Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-07-05
9Quatter Sovereignty.

The opposition press are harring upon
the much mocted question Of "Squatter
Sovereignty" and are endeavoring, by all
that's good and bad, to convic. Mr.. Buc-
hanan Of favoring this imagined bug bear.
We contend that there IS no such thing as
"SqualtsI Sovereignty" There is no SOW
ereign,y but that Of the people Of State.
The inhabitants off territory are not in vest.
ed, SO long as under territorial government
with any power save that onlerred by Con-
gress. Congress has no right to legi.late
upon the subject Of slavery, and hence
cannot confer that power upon the in
habitants Of Territory. The Missouri
Compromise was unconstitutional, because
twas legislation for the purpose ofres',ict.
ing slavery. The Nebraska Bill, repcal-
ting the Missouri compromise. was res-
'ofation of the rights OF each section Of the
Union. as stipulated for in the Cons.itu-
ton. II only carries out the true spirit
aud intent oil the Federal com pact, recog-
nizipg the Equality Of the States. and the
common interests and rights Of The people
Of all the States.
Congress not having the tight to legs.
late upon the subject of slavery to the
detrimeni OF such property. Of course Con.
grsss could not empower the inhabitants::of
territory to Iegislate upon that which it
cannot legislate itself. The power Of the
inhabitants Of ia territory are derivotiue--
not Acknowledgements confers them :,
hence there is no sovereignty whilst the
inhabitants are in a pup,lage state. just
here, the doctrine Of "Squatter Sovereign.
~ fal!s-it has nothing 10 stand upoh. L.
is creature of the imagination.-nothing
more. Whenever the ,nhabiiants Of the
territory have complied with the laws reg.
ulatins the admission Of States--when-
ever they have acquired the essential fea.
lures as prescribed.by law, requisite to be-
come sovereign people-then. and not
until then. have they any power over their
domestic institutions. In the act of pass
Jag from state ?upilage to the dignity
and prominence Of the people of sta.r,i
then they may exercise the privilege OF u
sovereign State. and say whether they
will have Constitution with slavery, or
Constitution excluding slavery. Hence,
we contend that the SO much agitated de-
trine Of "Squatter Sovereignty" is 10 doc.
trine at all-has no shape nor form, and
that il is useless aud suicidal for the
South to attempt 10 recognize il, by FORM
ally combating the heresv. 1t may do
Tor the opponents Of Democracy to raise
a hue and cry about this phantom, and
endeavor to make some capital ont Of il,
but the Democratic press and speakers
should not give it responsibility by com-
batting it. The great principle Of the
Of the States lies at the founda-
ton of the Nebraska Bill. James Buchan-
an bias ever been the firm and able defen-
der OF that principle. He is still. We
endorse his position upon that question:
His speeches show that the doctrine Of
popular sovereignty as restricted in the
& ansas enactment. was promulgated by
him a. early as ls3s-repeated i'll 1s4s.
and again repeated in 1856. We shall
hereafter show what he has said upon this
subject. He is now, what he has been for
40 years-a States Rights Democrat.