The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-08
THE0RY-MoNGERs AND THEIR THEORIES
THE oLIGARCHY AND THE PEOPLE.


ries, and guarantees their unrestricted right to
determine their own institutions Had they not
succeeded in inducing the majority Of Demo
cratic voters in the free States to believe that
the bill embodies this Principle, they could
not have maintained their party organization.
1t was clear to all of US who opposed the
measure, that it neither recognised nor sought
to carry out any such Principle, and we have
done what we could to expose the deception
practiced upon the People. At last, we hope,
the illusion is about to be dispelled, and the
truth made so plain, that the most brazenfaced
demagogue will not dare to gainsay it.
The OEgarchy, emboldened by its repeated
triumphs over the People of the Free States,
by the indications of renewed vigor in the
Democratic organization, by the uncomplain-
ing acquiescence of al the leaders of that
party in the North and West, and by the want
of unity and organization among its opponents,
has undoubtedly resolved on the application Of
its final test-tie population Of the p rinciple
Of Popular Sovereignty in Territories, and the
recognition Of the right Of holding Slares
'ohereuer the jug Of the Union floats, under The
sanctions Of the Federal Constitution. This
test will be applied to the Cincinnati Conven.
ton, about to assemble in June. After the
passage Of the Kansas Nebraska Bill, the only
demand made was, acquiescence in the BILL u
and the conventions of the party in the Free
States were allowed to accompany this with
whatsoever declarations they chose to make in
regard to the right of the People of the Terri
tories embraced in its provisions to determine
their own institutions. But the time has now
come, when the whole Party is to be brought,
not only to endorse the BILL but to affirm that
it does not sanction the principle of Popular
Sovereignty. While it was under considera-
ton, the Oligarchy united with its Northern
allies in rejecting all amendments designed to
affirm or deny the right Of the People of Ter
ritory, under its provisions, to prohibit Slavery
it was necessary to secure the passage of the
bill, and to enable its Northern advocates to
reconcile their constituents to it that neces-
sity having passed away, whatever ambiguity
has hitherto been tolerated, must now cease
the Oligarchy knows what it meant by the bill,
and the Cincinnati Convention will be required
to affirm that meaning. The demand is not to
be misunderstood; we reprint it as it appeared
in the Era last week, from the columns Of the
Richmond (Va.) Enquirer, the principal organ
most authentic exponent of the views of the
Oligarchy.
We must, in the Cincinnati platform, repu.
diate Sguatter Sovereignty, and expressly assert
State equality We must declare that it is the
duty of the General Government to see that no
invidious or curious distinctions are made
between the people or the property of different
sections an The Territories. We do not mean
to dictate. 1t may be that the assertion in
the platform of the abstract proposition of State
equality may suffice to carry along with it the
consequences which we desire. But it is often
charged that the Kansas n ebraska bill contains
the doctrine of Squatter Sovereignty, and that
.Squatter Sovereignty as tie most efficient agent
Of Free Soilism. Some all Northern Demo
Gratis hare maintained this ground. Now, THIS
GUN MUST Re SPIKED. 1t must appear from our
platform that we maintain practical State
eqality and repudiate that construction Of the
Kansas Nebraska act schich tc0nld defeat IT,
Tie South only demands equality Of right.
The more clearly it appears that the Northern
Democracy is ready to concede it to her, the
more certain is our candidate Of success"
To put it beyond the power of demagogues
to explain away this audacious demand, we
shall quote portions of a carefully written edi-
torial which appeared in the Richmond IVA
Enquirer of the oath of April:
"The sovereignty of the People is a noble
principle, and should command universal hon.
age. Squatter Sovereignty" is an imposture-
counterfeit copy-an ugly idol wrought by
mems hands-and should be kicked off the
pedestal where it sits in mock majesty, and
courts the alteration OF fools and demagogues
ave cannot conceive ho,c any doubt can
arise as to the tuU, perfect, unlimited, and SOC
ereigR poacer Of the Federal Government oper
The Territory of Kansas, as the agent or trustee
Of The eristing States. BY the purchase from
Louisiana, and the subsequent extinction of the
Indian titles, the Territory became ours, to DIS
pose Of and gocern as ace pleased, for the COM
mon benefit Of all the States. The States can
only exercise their sovereign administrative
and governmental rights, Through the iastru-
mentality cfthe Federal Government"
The Enquirer proceeds to show how the
practice of the Government corresponds with
this doctrine. The President at first was in.
trusted with almost "absolute power" over
Louisiana Territory-then, under authority
from Congress, appointed the Governor and
Legislative Council-then, the people there had
" no voice whatever in their own Government
In the Northwest Territory, q Governor and
three Judges, appointed by the Federal Gov
eminent, exercised legislative, executive, and
judicial powers, their laws also being subjec,
TO the approval of Congress" The subse
quent, qualified right to legislate was conferred
on the people there "by Congress"
The Enquirer argues the necessity of this
"absoute dominion" of the Federal Govern
ment over Territories, for reasons which also
| involve the assumption of the right of Con
gress to reject the application of State fol-
admission into the Union, a right hitherto de
MED by a large portion Of Northern Demo
Gratis: but Slavery respects no doctrine no
| tributary to its own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Read il,
| argument:
This absolute dominion over our Terrific
ries is essential to our existence as a nation. i
might happen that a newly conquered Terrific
ry, or Territory occupied by free negroes
| Indians, Chinese, hordes OF robbers, or lawless
| Ignorant, and immoral people of any kind
| such, for example, as Abolitionists-Ed. Era.
could not be trusted with any voice in thei
| own Government even as Territory, macj
less ,coutd such people be entitled TO ad,nissio,
as a State, simply because they had populatio,
| sufficient to elect q member to Congress. Tn,
Federal Government is bound to govern all tn,
Territories. 1t may and should exercise it
powers, through Territorial Government elect
ed by the people, to be governed when the PEG
pie are sufficiently moral and intelligent fo
selfgovernment, and are ,ceu affected to as anc
our institutions The peculiar institution. &c