The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-01

adventures recover from their fright and come
hack aga;n. Sharp idea that; for if law were
passed at once providing for a State convention
of the people of Kansas forthwith, undr the aus
pices OF this Pierce administration, very likely
a State constitution recognizing the existence Of
the institution of slavery would he the result.
But as the concurrence Of a Northern House OF
Representatives will be required before plan of
this sort can be put into operation, we fear thet
the Northern Aid Societies win have reinforced
their wasted ranks in Kensas in time to take a
hand in this game Of sQnatter sovereignty.
Alas for the follies of cur narrow-sighted poll
ticians and President makers at Washington!
"The proof of the pudding is in the eating there
Of" Squatter sovereignty is farce. The legis-
lative supervision of Congress is supreme over
the Territories; the executive authority Of
the President is supreme, as shown in the
working of this identical Kansas Nebraska
bill, even upon the subject of slavery. The
hostile abolition squatters and border ruff
fans have trsanpled squatter sovereignty
under foot. 1t is humbug. Mormon
polygamy reigns over Utah under the
plea of squatter sovereignty and makes it a
nuisance. Mr.. Douglas himself, when pushed
for definite interpretation carries this bantlng
of squatter sovereignty into the Supreme Court
and, dropping it there, comes away and washes
his hands of the whole business. Gen. Cas- es
says to help him to a right understanding Of the
problem; but even Gen. Cas-, with each succeed
ing effort to get out, only gets deeper into the
E1axr< loo ;,r,hs
plantations of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty.
The repeal Of the Missouri Compromise was
right and proper. 1t was the repeal Of an uncon-
stitutional Presidential electioneering armistice
This repeal, however, was not discovery of Mr.
Douglas or Mr.. Pierce. Mr.. Dixon, wing of
Kentucky, threw it into the Senate as an expert
mental bomb shell, and no man can deny that
it has made magnificent explosion among the
old party crsckery. From the very outset, how
ever, we advocated the repeal of that Missouri
Compromise, and because it was a compromise
outside Of the. constitution, and must sooner or
later be set aside. 1t was the influence of the in
dependent press of the North that first brought
Mr. Douglas and Mr.. Pierce to the happy thought
that something might be made out CT Mr.. Dixon's
motion; for what had either Mr.. Pierce or Mr..
Douglas to fear, with the South at his side and
the constitution at his back?
So the Missouri Compromise was repealed, and
sauatter sovereignty was proclaimed the law
of the Territories But in the subse-
quent foIlies imbecilites and recklea blunders Of
Mr.. Pierce, first to concliate the North, and
secondly to curry favor with the So1th;' and in
the close attachment of Mr.. Douglas to the adj
both. our little President and the.
/" Little Giant have failed to make it pay ex-
penses. Squatte- sovereignty has been tried and
found wanting. 1t means civil war in Kansas,
in Utah. 1t il neither the thing for good morals,
freedom nor slavery. What is to he done? Let
us return and see if the way Of safety is not
marked out in the constitution.
The federal constitution il the binsing agree
mcnt Of copartnership of States and sections.
There are concessions to the small States by the
great States and there are concessions broad,
large conspicuous AMI liberal, from the North to
the South upon the subject Of slavery. Thus,
for the " sake Of a more perfect union" repre-
senation of three-ifths Of the Southern slave po-
pulation was conceded Ia the federal enumeration
far Congress- and so, likewise, .'for the general
welfare, the trainers of the constitution provided
for Tie return Of the fugitiEe slaves to their Tas
tiers. 1t may, in truth. he said that we are in
debte Cor this union OF these states to these cen-
cessionsof the North to the Sosth and TO Southern
slavery. in the framework o. the constitution.
The great object sought and conceded was a
self sustaining balance of power TO the people, to
the States-to the small States against the larger
States. and to the Southern slave States against
the Northern States This latter feature Of self
protection, in the several concessions TO the
South Is particularly conspicuous.
What IL the lesson thus taught u.s. II Is the
lesson Of Cancellation and concession. The origi-
nal bulwar lof the South, Of three-ffths repre-
sentation Of their slaves, has been overborne by
the overwhelming increase Of the white popula-
ton Of the North The South has fallen back
upon that protection accorded to the small
States against the large States to wit: an cquali-
" Of representation In the federal Senate. Here
the Southern breakwaier against Northern en-
croacbmenis was maintained iii the admission Of
California, which, giving to the North sixteen
States TO fifteen Southern States, places the South
in minority Of two members. even in the Sc
nate. The South are sensitive against any fur
Their additional weight to this Northern prepon-
duance; and hence the intensity Of this Kansas
excitement. But squatter sovereignty, even
should 1t be successful by any sort Of manage
ment, in securing Kansas TO the South, will AZ
ford only temporary security. We must go back
TO the constitution and it, spirit Of compromic
and concession, ,or the Union is worth a sacri-
fee or two Of sectional pride, any especially
TO us Of the North.
The true policy then, in reference TO the Ter
ritorics, in connection with the slavery question,
Is hereafter to let In a free State and slave
State together. According to the terms of the
annexation Of Texas, that State at any time.
when the people thereof are ready, may bc divid-