The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-06-14
Popular Sovereignty.

q Colstanb one. 6lSt0Ty AFFORDS IOE tObS
series Of ages the record Of the contest. In
the Old World tlenght has been continually
ogerborne by the wrong while in this coun-
try the truth has almost always triumphed;
not generally by the simple statement Of a
true proposition, or the presentation Of
great subject, based on cardinal and correct
principles, and usually not until after a long
and warm contest. The masses OF the
American people are honest and intelligent;
but it requires time for them to think, to an.
alyze and digest a subject; and when they
do settle down to conviction and conclusions,
it takes time for them to organize and act
1t is cheering, while surrounded with present
excitement, and amid the clamor Of selfish
and manufactured agitation, to survey the
past, and note the repeated conflicts with
truth and error, right and wrong, have had
before the American people. These sharp
encounters, with their uniform results, are
way-marks to guide the true and faithful
men of the country, and they give courage
amid opposition, and strength and confidence
amid obloquy, and bid all to be Of good
cheer andof stout heart, as they stem the
torrent Of abuse which federalism is sure to
pour forth as the democratic party press great
and vital questions upon the country.
The great elemental truth of American
the very cornerstone upon
which our beautiful political fabric rests, is
,o,a,, la. e<,,o,.o;x,ay, I'll o.roo4 : L. = 4I,o+
the people, ofright and in fact, govern them
selves; and it stands in opposition to the rule
of one man, or an aristocracy, or oligarchy.
And yet this idea, so true and important, of
or of the rule and sway Of
the people, has been from the beginning
steadily and stoutly opposed. True, its
march has been firmly onward true, success
has generally crowned the struggle; but this
has not been accomplished without contest
ing the ground inch by inch.
It cannot be well denied that the great
mass Of mankind either do not believe, or
dare not avow, faith in the doctrine that the
people are of right sovereign, and entitled to
exercise the rights implied by the fact in the
practical part Of government. Until the es-
Enlistment of this republic; nowhere on
the earth was popularsovereignty recognised;
all nations, in theory and in practice, denied
it, and men learned in the laws, and who
gave tone to opinion, pronounced the thing
both inexpedient and impossible
Trained, as were our fathers, to habits of
thought, and schooled, as they
were, in individual independence and person
al rights, even they approached the great
idea of popular sovereignty with great eau
ton, and broke away from King and Parlia-I
ment only after repeated efforts at reconcilia-
ton. In the beginning, it is evident the in
tention was not to avow or exercise entire
independence. The Declaration of Independ-
ence admits this fact; nor with The establish
ment of m independent government was the
idea Of popular sovereignty, or the entire in
depence Of the people, concurred in By all.
The old federal party was an honest party,
embracing many great, wise, patriotic men !;
and yet it was built upon distrust of the peo-
ple-a fear to trust them, and apprehensive
that they were incapable Of entire selfgov-
ernment Restraints must be thrown about
them, prohibitions imposed upon them, and
provisoes interposed between them and full
sovereignty. The statesman who stood at
the head Of that party could not forget the
past-the English government with its pow
er and splendor nor could they confde full
ly in principle which ran. counter to the
usages and preconceived opinions of ages.
The republican or democratic party stood
forth the opponent of the federal or consoli-
dation party, and was based upon the right,
natural inherent right, of the people to regu-
late their own affairs, make their own laws,
and exercise, in all local matters, entire SOW
ereignty. Confidence in the honesty, integ-
rity, and right action of the people was the
leading feature of this great party. In the
beginning they were our shi5boleth, and led
US safely on to victory and now shall we
betray them, or refuse longer to trust them
as shield of defence. For one, I answer no.
The doctrine of populor sovereignty is fun
damental and sacred; planting ourselves up
on it, we have sure foundation, and stand
ing there, we need fear no danger. It has
stood the tempest and the storm in the past,
and in the present and the future it will prove
D rock of defence both sure and steadfast. II
have no fear of contest in which popular
sovereignty, or the right Of the people to reg