Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-05-02
Rnlliized territory was
nd the people driven


, Se'e aiSp Nd guests, to be entertained.
as the owner of the House
Fitchburg, Jsovereigns these chased of
PROYID. and their homes given to In
F rszzzards. The whole idea of this
Ekas.sSa novelty, secuted from Con-
, senser ~ it first appeared in the Senate,
Leave by the Constitution, and the
Leave, Of the Government, in all time /;
o,ts FSE icted by the bill ITSELF which is to
sccurS ~. The provisions Of the bill are bur-
lcsoue upon sovereignty. 1t gives to the peo-
nle' instead of receiving from them, an organic
net And what an organic act One in
which they are denied every attribute of SOW
creirnty. Denied freedom of elections !;
denied freedom of voting; denied choice Of
their own laws; denied the right of FIX
ing the qualifications of voters subjected to a
foreign supervision and comfortable by the
Federal Government, which they have no
hand in electng; and allowing to admit, and
NOT TO reject slavery. Their sovereignty only
extends to the subject of slavery; and only to
one side of that-the admitting side the other
half of the power being held to be denied by
the Constitution which is extended over them,
and which, according to the reading of the
supporters Of this bill, } forbids any law to be
made which will prevent any citizen from 60
ing there with his slaves. This is squatter
soyereienty, non-interyention, and no power
TO lerislate in Territories upon slavery. And
this is called a principle-the principle of
intervention letting the people alone to set
tic the question of slavery for themselves
How settle It'll That can be done in an organ
ic act and they have no such act, nor can have
one till they make constitution for a State
government. All the rest is legislation, which
settles nothing, and produces contention at
every election. Sir, this principle of non-in-
tcrvention is but the principle of contention
a bone given to the people to quarrel and fight
over at every election, and at every meeting of
their Legislature, until they become State
government. Then, and then only, can they
settle the question.
For seventy years-since the year 1884,
when the organizing mind of Jefferson drew
the first territorial ordinanee-weh had a uniform
method Of providing for the government of Ter
ritories, all founded upon the clause in the
Constitution which authorizes Congress to dis
pose of, and make rules and regulations re-
specting the territory and other property of
the Uuited States. This mode of government
has consisted of three grades, all founded in
the right of Congress to govern them. First
grade a Governor and judges, appointed by
the United States, to adopt laws from other
States, to be in force until disapproved by
Congress, Second grade aTerritorial Legis-
lature, when the inhabitants shall amount to
five thousand men above the age of twenty
one, composed of council partly appointed
by the United States, and the House of Rep
resenatives elected by the people, at the rate
of one Representative for every five hundred
voters, its legislation subject to the approval of
Congress, Third grade: entrance on the State
government, in full equality with the other
States This is the way these Territories have
been governed for seventy years and l am
for adhering to it.
And now what is the excuse for all this dis
turbance Of the country; this breaking up of
ancient compromises; arraying one half of the
Union against the other, and destroying the
temper and business of Congress- What is
the excuse for all this turmoil and mischief:
We are told it is to keep the question of slav-
cry out of Congress To keep slavery out Of
Congress Great God 1t was out of Con-
gross completely, entirely, and forever out of
Congress, unless Congress dragged it in by
breaking down the sacred laws which settled
it. The question was settled, and done with.
There was not an square inch of territory in the
Union on which it could be raised without a
breach of a compromise. The ordinance of
80 sattle5 Il IN aIl the REMAINING mart ~ thc
Nortbwest Ererr;torv bevond Wisconsin the
rom nro,n;seline of az deg, 3O min. settled IL
all the country north and west Of Missouri to the
British line, and up to the Rocky Mountains:
the organic act of Oregon, made by the peo-
ple and sanctioned by Congress, settled it in
all that region: the acts for the government Of
Utah and New Mexico settled it in those two
Territnries the coul nact with TEXAS deteruin-
;n- tbe rnr,h t. of slave states To he formed
dn sfe a.. ST.. ssttlod = thoso anJ roi;sor
MIA MIA settled e led Il far hersef Now where was