Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-04-15

ing that the Northwestern States as States as sovereign
States not estopped by the ordinance Of 1877
nor the compromises Of 1920, from permitting slaver
within their Jurisdiction still that has nothing to do witt
the right power and condition Of the Territorial govern
ments. They are in their pupiage. They, while de
pendant the General Government fer existence anC
support liable to all the disabilities by contract Of
otherwise of the General Government with reference
their boundaries and their right say disabilities be
cause it is evident that the General Government had ne
right to establish slavery, rather it was prohibited
from establishing il in certain portions Of the Northwest
How then is that Government to grant to TERRITORY
which it governs and sustains right or power which
it does not possess? Bestowing what it has not?
You will perceive that de not alude to the sovereign
ty of State. Within the bounds Of the Constitution
and constitutional laws such State may of course intro
duce prohibit slavery and the Government of the Uni
ted States, this Congress- cannot prevent It, It permits
sovereignty and submit to the exercise and con-
sequences of that sovereignty The people of State de-
their existence and form their fundamental law
and Congress consents to the admission of that people
into the Union with such fundamental law is pre-
sented with such alterations in that law as it may
self suggest then sovereignty is conferred for the fret
time, upon the applying community, and municipal indie
pendence is deeeed The people of the State had wled
the movements the people Of the new State had pre-
pared the constitution which, being approved by Con
gress becomes their fundamental law and the fat of the
parent Government gives to them political life and
reignty You see it Is all of themselves excepting the
approval Of Congress.
Now is there any idea of giving to Nebraska or Kan
any such government this Are these Territories
now indeed struggling into political independence? Or
rather we providing for the embryo beings that
be nourshed in the political womb till the full time
of parturition shall have come?
Sir, Nebraska has thought of independence and
sovereignty 1t has shown sign of self existence
or sefgovernment; and the form Of government which
the bill proposes to which speak gives no sovereignty
yet; it is only preparatory.
The argument that political community has right
regulate its municipal matters is not only unsatisac
tory and groundless, applied Territorial Govern
men but 1T is in exact opposition to the provisions Of the
bills which occupy che attention Of this committee
Have the people of Nebraska had my thing to do with
the construction of that b Have they been in solemn
convention the wide plains Of their deserts beneath
the wgwam shelter of the Poawatomies Kickapoos?
The fundamental law of the proposed community instead
of being the work of people whom that law is gov
ern every principle of republican independence re-
quires instead of being suggested by the experience
these whose lives and property it is to protect de-
stroy is formed dehors their boundary and is to be ad
ministered by officers in whose appointment they can
have voice.
Nay sir, though there may be sort Of Territorial Le-
gsature, yet every law which that body propounds flor
it can enact none every bill which that body prepares
and orans is liable to the revision and Of this Con-
gress of the sovereign nation and the delegate whom
that Territory place upon this floor to look after its
affairs and to advocate its interests should he
dersand the language of this body or failing in that be
more successful than the delegate from New Mexico in
an attempt to procure ON interpreter may the
ncpal enactment of his semi-soyeregn Territory
tered to the winds and he not allowed to give vote in
dent that the claim Of the right of self for
the Territories and this attempt apply the doctrine of
nonntcrvention to the government Of dependencies is
wholly untenable. ss
The doctrine of the independence of Territories the
sovereignty OF people whose rulers not of their
own election, is altogether novel; new Il will not say
ridicuousl as it is inappcable; perfect soecism in
politics 1t as not heard of in Congress when Oregon
admitted 1t had not been brought hither as late as
the last Congress when Washington was set off, More
than that nothing said about the unpedged sover
eighty when the Nebraska bill passed this House year
ago. .s...... Il. .....,... -. T..
No point is empbatcally settled by Marshall Sto-
ry and Kent than that of the dependence Territories
and doctrine is therefore better established than that
Of the right and duty of Congress to interfere in the
ncpa concerns of any and every Territory which this
body creates 1t is right which has before been
denied and which Congress when she authorizes
the President to appoint their officers, executive and ju
dicla and retains negative upon their legislative
ments and it is duty which Congress performs when
provides and continues for legislation and
ssts in nursing and rearing the pupil into state fit for
municipal independence in the form Of State sovereignty.
But these opinions of the grave and reverend seniors
Of the judicial bench may not be sufficient for modern
progressonists and they may soy, with the in the
play, nous auons change tout cela-we have changed
The idea that age and experience and learning give
no weight to opinions is know prevalent il
in biblical tines and young America like young Israel
Is apt to scout the lessons Of wisdom and, scong at
age and experience exclam, Go up, old baldhead."
Let us, then, look ct few remarks of in the po-
tca arena who the guides associates of the ad
vocates of this bill. .t
Mr. Calhoun in his speech in March, 1850 the year of
the latest compromise, remarks:
"In claiming the right for the inhabitants instead of Con-
to legsate for the Territories the Executive p,ovso
that the sovereignty the Territories vested
the formers it in language used in resolution
offered by of the Senators from Texas (Gen HoUsToN)
have the inherent right of sefgovernmen the peo
pie in the States. The assumption utterly nnounded,
constitutional hom example, and contrary the entire prac-
tice Of the Goreramcnt from its the present
time" .......
And that language Of the distinguished Senator is con-
sisent with that which he held the subject in
lS4S when he secuted the idea that Oregon had right
to preclude slavery He asserted boldly and truly the
doctrine that the sovereignty Of the Territories prior to
the organization Of regular State government resides
in the people of the respective States of the Confederacy
| represented in Congress
add another extract Mr. Westcott, of Florida, in
most elaborate argument on this question, said
"The people of Territory, by which mean those recog
nscd citizens Of the United States residing in such Terri
tory cannot exercise Of the sovereign powers that
tain tina sovereign and independent State except such
absolutely necessary the preservation of and good
order of society," Until they form and organize their
reign State government their rights sovereignty
man and in abeyance "Ye sir this thing you and
call Territorial government is temporary ugacious
local police institution limited dependent municipal
poraon similar to those existing counties cities parishes
towns boroughs Incorporated by State Legsatures
The institution of domestic servitude political inst
hon; it is not a mere municipal regulation"
Southern paper, the South Side Democrat published
at Petersburg, Virginia, says: ...@
"There is analogy between the condition Of the Terri
tory in pupiage and the Territory which has fulfilled the
quirements of the Constitution and is prepared enter the
Union State In the latter Territory in the
chrysas 1t is regulating its internal affairs with the
pectaton of admission into the Confederacy as sovereign