Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-10-17
buchanan ON squatter Sovereignty.

Buchanan on Squatter Sovereignty.
Read the letter below from the South
ern Advocate published at Huntsville, AL.
1t 'scatters to the wind the Interpretation
which the Exposition put upon Mr.. Blu
chanan's lettersof acceptances:
PHILADELPHIA, Aug 6, 856.
!, Mf DEAR S1RSI spent two hours
yesterday with Buchanan at Wheatland.
His grounds are beautifully and tastefuily
arranged, but his house is plain and un-
pretending in the extreme-eyerything
has the air of transformations Democracy.
But the man himself is the very imperson-
alton Of unaffected republication. l was
never more agreeably disappointed in my
life. He gave US cordial and frank re-
ception, aud talked with US with the free
dom of an old acquaintance. l really
felt as If I had known him all my life
He said the issue involved in this election
was the Union Of these States as equals.
That the South had submitted to the ag-
pressions ofsthe abolitionists with patti
epce that might well challenge the admi.
ration OF the world, and considering their
fre4eating propensities, was difficult to
understand. He ridiculed the doctrine of
squatter Sovereignty. and said that the
South had now, for the FIRST time in the
history Of the country, obtained from the
government the concession Of the true
principles. viz: that the people of Ter
ritory had the right, when they came to
form State Constitution, to say whether
they would or would not have slavery
That by this legislation Congress had adj
mitted that the.power was with the people
and not in Congress. the only sensible
rule was, that this could be exercised by
the people only when they came to form
a State Government, preparatory to adj
mission into the Union. 1 give you al
most his very words. He said, if he
should be elected, he felt satisfied the
slavery question would be finally settled,
provided be could carry a portion Of the
New England States or the State Of New
York. In other words, if he were cleo
ted BY national vote, what he would do
in the premises would have a national
support, and the strength Of Free soilism,
which is sectional, would be dispersed.-
The truth is, Mr.. Buchanan is sound on
the question as was Mr.. Calhoun. and the
, Northern Democracy are better Southern
{ men to. day than many Democrats even al
, done heretofore. now they meet the ques,
ton boldly. and defend the institution OF
/ slavery with fearlessness that we might
t do well to initiate. They do not even
apologize for it on the ground that it is re-
cognized in the Constitution but they
say it is right-that God himself establish
ed it, and that it has the Bible for its
foundation. If we do not sustain these
, men in defence of our institutions. we de.
| serve eternal infamy. The contest is OBJ
| viously between Buchanan and Fremont
Fillmore. is not in the race. No man here
> pretends, to say that he is.
On the whole, therefore, consider bis
, election beyond peradventure-and what
> l regret is, that there can be found in the
whole South single man who will nc
vote for him. If they could see him. and
/ hear him talk. firmly believe he would
get every Southern vote.
l have scrubbed this off SO hurriedly
fear you will not be able to read it.
/ Yours. truly. +*x
> w. B. FIGURES, Esq, Huntsville, Ala