Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-07-31
Buchanan Denouncing Squatter Sow.
ereignty-Still Clings to the Mis-
Souri COmnrOmise.

Since the Gazette Editor is so iDdustri-
ously collating letters on the question of the
constitutionality of the Missouri Complo-
mise, and kindred legislation, we most ur-
gently request him to give place to the fol-
lowing letter from the pen of his standard
bearer. 1t was written in 1S4S, and as Mr..
BUCHANAN was then something over fifty
years of age, it cannot be excused on the
ground of its being youthful indiscretion
WASHINGTON, August 81, lS4S.
Dear Sir: have just received yours Of
the 10Th instant, in which you submit to me
the following paragraph, and ask whether it
contains an accurate version of the CONVEX
| sation between US, concerning my Berks
county letter, on the occasion to which you
refer.
"Happening to meet Mr. Buchanan at the
Presidents levee, on Friday evening, call
ed his attention to this letter, and asked him
if he intended to be understood as claiming
tina. the population of Territory in an un-
organized capacity had the right to con-
troll the question of slavery in such Ter
ritory. He declared that no such idea had
ever been maintained by him; that the con-
struction put upon his language by Mr..
Yancy was perverson of its plain and OBJ
vous meaning; that, in his opinion, the in
habitants of a Territory, as such, had no po-
litical rights, although they possessed all
the private rights of American citizsns;]
that they had no power whatever over the
subject of slavery; AMI they could neither
interdict nor establish it, except when as
sembled in convention to form State Con.
ques!ed me to make any public use of these
declarations that might think proper, tc
correct any impression which Mr.. Yancy's
constructing of his language in the Berks
letter might have made" :"
With the addition which have inserted
between brackets, this statement is sub
stantialIy and almost literally correct, ac.
cording to my collection.
In my letter to Berks county of 25th
August, lS47, had said, "under the Mis-
souri, Compromise slavery was forever pro.
hibited North of the parallel of So degrees
80 minutes. and South of this parallel the
question was left to be decided by the peo-
ple." What people! Undoubtedly the peopl-
of the Territory assembled in convention tc
form State Constitution, and ask admis-
sion into the Union: and not the first adUen-
turers or s.frst comers," who might happen
to arrive in the territory assembled IN public
meeting. If doubt on this subject could
possibly exist, it is removed ty the next sue
ceeding sentence of my letter.
| | proceeded to state: "Congress on the
admission of Texas, adopted the same rule, "
ETC. And what was this rule! "The Joint
Resolution for annexing Texas to the United
States," approved March lst, 1915, answers
in the following words: Sand such States as
may be formed out Of that portion of said
Territory lying South of SO degrees 80 min.
utes, North latitude, commonly known as
the Missouri Compromise line, shall be ad-
mitted into the Union, with or without sla.
very, as the people of each State asking ad-
mission may desire" Such was the des
cription o. the people to whom l referred in
my Berks county letter.
Any other construction of the letter would
render it essentially inconsistent with itself.
Having urged the adoption of the Missouri
Compromise, the inference was irresistible
that Congress in my opinion, possesses the
power to legislate upon the subject of slavery y
in the Territories. What an absurdity would
it then be, if, while asserting this SOVEREIGN
POWER IN CONGRESS, rcaich po,oer from It's
nature must be EXCLUSIVE, should in the
very same breath also claim this identical
power "for the population of a Territory in
an unorganized capacity"
In conclusion, desire to reiterate and
re-affirm every sentiment contained in my
Berks county letter. l cling to the Mis-
souri, Compromise with greater tenacity than
ever, and yet firmly believe that it will be
adopted by Congress.
Yours, very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.
[. SANFORD, Esq.