Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-04-19
WASHINGTON, D. G..
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1854.
POPULAR sovERKIGRTYn AGAIN.

|
The Pro Slavery press persists in attempting
to impose upon the People by clap-trap phrases
The opponents Of the repeal Of the Missouri
Compromise, they say, are constantly raising
false issues. The issue presented by the Ne
braska Bill is q the simple and sublime qnes-
ton whether the People arc to enjoy the rights
ofself government in our Territories, or whether
they shall be subjected to Congressional linn
itations aud restrictions? This is the Issue on
which the friends of the Nebraska Bill 90 to
the country, and on that they challenge their
opponents to the conflict The principle Of
Popular Sovereignty is the gist Of the measure,
aud upon that we shall not cease to rally the
Democratic hosts, until Abolition and all its
allies shall be overwhelmed. 1t is this grand
principle on which President Pierce has plant
ed himself, and on which he will stand I'M
moved until it shall triumph. On this princi
pie the issue will be finally made up, and then
the result will cease to be involved in doubt"
This is the argument urged in " tho organ "
from day to day; it is the sum and substance
Of all its labored articles in support Of the Bill.
Meet it as fairly and squarely rs you may,
expose its falsity and absurdity, prove by the
language and provisions Of the Bill itself that,
from beginning to end it practically denies to
the People Of Territory the rights of sover-
eighty, and surrounds them with Congress
sional limitations and RESTRICTIONS" still with
want OF candor and fair dealing, characteristic
Of tho sinister movement it advocates, "the or
gam continues TO urge the same argument,
with an air Of as much confidence as if it be-
lieved there was anything in it, and scruples
not to assure its readers that it is one which
the opponents Of the Bill have never even ut
tempted to meet
A lie well stuck to ia more potential than q
| truth fecbIy spoken: SO bad argument By
repetition produces an impression which the
single presentation Of a good ono fails to accom-
plish The Nebraska Kansas Bill, which has
passed. the Senate, occupies five and half solid
columns Of small type in the Globe. The pro.sa-
very press, aware that the People generally have
not examined it in its details, knows that it oan
decaim, and sophisticate, and misreprcsent,
with comparative IMMUNITY. SO soon as We can
command the room, we shall print the Bill, 30
that all our readers at least may see for them
selves how utterly its provisions disregard
what the Union vaguely enough styles, Pop
nlar Sovereignty. Meantime, let us again OK
pose this "humbug."
IL popular Sovereignty reside in the Peo-
pie Of Nebraska, Congress has no right to con-
stitute them distinct community, to prescribe
their bounds and to give them Constitution
of Government, Its whole duty towards them
would he discharged, oil its rights exhausted.
in the passage Of q resolution recognising their
right to organize themselves, form their own
Government and determine their own laws
But the Bill, the gist y of which, according to
the Union, lis tho principle Of Popular Sover-
eighty prcscribes the boundaries Of the Ter
ritory, reserving to Congress the right to divide
il, without regard to the wishes Of its Soycr-
eign People," into two or more Territories, or
to attach any portion Of it, without regard to
the viii OF its Sovereign People y "to any
other State or Territory cf the Union" A
queer sort of Sovereignty, that can be bounded,
divided mutilated, transferred, converted into
dependency, by on act of tho Congress Of the
United States!
Again: Congress in this Bill ordains, that
the Executive power shall be vested in Gov
ernor; that there shall DO Secretary; that
the Legislative power shall be lodged in the
Governor and Legislative Assembly, the latter
to consist Of Council and House OF Repre-
sentatves; that the Judicial power shall be
vested in supreme court district courts pro-
bate courts, and justices Of the peace; and
that there shall be an attorney and marshal.
This organization OF the Government IL pre-.
scrlbed, without any reference to the wishes or
vicws Of the Sovereign People, Possibly
they might prefer government by n Territorial
Council, or that there might DO but one legis-
lative chamber, or that the judicial power
might be established under other forms but
this Bill OF Popular Sovereignty docs not allow
tho Sovereign People to have any voice or
weight in the matter. They must take with
out abatement or qualification tho form OF
Government prescribed to them.
Agin: Tho Sovereign People" have no
voice in determining how these departments Of
their Government shall be constituted what
shall be their powers, under what limitations
these shall be exercised, how long tho persons
exercising governmental functions shall con-
tinua in Office, in what way and how much
they shall be paid--in all Of which who docs
not recognise the "simplc and sublime" &C
acknowledgement Of the sovereign right Of tho
People Of q Territory 10 govern themselves.
Again: the Governor, tho Secretary, tho
Chief Justice, Associate Justices, the Attorney
and tho Marshal shall DO elected by the
People 20, no--that is mistake; we were
under the momentary delusion which has
turned the head q our ncighbor Of the Union,