The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-05-12

law, anu o4S Doeu bos sho~
fi1si ordinance, in 1854
The states in Congress are the guardians
of the territories, and are bound to exercise
,Ls, auanliatshiP; and cannot abdicaie II
wihou, beach OF trust and dereliciion
of duty. Why sir, the territory itself Is The
propefiy Of The States, and they do with II
what they p,case--permil il To be settled or
not as they please cut Il up by lines, rs
they please sell, or give II away n
they please chase white people rom u, a.
they please. This has been always the
case. There is proclamation now eN.'n'
Of tho old Congress OF The confederation,
describing the iirst settlers in The Northwest
territory as 20 jisotdeIly persons ;" and Oder
ing them 10 be drawn oil by the military.
Remember many such military expulsions
in the early settlement olihe western coun-
try. often executed with severity burning
houses, cutting up com, destroying fences,
and driving OF people nj the poin, OF The
bayo..i, and under the edge Of the sabre.
As Iaio "a 1886 and alter the extension
of the Indian title 10 the Platte country IN
Missouri similar ordeisl were given To the
then Colonel Of dragons commanding on
tina, froniier, the now Senator in Congress,
Henry Dodge. 10 expel the people from
,ha, purchase or,lers which no executed
In een,leness aud mercy, going alone, ex-
planning his business, and requiring them
10 90 away which they did, like,good and
oterly people and when he was gone,
came back, like sensible and industrious
people; and secured their prescriptions.
Not only settled but organized territory,
has been so treated By the federal govern
msni, and worse the people driven of,
AMI their homes given away. This hap
pened in Arkansas in 1928, when twelve
thousand square miles Of her organized
territory was given TO The Cherokees, and
the people driven away. Why sir, Il Is
very line Of go 30', with all the territory
OIL one side Of il, aud two degrees on The
other side, were given away 10 the King ol
Spain. This has been the seventy years
pr'c,ice ofih governmen,-lo treat The Ter
ri,ories as property, and the people rs unin-
vi,ed guests, 10 be entertained or turned out
as the owner OF the house chooses. Fine
sovereigns these. chased of by the military,
and their homes given 10 the Indians or
Spaniards. The whole idea Of this sover.
eighty is a novelty, scented from Congress
when il frs, appeared in the Senate, con-
,radicied By The Constitution and the whole
action of the government, IN all time; and
con,radic,ed by the bill itself, which is TO
secure il. The provisions Of the bill are a
burlesque upon sovereignty. II gives TO the
people, instead of receiving from them, an
organic act Que in which they are de-
MED every attribute Of sovereignty. Denied
freedom Of elections denied freedom OF
vo,ing; denied choice OF their own laws /;
denied The right of fixing the qualification
OF voters; subjected 10 foreign snperyis-
ion: and comfortable by the federal govern
meni, which they have no hand in elect
ing; and only allowed to ADM, and no, 10
reiec, slavery. Their sovereignty only ex-
tends 10 the subject Of slavery, anu only TO
one si,ie Of that the admitting side; the
other half OF the power being held 10 be de-
MED by the constitution which is extended
over them, and which according TO the
reading supporters ofihis bill forbids any
law 20 be made which will prevent any cit
izen from going there with his slaves This
is squa,ier sovereignty, noninleryen,ion, and
no power 10 leyislaie in territories upon sla.
very. And this is called a principle-,he
principle Of MISUNDERSTANDING the
people alone, 10 settle the question OF sla-
very for themselves. How settle il That
can only be done in an organic act and
they have no such act, nor can have one till
they make a constitution Tor the State gov
eminent. All the rest is legislation, whie h
settles nothing, and produces contention al
every election. Sir, this principle Of nOn-
Intervention Is but principle OF con,en-
,ion-a bone given 10 the people 10 quarrel
and fight over nj every election, and nj
every meeting OF the legislature, until they
become State government. Thea, and
then only, can they settle the question:
For seventy years-siGce the year 1884,
when the organizing mind OF Jefferson
drew the frs, territorial orlinance-we had
q uniform method Of providing for the gov
cmmeu, Of territories, all founded upon the
clause in the Constitution which authorizes
Congress 10 dispose OF, aud make rules and
regulations respecting the territory and 9TH
er property Of the United States. This
mode Of government has consisted OF three
grades, all founded in the right OF Congress
10 govern them. First grade: a Governor
and Judges, appointed BY the United States,
10 adop, laws from other states, 10 DO al
force until disapproved by Congress. Sec
ond grade: ,errii,rial legislature, when
the inhabitants shall amount to five thou
sand men above the age OF iweniy-one,
composed Of a council partly appointed by
the Uni.ed States, and House OF Repre-
scn,aiivcs, elected by the people al the rate
Of one representative for every Eve hundred
voters, its Legislation subject 10 the approx
al OF Congress. Third grade: entrance on
the State government, in full equality with
the other Sra,es. This is the way those
TER iio,ies have been governed for several
years and am for adhering TO it.
THE PIrrEyr OF QUITTING THE SLAVERY
QUESTION.
And now, what is the excuse for all
this disturbance OF the country: this break.
ing up OF ancient Compromise arraying
one half OF tho Union against the other, and
destroying the temper and business Of Con-
gress. What is the excuse for all this tur-
mol and mischief We are told il is TO
keep the question Of slavery out OF Con-
gress! Great God! |, was on, Of Con.
gross. completely, entirely and forever on,
OF Congress, unless Congress dragged il in
by breaking down the sacred laws which
were settled, and done with. There was
no, an inch square Of territory in the Union
OIL which il could be raised without breach
ola Compromise. The ordinance Of SO
settled il In all the remaining pan oil the
northwest territory beyond Wisconsin the
Compounds line Of 900 3o', settled il in all
country north and west Of Missouri to the
British line, and up to the rocky noun.
tains, the organic act Of Oregon, made by
the people and sanctioned by Congress, set
tied il in all that region the acts for the
government Of Utah and New Mexico set