The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-27
Prom the Detroit Free Press
WARFARE UPON POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY.

The opposition to the Nebraska bill is nothing nor
less than warfare upon popular sovereignyan attempt
to withhold from the people the right to fix the character
or their own government and make their own laws rs
not question OF the extension of slavery because no sen
sibe person in the whole country supposes that II Is posi-
BILE for slavery To 20 to Nebraska The opposition Is found
ed in the old instincts Of federalism which forever doubted
and always will doubt the capacity OF The people for sell
government The old leayen is working, and once in
awhile there is a federais honest and frank enough TO
his real sentiments and objects and purposes Such
one is the Rev DR. Wayland Of Brown University, Rhode
Island the author federal work political economy
and himself limb of the New England federal stock lie
is politician well doctor of divinity and lately adj
dressed antiNebraska public meeting In the OF
his speech he said
eve have protest against the bill before Com
gress for establishing the territorial Of Nebraska
and Kansas The feature in this bill against which
test Is, that In all that territory unnhabed by
white men either free slave States be organized at
the VIII OF the settlers"
those who acted with him. met to protest against allowing
the settlers in Nebraska and Kansas make such cons
Intons for their State they think fit
They would have Congress prescribe the institutions Of the
new States
Now, is this abominabe doctrine2 Can any DEM
ocra at least look at the proposition without adherence
Would any citizen Of Michigan submit to the dcton of
Congress to whether should have slavery if we de-
sired to have t7 Most assuredy not Then why should
citizen of Nebraska submit TO such dctationg
State rights and popular sovereignty synonymous
terms Destroy State sovereignty and the Union would be
destroyed The safety OF system is in the exercise by
the States Of the most complete sovereignty Their right
to control their affairs entire only far power
has been delegated to the federal in the cons
tuition Of the United States The Territories embryo
States Their inhabitants have the original power
make such constitution pleases them the States
possess to modify their constitution at any time The power
is perfect and the highest known to Institutions The
people OF Michigan may establish slavery at any time If
they SO desire: and so may the people Of Nebraska
We should regret the Introduction of slavery into Mch
gan or into Nebraska and there is much danger of its
being introduced into the other. But they both
have the right and ten thousand of Congress
take it away.
1t is entirely imnaerial whether the Missouri Compro-
mise act shall be repealed by clause in the Nebraska bill
or not The act is poweress 1t has force piece of
blank paper just effective Whenever Nebraska forms
State constitution that instrument will determine whether
slavery shall be tolerated forbidden All that Congress
has to doal that it dos the wheels of the
territorial government in motion After that the people
who go there will be their rulers in spite Of Mis-
souri, compromises Wimot provisos any attempted
restrictions
And what democrat opposed this What democrat
IS not willing that the people should everywhere ruler