The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-04-12
Sonatfer Sovereignty.

and Kansas, much discussion has been had in /
Congress and By the public press, relative to the
principle ofsquatter sovereignty, which the pro-
visions Of the bills confer upon the inhabitants
residing therein. IL is contended by some, that
the privileges conferred upon the people Of the
territories above mentioned, allowing them to
determine By their own legislatian whether or
not the institution of domestic slavery shall be
tolerated there, is firmly established principle
Of the constitution and is intended to apply to
all territories which may hereafter be organiaed1
It was In this belief that Mr.. Cass, imlnedi.
ately after the passage of the bills feicitated the
Senate upon the triumph Of this doctrine, and
expressed himself highly gratifed that the Sen
ate had at last consented to relinquish the exer-
else Of doubtful power over the territories in
prescribing their forms Of government.
This doctrine of the rights of men to govern
themselves was promulgated by Gen. Cass in
his celebrated Nicholson Letter, and has often
been reiterated By him since. bat the full and
Iable discussions which have lately been had
shows, conclusively, at least in our opinion, that
the authority granted to The inhabitants of Ne
bTaska and Kanzas to regulate their own Inter
nal concerns, is merely conceded to them. in
consideration Of their natiouality.-not that
| tIiey had sight slsrlaund X, bst be~aus0 Il
was reasonable, and just and proper, and fair,
under the circumstances 10 allow il.
Congress possessed nndoubted power to legis-
late for territories, and to govern them until
theo become States, after which in the inherent
fright Of the people to regulrte their own internal
faiEAirs for themselves.
/ Ina late speech in the Senate, Mr.. Badger oft
cred perhaps the ablesi argument on this ques
/ ton when he said: 81 have no more doubt
s myself about the entire authority of Congress
to control the Territories than ! have about the
power Of Congress to pass en- appropriation
mot bit; and yet concurred in that BILL
Why's Although admit our undouhted au-
thority-although admit we have right to es-
!, tablish for them any sort of government we
please, aud TO do as we did in the earlier history
Of the country-to do as We did with the Terri
l sto4y Of 0rleans-establish government com
: Eposed afa governor. appointed By the Presiden
lad thirteen free-holders selected as Legislative
body by the President-although we have tht
lpower to do upon the subject as we please--wt
lare boundto regulate ourselves in The exercise
Of that power By considerations Of justice anc
reason. and prudence, and kindness and there
fore we should vary our legislation according tc
the varying circumstances Of the territory and
; the various purposes to which it is intended &c
lappls II. For instance: if the government oi
1.-The United States should acquire in the Mediter
ranean some small island, as being important tc
: US for the protection of our cammerce, import
ant as place on which to locate a navy yard
and have naval depot and station, without be.
ing dependent, as now, upon the favor of for
eign powers for such an establishment, certain
ly would not be for holding either that the in.
lhabitants Of that island had, or that it right
to grant TO them, the power of self-government
but that, on the contrary, considering the use
; for which we intended the island, it would be
the most unwise thing IN the world, TO permit
Them to exercise any such power. The proba.
bility is that We ought, and that we would, un.
der such circumstances, establish a military
government over them, because the acquisition
was intended for military purposes. But wher
we are establishing government over Terrific
ries which are ultimately to be introduced into
the Union os States--when we are establishing
nurseries of ireemen who are hereafter to b
leQudiIy iulSISSt6N III all lkl6 UcuC
fits and advantages Of this governmental
course we vary our legislation to suit the exist
, ing circumstances. We grant to them ell th,
rights of self government which we can, con
sIstently with The supremacy of the chief o
principal government-the government of th,
United States. We retain certain safeguards -
We have, in this bill. provided for an officer, Il
be appointed by the President, who is to exercis
limited veto over the decisions of the represen
: tatives of the inhabitants; and we had in tn,
S bill provision that their provision that thei
J laws should be sent here to US. had no seriou
; objection to this last being stricken out, be
cause, according to my judgment, it does no
F, make the smallest difference in the actual rela
tons which the Territories bear to US. Our au
!. thority over them is. and continues to he, ant
until they are erected into States cannot cease
y be, full and plenary. We may. year after thi
bill is passed, if it shall pass, retract the Who'll,
D government. We may, after they have passed
all their laws, repeal them at blow. The gov
eminent exists by an exercise Of our will, anc
with such powers as we please to confer; anC
we may retract them at pleasure, in whole or il
part.
] = The Secretary; or, Citcumstantial Evi
. dence."
/