Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1856-07-09

to meet together and decide whether sla-
very shall Or shall not exist in a terrific
ry, Any half-dozen Freesoilers. who
perchance may get into a Territory first,
can by the Squatter Sovereignty prinei-
pie deci.Sstbat slavery shall not exist in
the Territory. This is the result of that
odious doctrine; this is one Of the many
ills that would flow from the exercise Of
that abominable principle: And SO on
the other hand it would work equal in
Justice to the North, if half a. dozen
Southerners who should perchance be
the first settlers Of a Territory were to
enact and pass laws that were detrimen-
tai to the rights and privileges Of North
erners. In either case injustice would be
done. And either case would be the
practical working Of the principle Of
squatter Sovereignty. /. -
But this odious doctrine the Demoefa-
cy utterly repudia:e, and in its stead as
sert a true Constitutional principle; a
principle that treats all sections of the
Confederacy alike in popping Tercito-
rys principle that grants equal privi-
leges and similar rights to every State Of
the Union; principle that recognizes
emo North. 30 South, no East, no West"
in the settlement Of Territory;a princi-
pie that confers the same privileges upon
the ave-holdiug as upon the hireling
States of the Confederacy; a principle
that places every State upon an equality,
and recognizes equally alike the sever
eign rights Of all And what is this
principle? 1t is that the citizens of each
and every State shall have the same and
equal rights in tue Territories the com
mon property of'each and all the States
1t is that no laws shall be enacted by the
of a Territory that will, in
any way, operate unequally upon the cit
liens of the entire Union. 1t is that the
inhabitants Of Territory. shall not de-
eide upon the adoption or rejection of
slavery until .lthey are authorized by
Congress to meetin Convention and adopt
i Constitution for themselves. And this
is the principle containedtin the Kansas
Nebraska bill, whereinit says, Congress
shall neither -legislate slavery into any
Territories or States, nor out of the same;
but the people shall be left free to regu-
ate their domestic concerns in their own
way, subject only to The Constitution Of
he United States. Hence we assert that
he Kansas Nebraska bill does n t con
tainthe principle of squatter Sovereignty,
but on the contrary denies any such right
% be exercised by squatters. -. 1
In conclusion, We will add that, by
he Constitution ofthe United States, the
avs of a Territory passed by the inhab-
tants thereof are subject to the revision
md ratifcationof Congress and the Pre-
'ident; and that Con gress and the Presi-
lent can ratify no law passed by the in
1abitants OF a Territory which is in con-
lict with the Constitutional rights ofsapy
If the States; and therefore the doctrine
# Squatter Sovereignty is radically er;
'oneous and in conflict WITH the Consti-
ution of the United States, inasmuch as |
quatters, by SqIatter Sovereignty, can
exercise rights and privileges which be-
ong only to the people of a Territory
when assembled in solemn Conv ent;nn
lnder and by virtue of All act of Con
,ress issued in conformity with the Con
titution of the United States.