Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-04-24

Deen eStaDi1Sneu Dy CONGRESS- anu IL ioohtu only
to such governments to be thereafter established
by the same authority over future acquisitions
should any such be confirmed to us by a treaty of
peace. AS to the condition of things in California
which followed in consequence of the failure of
Congress to provide governments for the Mexican
cessons, no one foresaw; certainly no one en-
deayored to provide against it. My Ntter there
fore did not touch that point at all. But the diff
Guilty came, and large body of American citi
zens upon the shores of the Pacific found them
selves without government, and exposed to all the
fearful evils which such state of things necessa-
rily brings with it. Life, property, all the objects
indeed of the social system, were at hazard, with
out some prompt and efficient action. That ac-
ton We refused to take and the people had no
other reliance but upon their own wisdom and en-
ergy. The result was honorable to themselves
to their country, and to human nature. 1t was
the most trying experiment, perhaps, ever made
upon the capacity of man for self-government, but
they passed through the frery furnance unscratch-
ed, untouched, indeed by the devouring element
They established government, and am not 60
ing to argue with any man who denies their right
to have done l assume it a self-evident
proposition in this middle of the nineteenth cen
fury.
1t was not as it has been called, an act of rev.
oluton for how can there be a revolution when
there has been no pre-existing government? 1t
was an act of political organization, essential to
the very existence of society. Well, sir, if they
had to establish government, what kind of one
must it have been? Some say territorial? But
sir, that impossible for that kind of govern
ment pre-supposes certain relations with the Uni
ted States which Congress alone define and
regulate. 1t was impossible for self-constituted
government to put itself in that position with its
laws and officers controlled by federal authority,
without the action of that authority Nothing
else was left to the people but to do as they did
to lay the foundation of their government,
and then come to Congress with their work.
Conceding. then, that they had the right to pro-
vide for their indispensable political wants by this
course, what limitation was there upon the exer-
else OF their powers in framing their government?
Why, sir, if they could do anything, they could
do everything not in conflict with the Constitution
of the United States. And this brings me back
to the original question, whether the constitution
does expressly, or by necessary implication, pro-
hibit the exercise of this contested power or
whether 1t grants any rights which render its &C
ton incompatible with their superior obligation
| have already said | can find for myself no such
provision IN that instrument. 1t will be recoect-
ed that the whole basis of my argument, whether
right or wrong, was founded on the indefeasible
right of every distinct political community to reg
ulate its own government, when not rightfully
controlled by some superior authority The only
superior authority which in this country could
limit this right must be derived from the constitu-
ton of the United States and therefore every po-
ltlcal power not thus limited belongs to the people
of the territories That was and is nv view.
AS to the term "squatter sovereignty, I" OF
landlord sovereignty and the reproach It is inten-
ded to carry with it, they become neither our age
nor country Men are entitled to government
even if they are landless and human life and hui
man happiness are worth protection, notwithstand-
ing a remote authority may be the great landlord
holding vast domains in State of nature, which
1T neither grants nor governs. Many of the doc
trines upon this subject carry us back to the mid
die ages, when land everything and man
nothing. We have arrived at period when bet
ter views prevail, when human nature asserts its
rights, and the exercise of political power does moi
depend upon the accident of property, but upon
the great principles of freedom and Just equality
One of two things is inevitable; either the peo
pie of California had the right to establish gov
eminent for themselves, without reference tc
''squatter sovereignty or landlord sovereignty,
or they were necessarily condemned to live with
out government, or rather to die without one
for human life, under such circumstances, would
be far more precarous than in the bloodiest battle
on record. They chose to do what we refused
TO found political system, affording protection to
the great objects of human society and l know
nothing of the character of my countrymen, North
OF South, II, on calm reflection, they do approve
the proceeding. Nor do believe there is one OF
them, no matter where, who, had he been in Cal
ifornia in such perilous crisis, would have hest
tated to substitute established law for lawess yio-
lence and physical strength
| observe, what had not struck me before, that
in an extract from his speech, which Col Davis
refers to, he says that spoke of the fanaticism of
the South Sir, that is deduction from my re-
marks, and one which, think, their tenor does
not justify. made no such charge. l did, in
deed, complain of too prevalent indisposition
among our southern brethren to make Just allow
ance for the position and natural opinions of north
ern men. 1t was not enough that they should re-
cegnize and defend the constitutional rights of the
south as zealously and honestly, and, may add,
under circumstances of good deal of personal
difficulty, those of their own section of country
but they were almost denounced as abolitionists-
as northern fanatics, said, in some quarters-un-
less they avowed and believed that slavery was the
best condition of human society. This is the sub
stance of my remarks upon that topic, and / know
that this sentiment of regret participated in by
some of the most steadfast friends of the South up
on this floor; and certainly those remarks were
made, not in spirit of hostility but with feelings
of pain that little confidence was placed in exer
tons rightfully and honestly made
-
Can the Wings Elect President.
We should answer this question at once in the
negative. But opinion would be likely to
have hut little xpairbt NTH o,,r yub;r.