Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-04-20

'oi0o'' VI cer'aih preslOentlal aSpirants
required the introduction of slavery into
Nebraska and Kansas. Such too, has
been the legislation of the country.
It's also said tha, the Compromise
acts of 1850, were inconsistent with, and
hence repealed the Compromise OF
1920. If so, the question is again per-
tinent, why then attemp. to repeal it a
second time! Why not allow the ques.
ton to rest until an opportunity is airor.
ded the proper tribunals to settle i. con-
clusively!
Ii the Compromise Of 1920 was re-.
pealed by tha! of 1850, then it was fraud.
Ii was not so understood by the people
of the country, nor by Congress. II is
well known that not man voted for the
measures of 1859, who entertained the
most remote idea that those measures
inserfered with, or affected in any degree
the Compromise of 1920. In no one
of the thousand speeches made on the
promise OF 1850, in Congress and
cut OF Congress-in none of The COM
menls OF the press was such aa idea ex-
pressed or even remotely insinuatet.-
On the contrary until the introduction of
the Nebraska bill into the Senate, on the
9Th of January last, the Missouri Com.
promise was every where, and by every
body regarded as irrepealable, and invin.
liable as the Constitution. Mr. Webster,
in his celebrated compromise speech on
the 7th OF March, 1850, declared
81 now say, sir, as the proposition up
on which stand this day, and upon the
Truth and frmness of which intend to
act until II is overihrown, that there is
not at This moment in the United States,
or any Territory of the United States,
one single foot of land. the character of
which, in regard TO its being flee Terri.
tory, or slave territory, is not fixed by
some law land some IRREpEALABLE law
beyond the power of the action of this
Government.
The IIREPEALABLE law that settled the
character of Nebraska as free terrific
ry, was the Missouri Compromise act.
To the main!ainance of that law the
public faith was pledged. and that great
man little thought that so soon after his
death an open and wanton attemp, would
be made 10 violate it.
An attempt has also been made TO
raise popular clamor against any re-
straiu.s upon waa, is called sqlsatter 500.
ereignty. 1t Is said that if Congress
has the power TO legislate on the subjec,
of slavery in the territories, yet in justice
TO the people of the territories it should
not be exercised. Itis nat singu.
lar tha! the same men who used this ar
gunens were all found voting against
proposition 10 allow the people of the
territories to elect their own Off GERS
According TO The doctrine of Mr.. Doug.
las and his obedient followers. the peo-
PIE of the territories are fully eompe tent
TO do their own legislation. but are wnol.
ly incompetent TO elect their Governor,
Judges and other public servants. The
President has the power TO appoint Gov
ernors for the territories, who by virtue
OF the veto power can control the leg
islation of The people. He has power
to appoint Judges, who are in no degree
responsible TO the people, and who may
be required TO obey the federal authori-
ties at the risk of being evic,ed from Of
fee. All the officers of the territories
are TO be foreign oflicers--appointed by
a foreign au,horlty--in no way amena-
bic TO the people, and have the power to
set at defiance the popular will of the
territories, and will be repaired to do
1t, when it comes in conflict with the
slavery propagandists at Washington
What commentary is here presented
on the doctrine of soUATTER SOVEREIGN
TY! The Senators who believe in
"Squa.ter Sovereignty" and who vote
against allowing the people of the ,err-
ltor:es to elect their own officers ere
"NAYs-Messrs Aichinson, Badger,
Bell, Benjamin, Broadhead, Bro y n, But
ler, Clay, Dawson, Dixon. Dodge of
Wisconsin, Dodge of Iowa, Douglas,
Evans, Fitzpatrick, Gwin, Houston,
Hunter, johnson, Jones OF Iowa, Jones
of Tennessee, Mason, Morton, Petit,
Pratt. Rusk. Sebastian, Siiell, Stewart
and Wiliams-30."
On the I'd of March last, an amend
ment was offered in the Senate TO the
Nebraska and Kansas bill. adding dis
tinct declaration of the righ. of the peo-
pie to exclude slavery if they chose, and
it was rejected by vote of SO to TO-
Against the proposition were arrayed
the following believers in "Squatter Sow.
ereignty."
'Messrs Adams. Atchison, Badger Bell,
Benjamin, Brodhead, Brown, Butler,
Clay, Clayton. Dawson, Dixon, Dodge,
of Iowa, Douglas. Evans, Fitzpatrick,
Gwin, Houston, Hunter, Johnston,
Jones of Iowa, Jones of Tenn, Mason,
Morton, Morris, Rusk, Petit. Sebastian.
Slidell, Shields, yancy, Walker and
Williams"
All lhe particular friends of non Inter
vention were found voting agains, the "a
mendment. How sincere are their pro.
fession of non.lntervention, the country
can decided. They have certainly furp-
ished some beautiful iiustratioas of
their belief in "Squatter Sovereignty"
1t must be singular sovereignty, over
the subject Of slavery which canno, be
Il