Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-30
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY.

The party which has lately been using this as
rayng cry afraid to follow il out to it's legitimate re
suits II shrinks from its application to Utah. although
apparently anxious to give it force in Kansas and Ne
braska. But why? II it is . sound principle, II tn,
people Of the Territories have right to decide what in
situations they will tolerate enjoy among themselves
why may they not do it as well In Utah as in any
other Terrtory We cannot Correct principles are
universal legitimate rights are the same every where
and If the people Of Kansas have right to admit
clude slavery the ground Of popular sovereignty,
cannot divine why the citizens Of Utah have not as
well the right to admit exclude polygamy. The
Constitution excludes polygamy than slavery
and faithful adherence to principle if it Be principle
will compel the Democracy ito extend the latitude
to spiritual wifesm to negro slavery Yet it will
not. The organs Of the party already begin to back
down. The Pennsylvania hesitates. Hear it.:
"How far the doctrine which has been established in
relation to the right Of the people Of Territory to de-
eide whether they will have slavery will apply to
this case Of popular sovereignty prepared
OF course mott circumstances alter cases. But the
Charleston Mercury with its characteristic holiness
prepared to say. It repudiates, and in this wise:
Utah cannot into this Confederacy with poly
gamy legal institution. Squatter sovereignty may
affirm the right Of the people Of Territory to deter-
mine their own Institutions but there is sovereignty
the sovereignty Of squatters The sovereignty
reason Of religion Of civilization the sovereignty of the
collective will Of the American people forbids fraternal
association between people who profess the pure
ray OF the religion Of Jesus and people who live un-
der the dominion Of lust and practice the centious ex-
cesses Of Oriental barbarian.
There can be no fellowship between Mormon and
Christian They cannot exist under the social sys
tenn they cannot be partners in political power Free
dom OF conscience is thing exemption from the
strants Of decency and morality quite another The Con-
stitucn guarantees religious liberty, but gives license
to gross immortality.
Mormonism is theocracy, and involves not only q
social degradation and niquty but anti-republican
free in which poygamy prevails. Utah can demand ad-
mission into the Union by claim Of right
The people will repe its embrace with universal and I'm
conquerable aversion"
All this is true, and we subscribe to tnot because ii
is blow at poygamy but because it is right and Of uni
versal application.
The Pennsylvania" thus moralizes further on the
subject:
It should be remembered that the Mercury has never
ADOPTED me doctrine Of popular sovereignty as applied
to the slavery question: and therefore is rammeled
with certain conclusions in considering this new issue
The South generally claim the right to settle with their
slaves in any public territory under the provisions Of the
Constitution and not by any right derived from an afr-
native decision Of the people who may nhabt such Ter
ritory. The distinction is marked and papable: the
former legal right and is enjoyed because it is guar
antied BY the Constitution the latter is matter Of ia
aCcOrulnR
supposed interests opinions Of majority Of the people
majority of one decides the question, and, matter
how numerous the minority may be, their constitutional
rights are denied to them 1t is proper to say however
that the South very generally acquesce the doctrine Of
popular sovereignty matter Of compromise In the
North Free States it is different Here the idea Of
popular sovereignty is insisted on, not much
stitutiona right but legitimate sequence Of in
stitutions Thus the effect is substituted for the cause
and in deciding the Utah question it strikes us that some
Of our Northern brethren wA b driven closer quarters
than those Of the South
Thisis candid confession. The Northern Democracy
are indeed driven to close quarters this Utah question:
and their safest course Is to abandon at ndeens
BILE position Pittsburgh Gazette