Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-06-27
Mr.. Buchanan q squattcr sovereignty

In IS48, Hon. w. L. YANCEY, of Ala
bana, who was delegate to the Baltimore
Convention, repudiated the nomination of
Gen. CasS because he entertained the doc
trine of Squatter Sovereignty. Mr.. YAM
CEY sulked during the whole canvass, and
in defence of his position published pam
phlet which was largely circulated. In
that pamphlet he reviewed the opinions and
views of leading Northern democrats,
amongst them Mr.. BUCHANAN. He attribu-
ted to Mr.. B. the origin of the odiOus
squatter sovereignty doctrine. He said /:
"1o Mr.. Buchanan, therefore, is due the
credit of first giving the go bye to the Wllmot
PrOviso, as a means of excluding the slave
holders from our new Territories, but at the
same time, pointing out to the North how
much more effectualIy the great end of the pro-
visrisJ-the keeping Of these Territories erctu-
siUeLy for the settlement Of Northern emigrantS
could be obtained by advocating the new
doctrine that tie inhabitants Of a ne1O Terri
tory, chile get IN its territorial state could p G.
rent the emigration hither of shareholders. -
Vide 18th page of Yaacey'S pamphlet.
As Mr.. Buchanan was the father of
squatter sovereignty, he shows proper pa
ternal affection in standing by his offspring
as he does in the following extract from
his letter accepting the nomination for the
Presidency
"The recent legislation of Congress respect
ing domestic slavery, derived, as it has been,
from the original and pure fountain of legiti-
mate political power, the will of the majority,
promises ere long to allay the dangerous ex-
element. This legislation is founded upon
principles, as ancient as free government ITSELF
and in accordance with them, has simply de-
clared that the people Of q territory, like those
Of state, shall decide for themselves whether
slavery shall or shall not exist within their
limits.
This principle will surely not
be controverted by any individual of any par
ty protesting devotion to popular government.
Beside, how vain and illusory would any other
pri nciple prove in practice in regard TO the
territories. This is apparent from the fact ad
United by all, that after a territory shall have
entered the Union aud become a state, no con-
stitutionsl power would then exist which could
prevent it from either abolishing or establish
ing slavery, as the case may be, according to
its sovereign will and pleasure"
Here, in all its length and breadth is the
doctrine repudiated by Mr. Yancey in
lS48, and declared by Mr. Calhoun to be
worse than the Wilmot ProviSO, and by the
Union and American to be unconstitu-
tional" and more obnoxious to the South
than all other doctrines. Mr.. Buchanan
is determined that he shall not lose the
benefit of it amongst the Black Republi-
can element Of his party, north, and it is
with this object in view, that he reaffirmS
the doctrine in his letter of acceptance
The platform covered his bantling with
clouds of doubt and uncertainty his letter
brings it out in full proportions, plump,
weIl-developed, an ebony jewel set in white.
We admire the courage with which this is
done. 1t is throwing down the gauntlet
of defiance to Mr. Yancey and all Others
who ike him have denounced Squatter
Sovereignty. And what course will they
pursue Mr.. Yancey is Oh the electoral
ticket in Alabama, but he is not the intre-
pid statesman of lS4S. He has learned
to crook the pregnant hinges of the knee, "
and we may expect to see him sustaining
Mr.. Buchanan and palliating the odious
doctrine which drove him from the canvass
in lS4S. 1t will be a high fall, but he
must realize it. So also must the Union
and American