Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-05-30
Squatter Sovereignty.

The Cincinnati Enquirer is now edited by
Judge WALKER, late of the New Orleans
Delta. We have heretofore had occasion
to note the fact that he sustains the Cass
doctrine of squatter sovereignty, and com
plimented Mr.. Benjamin when he recently
announced his intention to act with the
Democratic party, for his conversion" to
principle which, in l848, as Wing oppo-
nent of Gen. CAss, he had rejected We
thought it singular that gentleman from
the South should, so soon after becoming
citizen of non-slaveholding State, begin
to worship at the shrine of squatter sover.
eighty. We were inclined to regard his
establishment as an indication that the
Northern Democracy would not, under any
circumstances, abandon their position in
support of the doctrine of Gen. Cass; and
that the Southern Democracy would be
compelled in the Cincinnati convention to
take the Kansas-Nebraska act, without a
construction, or to secede. We have since
seen nothing to change this opinion. In
deed, evidence to strengthen it accumu-
lates daily. The Enquirer grows holder as
the time for the meeting of the convention
draws nigh. In its impression of Sunday,
25th inst, after stating that the doctrine
of squatter sovereignty Undoubtedly cost
Gen Cass the Presidency, when he was a
candidate in IS4S," it adds:
But when, in 1880 the settlement Of the slavery
question was preciptated upon the country, and it,
in all its constitutional and moral relations, under
went the closest scrutiny and examination, il be-
came evident to our ablest and most experienced
statesmen that the principle laid doun by General
Cass Dds me only upon Wh'ch IL could be settled
aud the Union preserved As the equitable ard
constitution ground, il became popular, and the
basis of the celebrated compromise Of 1850 Since
then il has been carried out in the organization OF
the Territories Of Washington. Ne6ra'ka, aud Han
sas and may be regarded think, the fired policy
Of the government.
Why has the Enquirer, at this late day,
made the discovery that the Cass doctrine
of squatter sovereignty twas the basis of
the celebrated compromise of 1892? 1t
is a convenient after-thought, resorted to
for the purpose of giving Northern Demo
Gratis additional excuses for sustaining a
doctrine more dangerous to the South than
the Wilmot Proviso. The compromise of
1850 would never have succeeded had
squatter sovereignty been its basis. South
ern Wings and Southern Democrats who
supported would have repudiated it with
scorn.
The attempts Of the leaders and organs
of great party to confuse the minds Of
the masses, and to force them to fallacious
conclusions relative to important measures
of governmental policy, are discreditable.
They ought not to be tolerated. Open, fair
dealing is, with parties as with individuals,
the best policy. The Cincinnati Conven-
ton owes it to the people to put an end to
the system of jugglery which has been
practiced by the Democratic party, and, for
the good of public morals, we hope it will
discharge the duty faithfully. But, the
prospect is rather unpropitious; we expect
nothing. Dubiety will conquer at Cincin.
natl.