Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-07-12
FROM the Newberry Is. CO. Mirror.
Mr. Buchanan and Squatter SOver-
eighty.

Mr.. Buchanan, in his letter Of acceptance, has
unequivocaly taken his position in favor of the
squatter sovereignty Of Gen. Cass. He pretends
to accept the platform put together at Cincinnati
but he puts upon it the Northern Interpretation
The platform was intended to bamboozle the cOuns
try, by being SO framed that it could have one
meaning at the North and another at the South.
But here is Buchsnans Interpretation as given in
his letter accepting the nomination.
1.-THE recent legislation CT Congress respecting
domestic slavery, derived as it has been from the
original and pure fountain of legitimate political
power the will of the majority, promises ere long
to allay the dangerous excitement. This legislation
is founded upon principles as ancient as free gov
erIment itself, and in accordance with them has
simply declared that the people of Territory like
those of State, shall decide for themselves whe-
ther slavery shall or shall not exist within their Ii
mits"
This is exactly the squatter doctrine Of Gen. Cas-
which South Carolina has always so much condem.
ned. 1t first preached by Gen Cass in his cele-
brated letter during his Presidential canvass ito
Nicholson, believe.) He wished to avoid the
responsibility Of meeting the question as a
question of Federal legislation, knowing that
such legislation by Congress would please the
North wOnld be obnoxious to the South. In this
dilemma, and wishing to please both sections and
to their votes for the Presidency he advoca.
ted the extraordinary doctrine that the frat squat
tiers upon Territory, without regard to its mum.
bers, Of the consent of Congress, had an inherent
right of legislation on ell subjects. The South has
rejected the doctrine not only as without parti-
Gle OF warrant from the Constitution, but highly
inexpedient to Southern interest
There is another doctrine advanced in the above
short extract, the most pernicious ever announced
as applicable to the Federal Government and which
If received must prove fatal the South 1t is the
doctrine that 1.-THE will OF the majority Is the orgi-
nal aud pure fountain of political power" We say,
and it is cherished principle of South Carolina,
that this doctrine, especially applicable to the
Federal Government, is utterly false, as well the
great source OF evil to this country and more par
ticuarly to the South. The will of the majority has
often in practice been substituted for the obligations
OF the Constitution; but it has seldom been annOun
ced with so much hardibood as by Mr.. Buchanan,
that 1.-THE will Of the majority" is to be looked upon
as kind OF Deity that is unerring, and to which
we must bow in unconditional submission Mr.
Buchanan could not have announced more obnox
ious doctrine to South Carolina, or one TO which
through her whole history she has been more firm
ly opposed. With her the Constitution and Justice
are the fountain Of legitimate political power, and
she would be utterly false to herself if she would
do anything to sanction q different rule in the leg
islatton of the country.