Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-10-18
SOUTHERN SBNTINBh.
LErrEH rRom COZ. POM.

AE& AAEE &&&O1A S&
The Baton Rouge Advocate having
passed some structures upon Col. PoND's
position on the Kansas-Nebraska bill, he
REPLIED to The article in n letter to the ed
itor Of the Baten Rouge Gazette, from
which we make the following extracts:
lam satisfied that The South has been wretch
edly deluded as TO the true character of the
Kansas and Nebraska act. / regard it as one
of those Syren lullabys, by whose fatal charm
the South has been shorn of her might and her
right. The evidence is overwhelming to, my
mind, that the doctrine of Squatter Sovereign
ty is and was intended 10 be the principle Of
the Kansas act. The evidence upon the point
is high and authoritative. Mr.. Pierce, the
President, MIR. Douglas, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Territories, MIR. Cass, Mr.. Bigler and
the Uuion are witnesses. Mr.. Pierce has lie
Illustrated ii practically in the presen. condition
Of Kansas. The universal Democracy North
tell US 60, and the Democratic party propose to
continue its application to our territorial or
rani2ation. Our Democratic friends South de.
ny all these things but their denials, in the fIce
ofsuch open, prominent and universal evidence,
smacks more of patEzan desperation than Of
sober reason. With such things staring them
in the face, not only as a Southern man, but
as an humble supporter of a great Constitu~
tional principle, believing the Northern Demo-
cratic Interpretation Of the Kansas act to be
the one which the success of the Democratic
parry is 10 render paramount to all Southern
ideas on the subject, | turn upon the Kansas
act and denounce it as a gilded baubIe thrown
ont to the South, a trojan horse brought as an
offering Of peace into the Constitutional de-
fences Of Southern rights, bat whose wooden
sides are filled with armed men. We have
been earnestly struggling against the power Of
Congress over The question Of slavery in the
territories. but the effect of Squatter Soy err
eighty, or That still more damnable delusion be-
cause originated by Southern men, popular
Sovereignty, if maintained in ITS application to
the territories, concludes the controversy, and
there is nothing left, except the question Of
the public spoils TO prevent the Democracy and
The Black Republicans from a complete and
harmonious union. The only difference be-
tween them now is. the Black Republicans are
for shutting slavery out of the territories by
Congressional action, the democrats north by
territorial legislative action-what is the differ
ence then to the South whether legislative
power il exercised over this question by Cons
gress, or BIZ a territorial Legislature? The
difference is simply this, that in Congress the
South would have some Representation,
through which her voice and influence might be
heard and felt in resistance 10 such a measure,
in a territorial legislation she would have none.
The Democratic doctrine of popular or squads
ter Sovereignty only transfers the exercise of
this dispute and dangerous power from Con~
gress, 10 a Congressional agent. 1t only
changes the means, while it insures the result
with tenfold more certainty. Hence Mr.. Cal.
houn said, with infinite propfiety, that the
principle Of Sqnatter Sovereignty was more
oiious than the Wilmot pfoviso. Is it to be
supposed that understanding the subject in
this light ] @ould have been willing TO vote, as
the Advocate says, for a measure which would
be "
LIST, a disgrace 10 The statute book.
I'd, which was a trick to perpetuate Demo-
cratic rnIe.
81, Which resulted in civil war and f~raternal
bloodshed?
y " n II
In conclusion, I regard any Southern man
Or any Southern organ, who ~connives at, or.
contributes directly or indirectly TO the maln~
tenance Of the Kansas act as interpreted by the
Northern Democracy and as endorsed by Mr..
Buchanan, as an enemy to his own interests,
and as a traitor to the rights and honor of the
South. He mist yield like an abiect and de-
graded slave, the great question. for which we
have been %eontending for yes and out of
which has grown the deep anxiety and interest
which pervades The Southern mind. He must
sav that Congress may do that through a
territorial gent. which we have contended Con-
gress cannot doof it's own Constitutional pow
er. This done, the democratic party may
triumph, and its triumph will be celebrated by
the morsl humiliation or political degradation
Of the Southern States. Upon these issues |
throw myself boldly before the people-my
language il expIicit-my meaning not s~uscepti.
BILE of being misunderstood. + shall move
steadily and fearlessly on in defence Of the
Union, the Constitution and Of Soathernrights.
Whenever, By any act of mine, the elevation Of
this position Shall have been degraded into the
character of q time serving partisan-then the
arrows of political maleYolence may reach me,
and may Fankle-but until then, i wear "A
panoply of steel.
Truly, your friend,
PEEsToN PoaD, JR.