Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-05-05

not accidentally here il is to keep up the
dogma of the constitution In territories but
only there in relation to slavery, and that
for its admission-not rejection.
Three dogmas now afilict the land ride
Hcet. squatter sovereignty, non-intervention,
and no power in Congress to legislate up
on slavery in territories. And this bill as
serts the whole three, and beautifully Illus
trates the whole three, by knocking one on
| the head with the other, and trampling each
under foot in its turn. Sir, the bill does de-
nv sauatter sovereignty, and II does intervene
ana it does legislate upon territories, and
/ for a proof of that, see the bill and see 1t as
/ the lawyers say, pdssum {; that is to say, here,
and there, and everywhere.
II is bill of assumptions and contradic-
/ tions-assumlng what is unfounded, and con-
tradictng what II assumes balancing
/ every affirmation by a negation. 1t is see
saw bill but not the innocent see-saw which
children play on plank stuck through a
| fence: but the up-and- down game of politl-
clans, played at the expense Of the peace and
harmony Of the Union, and the sacrifice Of
all business in Congress. 1t is an amphlbo-
logical bill, stuffed with monstrosties hob
bled with contradictions, and Badgered with
proviso. (Laughier.)
Amphibology IS a cause for the rejection
of bills, not only by Congress, but by the
President when carried 10 him for his APPROX
al. General Jackson rejected one for that
cause, and it was less amphibological than
this it was the last night of the last day of
his last administration, and quarter before
midnight. Congress had sent him bill to
repeal the specie circular, and to inaugurate
the paper money Of a thousand local banks
as the currency of the Federal Government.
II was all object not to be nvowed, nor to be
done in any direct or palpable manner. Par
aphrases, clrcumocutlon, ambldexterity,
and ambiguity, were necessary to cover up
the design; aud 1t was piled on until 1t was
uninteligibe. I he President read It. and
could make nothing Of it; he sent to his At
torney- General, who was equally puzzled
lie then returned 1t with a message to the
Senate, refusing to sign the bill for amphibo-
logy. We should reject this bill for the
same cause, if for nothing else. Hard Is the
fale of party fealty. 1t has to keep up with
the ever-changIng measure. Often have
these bills changed; and under every phase
they have had to be received as a test of or
thodoxy; and have more changes to undergo
yet, and to continue to be test under all
mutations.
sQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY EXPOSED.
And now, what is the object of this move
ment which SO disturbs Congress and the
country? What does it propose to accom-
pish? To settle principle, is the answer
p the principle of non-inlervenilon, aud the
right OF the people of the territory to decide
the question of slavery for themselves Sir,
there is no such principle. The territories
are the children of the states. They are
minors, under age, and II is the business of
- states, through their delegations in Con-
gress TO take care of them until they are of
age-untl they are ripe for state govern
ment; then to give them that government,
and admit them TO an equality with their
fathers. That Is law, and has been so ad-
NIT since the first ordinance, IN l76i
The states in Congress are the guardians
of the territories and are bound 10 exercise
that guardianship; and cannot abdicate it
without a breach of trust and derelecton
Of duty. Why, sir, the territory itself Is the
property Of the states, and they do with it
what they pease-permit IT to be settled or
not, as they please; cut 1t up by lines, as
they please sell, or give it away as they
please; chase white people from II, as they
please. This has been always the case
There is a proclamatiounow extant, of the old
Congress OF the confederation, describing the
first settlers IN the Northwest territory as
"disordery persons !" and ordering them to
be driven off by the military.
remember many such military explosions
IN the early settlements Of the western coun
try, often executed with severity burning
houses, cutting up corn, destroying fences,
aud driving off penPle ~ tho point Of the bay
onet, and undor the edge of the sabre. As
late as lo34-'35, and after the extension os
/ the Indian title to the Plato country IN Mis
souri,, similar orders were given To the then
colonel of Dragons commanding on that
/ frontier, the now seDatOr IN Congress. Hen
/ ry Dodge, 10 cXpei the people from that pur-
chase orders which he executed IN gentle
ness and mercy, going alone, explaining his
business. and requiring them to go aWny
/ which they did like good and orderly people
and when lie was gone, came back like sen
slble and industrious people, aud secured
their prescriptions. Not only settled but or
ganized territory has been so treated by the
Z federal government, and worse ; the people
] driven off, and their homes gwen away
/ This happened IN Arkansas IN le2-, when
twelve thousand square miles OF her organlz-
ed territory was given to the Cherokees, aud
the people driven away. Why, SIR, this
very line of SO : 30', with all the terrific y
/ on one side of It, and two degrees on the 9th.
er side, were given away to the King OF
SPAN. This has been the seventy years
{ practice OF the goyernment-to treat terrific
RES as property, aud he people as unlimited
/ guests, TO be entertained or turned out, as
| the owner OF the hoGse chooses. Fine SOY
1 ereigns these chased off by the military,
and Their homes gwen TO Indians or Span
iards. The whole idea Of this sovereignty is
a novelty, secuted from Congress when II
/ first appeared in the Senate, conlradlcted by
the constitution aud the whole action of the
government, in all time aud contradlctcd
[ by the bill itself, which is to secure 1t. The
provisions oil the bill are buriesque upon
sovereignty. 1t gives TO the people, instead
of receiving from them, an organic act One
/ in which they are denied every attribute OF
sovereignty. Denied freedom Of elections
denied freedom Of voting; denied choice Of
their own laws; denied the night Of fixing
the qualification of voters subjected 10 u
foreign supervision; aud Comfortable by the
federal government. which they have no hand
IN electlng and only allowed TO admit, and
not TO reject slavery. Their sovereignty on
~ extends 10 the subject of slavery, and only
TO one side of that-the admitting side the
other bait of the power being held to be de-
MED by the constitution which is extended
over them, and which laccording to the read
ing of the supporters of this bill iorbids any
law to be made which will prevent any cit-
zen from going there with his slaves. This
is squattor sovereignty, non intervention, aud
no power to legislate m territories upon sla-
very. And this is called principle-the
/ principle Of non-intervention--let the
/ people alone, to settle the question of slave
I ny for themselves. How settle il? That
can only be done in an organic act; and they
have no such act nor can have one I'LL they
make a constitution for Sac government. -
/ All the rest is legislation, which settles moth
ing, and produces contention at every cleo
ton. Sir, tins principle of non-intervention
is but the principle Of contentIon-a bone
gwen to the people to quarrel and hight over
at every election, and at every meeting