Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-07-10
"sQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY,

"SQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY
Mr. BUCHANAN has been arraigned with SO
much virulence for his supposed assertion of
this principle in his letter accepting the Demo
cratic nomination that we propose to examine
his views, and to prove that no just in,erpreta-
ton Of his language can justify such a con-
struction.
To do this we must consider the circum-
stances by which he was surrounded the
platform TO which he gives his unqualified as
sent-the provisions OF the Kansas Nebraska
act-the principles which he relies upon to
sustain him-,he conclusion 10 which he comes,
and the course he marks out ior himself in
case Of his election.
Now, Mr.. BUCHANAN had Just been nomi.
mated by Democratic Convention, represent
ing party placing itself upon national, not
geographical, bass-a party maintaining that
each and every member Of the confederacy
possessed equal rights and claiming in their
platform Fellowship with, and desiring the CO.
operation Of all who regard the preservation
of the Union, under the Constitution, as the
paramount issue, and repudiatng all sectional
parties and platforms concerning domestic
slavery, which seek to embrol The States and
incite to treason and armed resistance the law
in the Territories, aud whose avowed purpose,
if consummated, must end in civil war and
dsunion.n
He was told by the committee who rendered
to him the nomination, that his attention was
invoked to the series of resolutions adopted by
the convention. 1t was added, that the con-
vention cherished a profound conviction that
his elevation TO the first onHe in the republic
will give moral guarantee to the country that
] the true principles Of the Constitution will be
asserted and maintained.
In examining this series of resolutions he
could not fail to see that one of the main fea-
lures of the platform was a rigid construction
ofthe Constitution" that the Federal Govern
ment was one of limited powers, derived solely
from the Constitution, and the grants of power
made therein ought 10 be strictly construed by
all the departments and agents Of the gop1n-
Raent, and that it is inexpedent and dangerous
to exercise doubtful constitutional powers"
He was compelled to notice the fact, that
they proclaimed that every citizen and every
section of the country had a right TO demand
and insist upon an equality Of rights and privi-
leges, and a complete and ample protection Of
persons and property from domestic violence
and foreign aggression.
He could not fail to see it asserted "that all
efforts Of the Abolitionis,s or others made to
induce Congress 10 inierfrc with questions Of
slavery, or to take iucpient steps ia relation
thereto, are calculated to lead to the most
alarming and dangerous consequences" "That
the Democratic party will resist all attempts at
renewing IN Congress- on ont Of IL, the agitation
Of the slavery question, under schdtcrer shape
or color the attempt may be made
Now, il the Federal Government is one Of
limited powers derived solely from the Consti.
tuition, and the grants Of power made therein
ought to be strictly construed, Mr.. BUCHANAN
would look in vain in that instrument for any
grant Of power to establish or abolish slavery
in the Territories the rules and regula.
tons respecting the Territories which they are
authorized to make, must be in conformity TO
the grants Of power expressly given.
Mr.. BUCHANAN could not fail to know that,
in passing law organizing a Territory, Con.
gress could not delegate either to the people Of
that Territory, or TO a legislature to be elected
by them, powers which itself did not possess
and when he was told that it was one Of the
fundamental doctrines Of the Democratic party
that the Constitution ought 10 be strictly con-
strued by all the departments and agents Of
the government, he could not but perceive that
the people and the Legislature Of a Territory
we're but the agents OF Congress TO execute
the rules aud regulations it adopted respecting
the Territories, and that therefore they these
agents) could not possess powers not granted
to those whose agents they we're.
He could not fail 10 see, "if every citizen
and every section of the country has right
to demand and insist upon an equality Of rights
and privileges" that the citizens Of the South
have the same right to take their property to
one Of the Territories that citizen Of the
North has to take his property there and IL
Congress cannot exclude them from the Terri
tory; its agents cannot and If they have
right to demand and insist upon this right and
privilege, they have the correlative right to be
protected and defended in its maintenance.
If the Democratic party will resist all at
tempts to renew in Congress, or ont Of u, the
agitation Of the slavery question, Mr.. BUcH-
sNAN could not but know that they were pre-
pared TO resist the agitation in the Territories,
md therefore to say that the people Of the Ter.
itory, or the Legislature, might pass laws about
T. must be 10 agitaie the question, which be