The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-05-26
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MONDAY MORNING. MAY 81, 1855.
Popular sovereignty.

Popular sovereignty.
The Minnesotian of this morning, cndeayors
to make out casa of false pretences against
the popular sovereignty members of the last
80 amend the Nebraska bill as to allow the peo-
pie OF the Territories to elect their own Gov
crnors, Secretaries, Judges etc That paper
says:
"a republican member OF the last House of
Representatives,, moved, when the the Nebras-
ka bill was before that body, to insert clause
fully carrying out the principle of popular SOW
ereignty. The amendment provided that the
people of the Territories should be authorized
to choose, by popular election, their Governor,
Secretary and Judges as wellsas their Legisla-
tors. But Richardson, and the other en- gineers
of the correct principle" flew into the face
and eyes of the mover and his friends and the
wholesome amendment was summarily voted
down under the gag of the previous question,
II we recollect rightly" a..
Chase, of Ohio, moved the amendment the
Minnesotian speaks of, aud at the same time
stated, he would continue to oppose the bill, if
the amendment was adopted. 1t was opposed
by Judge Douglas, and other prominent nation
al wings and democrats, on constitutional
grounds alone, and not because they deemed
the people of a Territory incapable OF elccting
their Territorial officers. In a certain docu-
ment, which finds but little favor in the eyes Of
sAS cV-SoiiCu ICpuUlfCduS, CubitiCu GuC OOuSbIbu
ton of the United States, occurs the following
passage:
p" He (the Prcsideut) shall have power, by
and with the advice and consent Of the Senate,
to make treaties, provided two thirds of the
senators present concur; and he shall nominate,
and by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other pub
lie Ministers and Consuls. Judges of the Su-
premc Court, and all other officers of the Uni
vahn op@rr, atc v,ofh nro,i
| otherwise provided for, and which shall be es-
tabllshed by law; but the Congress may by law
vest the appointment of such inferior officers
as they think proper, in the President alone, in
The Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Depart
| ments.n s,-. --, ...-.s. 100
The language of the above admits of but one
construction. 1t provides in peremptory and
positive manner, that all officers of the United
States, whose offices are created by law Of Con-
gress, shall be appointed by the President, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate
Inc enemies of the Nebraska bill in violation
OF their oaths, sought to incorporate in the bill
an unconstitutional feature, in order to subject
IL TO the executive veto. This course was in
unison whit well known "higher law" views
OF the Republicans, but it didn't win.--Demo-
crot Of Friday. -
And thus the bubble bursts In the opinion
OF the Democrat, the doctrine of popular
sovereignty in the Territories is a chmera.--
The Constitution of the United States inter
feres, and debars the practical carrying out
OF the doctrine which has been so loudly trump
eted forth as the orthodox plank of the Admin
istraton platform at the present time. .Popu-
lar sovereignty" stands confessed by the Pierce
organ of st. Paul to be unconstitutional! What
further need Of prolonging the controversy!-
The Democrat proclaims that the whole thing
is an unconstitutional humbug, and by this con-
fession virtually acknowledges all we have
harged in regard to the n,otiue which prompt
cd Douglas and the Administration in getting
1t up-namely to cover the hideous demon of
Slavery Extension with the plausible cloak of
great and pure Republican principle AHA
+ The Democrat, for once, is plain and explicit
and there can be no installing its present ground
on this question. There can be no supreme
government established by the people of the
Territories until the Constitution of the United
States is amended. Notwithstanding the camor
which has been raised by the Nebraska men to
the contrary. Well, if such he the fact, al
though we interpret the Constitution different
ly, We can be content by holding the authors
to more rigid accountability, now that they
openly confess--so far as their St. Paul organ
is concerned-that they have all the while been
attempting to practice most outrageous impo-
sition upon the people.