
American democracy.
| The inhabitants of a territory, posses natu-
rally all the attributes of sovereignty belong
| ing to States, but politically they have been,
| as have also the people of the District of Co.
lumbia, restricted in their rights by the con-
stitution. These restrictions were placed on
the inhabitants of the territories and District
| by States, which were before the confedera-
| ton fully sovereign, and which also found it
| necessary for the benefit Of all, to make mutu-
| al sacrifices Of interests and opinions, and to
divest themselves of many of the attributes
known to sovereign power. No State can
enter into any treaty alliance or confederation,
coin money, emit bills of credit, keep troops
or ships Of war in time Of peace, enter into an
| agreement or compact ,cith another State, or
| with foreign power,-and yet we all admit
that the sovereignty is in the people, for they
can form or annul whatever political system
they may think proper; indeed, it is in conse-
quence Of the sovereignty Of the inhabitants of
territory, that Congress is prevented from le-
gislating on the subject of slavery, or Of other
property in the territories.
The inhabitants Of California, when she APP
piled to Congress to admit her territory as
State, did not receive their constitution from
the States or Congress-the Nashville Conven-
ton, or Committee of Safety. No. They
presented constitution Of their own forma-
ton and who but sovereign people can
choose their own form of government? She
demanded admission into the Union upon an
equal footing with the original States-under
the same clause of the constitution BY which
Mississippi and Louisiana were admitted. She
was admitted, and declared to be entitled to-,
and to possess, all the rights and privileges
that belong to any State in the Union. But
you say TINT the act of admission was uncon-
stitutional and void. Now that most earnest
ly desired to see all the territory south of 36
deg. 80 min formed into slave States, is well
authenticated, -but assert upon the authority
of men, whose age and experience. patriotism,
sound Judgment and attachment to southern
interests, would not suffer-eyen if placed in
justa-position with yonr own, that the admission
of California is clearly q constitutional act.
Now sir, to what tribunal is ...his momentous
question to be referred for decision! You
admit tho question is not cognizable by the
judicial department Of the Government, and
that the legislative and executive departments
have decided against you.
Seeing then that the constitution knows no
other department in the government of the
United States, it is evident that your only con-
stitutona and prudent course is to adoptyour
admonition, and to those high powers repre-
senting the majority of the people, and consti-
tuting the proper opponents of their delib-
crate will, all public authorities, and all good
citizens should yield cheerful and prompt obe-
dience, and of you who so CALAMITY defended
your country's honor, can but believe, that
YOU will as true-hearted American yield to
the will of majority of your countrymen.
Your visionary theory respecting the power
ola State to make void the act admitting Cal
ifornia, will be repudiated by your own con-
stituents. They will see that it saps the very
foundation of constitutional liberty, annihi-
lates the great American principles upon which
all questions must be determined, and places
the minority in the ascendency, sgiving it the
political rule and government over the MAORI. |
ty. They will see that it gives to State
over the constitution and laws of
the United States, incompatible with true lib
erty and the existence of the Union. Nor do
you insist upon terms that will admit of pacific |
action, for you require of the non-slayeholding
States to compel California to relinquish ali !
the territory south Of 36 deg 80 min, and to !
consent to such amendments Of the federal |
as shall hereafter amply secure |