The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-03-26

the rights the South and OF all Sec
tions. Let us see what they are. The 9th
and 9TH sections are as follows, to wit:
9th. The unqualified recognition aud main.
tainance of the reserved rights Of the several
States, aud the cultivation of harmony and
fraternal good will between the citizens Of
the several States, and, to this end, non-in-
reference by Congress with questions APP
solely to the individual States,
and non-intervention by each State with the
affairs Of any other State.
eth The recognition Of the right Of the ma.
tive born and naturalized citizens Of the
United States, permanently residing in any
Territory thereof, to frame their constitution
and laws, and to regulate their domestic and
social affairs IN their own mode, subject only
to the provision of the Federal Constitution,
with the right Of admission into the Union
whenever they have the requisite population
for one Representative III Congress; provided
di,cays, that none but those who are citizens
Of the United States unier the constitution
and laws thereof, and who have fixed resi-
dence in any such Territory, ough, tn partici.
pate in the formation Of the constitution. or
in the enactment OF laws Of said Territory or
State.
In the eth Section is asserted the great
principle Of popular sovereignty. a principle
which was in effect re-afIirmed by the Con.
yention that met Immediately after, as is seen
in the resolution with reference to the res
toration of the Missouri line.
But the convention did not stop with the
avowal of their principle oil popular or citizen
sovereignty; they went further and rejected
that of squatter sovereignty. that feature of
ly obnoxious to us oil the South.
Here is the great difference between the
platform of the American party, and the po-
sition Of the Democratic The American
maintains the principle Of citizen sovereign.
ty-the Democratic adds to it that OF squatter
sovereignty; the American party insists that
only Those who are native-born or natural
lied shall take part in framing State Gov
ernment-the Democratic that the alien, the
unnaturalized foreigner, shall have equal
rights with citizens native born; the Ameri-
can party insists that none but citizens per-
manentiy residing in any territory, whether
natiye-born or alien, shall exercise there the
elective franchise-the Democratic accords
to the squatter the same rights in this respect
as to the citizen.
And have we mot seen the practical effect
Of this squatter principle? Look at the pre-
sent condition of the Territory OF Kansas
civil war impending. perhaps already COM
menced. Does any one doubt that this very
squatter feature applied there has contributed
more to bring about the present alarming
state Of things in that Territory than any
other, than all other causes combined! Ithas
originated foreign emigrant societies by which
the free sellers Of the North have introduced
herds Of foreigners fresh from the despotisms
and crimes Of the old world. to take part in
forming the government Of the future STATE.
This has occasioned counteryailing move
ment on the part Of the citizens Of Missouri,
and hence the present commotion there
hence the apprehension Of civil war in Kan
sas, with all its attendant horrors. Now sup
pose the principle Of our platform following
only citizens permanently residing in ter
ritory to form the government Of State had
been incorporated in the Kansas Act, is il al
all probable that these difficulties would have
occurred-is it not almost certain that they
irouid NOT?
You would then hear nothing Of your for
eign emigrant society sending foreigners in
such hot haste into Kansas.
But why do the freesoileis desire the intro
duction Of foreigners into this territory. |.
il not to make Kansas free Slater Are mol
the foreigners that settle IN the North aad
Northwest erciusirrly abolitionists! Ihi.
foreign element therefore Is the great lever
BY which Southern rights are 10 be " crushed
out"
Whose principles therefore most commend
themselves to the South-those which will
keep out or check this foreign element, OF
those which would give il full forcef
Again, the leth section Of this platform as
serts and insists on the maintenance and en-
forcement Of all laws lof C0ngress) until said
laws shall be repealed or shall be declared
null and void by competent judicial authority.
Here is great national and conservative
principle, one that excludes all idea Of Sec
tionalism, but looks to all parts Of the Coun.
try and guarantees TO each all laws passed
for any part or the whole-it therefore en-
forces the fugitive slave Law passed espeei-
ally for the South.
To sum up the whole, then: The platform
" eschews all sectional questions" and the
purpose il asserted 10 " build up the Ameri.
can party upon those lprinciples) purely ma.
fionGi." Il maintains " the perpetuity Of the
Federal Union as the palladium Of our civil
and religious liberties" II demands I" the
unqualified recognition aud maintenance oil
the reserved rights Of the several States; non.
interference BY Congress with questions APP
pertaining solely TO the individual State,
slavery FOR instaner;) intervention b,
each State with The affairs Of any other State
the recognition Of the right 81 the native burn
aud naturalized citizens ~ The United States,
permanently residing in any territories there.
Of, 10 frame their Constitutions and laws aud
I TO regulate their domestic and social affair.
in their own mode" subject only to the Fe.
deral Constitution.