Washington sentinel., 1856-07-29


pressed, sustained this opinion, and his own Ian
guage elsewhere, threw a food of light upon
the true meaning of his letter, and that we were,
therefore, justified in the belief that Mr., BUcH,
ANAN maintained the southern conservative
view of this question.
But the Journal affects to deny that the Gin
cinnati platform repudiates the doctrine of
squatter sovereignty, and asserts in broad
round terms that the platform is Intentionally
non-committal upon the subject of squatter
sovereignty. Itneither affirms nor denies. 1t
pretermits. 1t evades" Now really Mr..
Journal, this is not even ingenious Ut is
simply and inefably ridiculous" But we
would not deal in such harsh terms without
reason, and so we call the attention of the pub
lie (not the Journal, it is past all hope) to the
resolution Of the platform on this subject.
"Resolsed, That we recognize the right of
the people of all the Territories, including
Kansas and Nebraska, acting through the
legally and fairly expressed will of majority
of actual residents, and, ,chenerer tie number
Of their Inhabitants .juStifes Il, to form con-
| stitution with or without domestic slavery, and
be admitted into the Union upon terms Of per
| feet equality with the other .SdteSn
Can anything be more explicit? Can any
thing be less pretermitting?" Can anything
be less "evasive?" This decision must be
expressed by majority of actual residents
Clearly nothing can be more republican. 1t
must only be expressed when the number Of
inhabitants justifes it. Who shall decide on
the requisite number? Surely no power within
the territory, else you render the language mug
atory, for a number however small may thus
consider themselves large enough to meet the
requsition, and, if outside The territory where
can the power be lodged but in Congress- 1t
must be legally expressed And by whom
must the law authorizing its expression be
adopted? By Congress, say we; because Con-
gress having the sole power to admit new
States, can alone decide when the legal steps
have been taken to authorize their admission.
1t must be by constitution, the highest sove.
reign act Of sovereign people, not by the
mere determination of an unorganized and
| dependent people. And, finally, when all this
is accomplished, the territory shall be admitted
into the Union upoE terms Of perfect equality
with the other Stats. Now, this last clause Of
the resolution is pregnant with Importance, as
showing, that even III as carefully worded
resolution as this the word territory is used
as expressive of that inchoate sovereign cond.
ton, when the unorganized people of the ter
rltory throw off their dependence and are for
the first time classed as g State" 1t is but
fair to presume, and any candid mind will 50
decide, that in the use Of the word territory"
by Mr.. BUCHANAN in his letter Of acceptance.
he intended to convey the idea of territory
SO organized, and legally authorized to take
this important step from dependence into soye-
reignty.
SO much for the soundness of the platform
on squatter sovereignty. Is not the language
conclusive and unequivocal2 In all candor.
we appeal to the editor of the Journal whether
the platform does not "deny" the doctrine
which he pronounces, and justly pronounces,
revolving to the South And now we would
apply the mode of reasoning of the Journal to
ITSELF and out Of its own mouth would we
Judge it. If it be legitimate to infer that BE-
cause Mr. BUCHANAN is unsound on this sub
iect, therefore the Cincinnati platform, which
he endorses, is unsound is it not equally legiti-
mate to infer that if the Cincinnati platform il
sound on this question, Mr.. BUCHANAN. who
endorses il, must be eqnaly sound. We ad-
NIT that such reasoning is not TO our taste.
We admit that il is Ridiculous but it is the
reasoning selected by the Journal and perhaps
not the less adapted to its faculties because il
is ridiculous.
But fortunately we are not left to inference
or conjecture on this vital point Mr.. BUcH.
ANAN's record on this as on every point con-
nected with the canvass is without blemish.
He himself has explained his meaning Of the
phrase people Of Territory" to be pre-
cisely that which we have attached to Il
Undoubtedly the people Of the Territory
assembled in convention 10 form a State con.
stitntion, and ask admission into the Union
and not the first adventures or first comers >
VINO might happen To arrive IN the Territory
assembled in public meeting"- [lSandtord
letter. In other words: The people Of the
Territory, acting through the legally and fairly
expressed will Of majority Of actual resi-.
dents, and whenever the number Of their ip.
habitants justifes it,
| Nor is the Louisville Journal less fortunate
in the description Of the disease, than in the
suggestion Of the remedy. We are gravely
advised, as Southern men, as Republican Demo
Gratis, as sound statesmen, to fly from the
eprons touch Of Mr.. BUCHANAN, into the
healthful arms of MILLARD FILLMORE. old
adages are often used to express wholesome
truths by extrayagant hyperbole Thus we
have heard Of jumping out Of the frying pan
into the fire. Thus have we been taught the
folly Of swapping the devil for witch. And
thus the divine Shakespeare himself has made