Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-08-06

negative. $50 the decision OF tne Cnalr !"
reversed" The previous question was the
demanded by majority of the members pre-
ent: when the said previous question was pu
viz: Shall the main question he now putt al
passed in the afirmative-yeas 90, nays W. 4
mongst those voting with Mr.. Fillmore IN II
negative are, HENRY A. WISE, Geo. W. Sun
mers, John P. Kennedy, R. Barnwell Rhett, il
seph R. Underwood, Edward Stanley, and otht
Southern members. Mr.. John @. Adams mo-
ed that the said resolution, moved by Mr.. We
ler yesterday, be laid on the table: And tn
question being put, il was decided in the negs
tive-yeas 20, nays 1874; Mr.. Fillmore, HENR
A. WISE, Joseph r. Underwood, John 2. her
nedy, and Others, voting in the affirmative
The object of Mr. Adams in moving to Ia
the resolution of censure on the table, was to kl
it at once, and thus avoid q direct vote on tn
question. Those opposed to censurirg Mr.. Gio
dings voted in the affirmative, and HENRY A
WISE, present Gov. of Virginia, was one of tha
number. If Fillmore's vote proves him to b
unfriendly to the South, how much more OF
noxious to the charge would a Southern man b
for voting in the same way2 Will the Enquire
inform rs 5eso.,. Gr. m d .iiaar '9l
The question was then put on the resolution
-"Wil the House agree to said resolution ~
1t passed in the affirmative-yeas 125, nays 69.-
Among the members voting in the negative wer
Fillmore Joseph R. Underwood and John Pope
Of Ky,-HENRY A. WISE not uotingl 5rr.
The question was then put that the House d
agree to the preamble and passed in the affirm
ative-yeas 119, nays &C.; MIR. Fillmore an
Mr.. Underwood voting in the negative; HENRI
A WISE not goting, though present. -. sar
l have given, in regular order, all the pro
ceedings Of the House on this resolution Of cen
sure. The Enquirer, in its comments on tn
votes of Mr.. Fillmore, expresses itself in italie
thus: "Fillmore & Go. voting in the negative
Fillmore voted nay with Adams, Giddings
and Slade' adams, Fillmore & Company il
the affirmative" Fillmore & Company in th'
negative "Fillmore & Company again in th'
negative" Now, / beg leave to enlarge the
Company, by adding thereto the name of HEN
RY A. W1sEl. Let 1t be, Mr.. Enquirer, hereaf
ter, HENRY A. WISE Slade, Giddings and Fill
more 1t is evident from the votes of Mr.. Wise
that he conourred with Mr.. Fillmore: he voted
for laying the whole matter on the table, ane
when direct vote was taken on the resolutions
and preamble, he did not oote at aU
Fourth Charge: Mr.. Fillmore is in favor o.
"Sauatter Sovereignty" because he signed the
Bill admitting California as q State into the
Union. 1t would be useless expenditure o.
ink to revert to the circumstances under which
that State was legislated into the sisterhood o.
States. Let it suffice, that it was one of the
Compromise Measures Of 1850, and received the
Presidential sanction alongside with the "Fugi
tive Slave Law" One hundred and fifty mem
bers, many from the slaveholding States, voted
in favor of, and only fifty six, against the ad-
mission. If Mr. Fillmore isin favor of that obi.
Gus doctrine. because he sanctioned that Bill
then was he in good democratic company, for
find the Hon. VIM. A. Richardson, for whom the
Democracy so long and unitedly voted in the
present Congress for Speaker.is recorded as hav-
ing voted with the one hundred and fifty. The
doctrine of "Squatter Sovereignty" was not
sanctioned by Mr.. Fillmore in this matter. On
the contrary, it was the doctrine, now contended
for by Southern men of all parties, sct that
the citizens of q territory shall alone have the
power, when they meet in Convention to frame
constitution, preparatory to admission into the
Union as q State, to determine the question
whether slavery shall or shall not exist within
said Territory This too is the doctrine OF the
Kansas Nebraska Bill, as interpreted by South
ern Democrats. The people of California met
in Convention, adopted Republican Constitu.
ton prohibiting slavery, and presented them
selves before Congress for admission. Congress
received her and Mr.. Fillmore threw no obstacle
in the way. eeE i a.ts .ssa5.1aa SIS ei -s.5
Turn with me to Mr.. Buchanan's Record on
"Squatter Sovereignty" and see how it will
compare with Fillmores. In his letter accept.
ing the nomination made by the Cincinnati Con.
vention, he said n-i iDs -.l
''The recent legislation of Congress respecting
domestic slavery, derived, as it has been, from
the original and pure fountain of legitimate po,
litical power, the will Of the majority, promises
ere long to allay the dangerous excitement
This legislation is founded upon principles as an
cient as free government itself; and, in accord
ance with them, has simply declared THAT TIE
PBoPE OF TERRITORY, LIKE THOSE OF STATE
shall decide for themselves whether slavery
shall, or shall not, exist within its limits. a
'sThe Nebraska Kansas act does no more
than give the force of law to this elementary
principle of self-government; declaring it to be
the true intent and meaning of this act, not to
legislate slavery into any Territory or State, mol
to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the PEOPLE
thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their
domestic institutions in their own way, subject
only to the Constitution of the United States
This principle will surely not be controverted
by any individual of any party protesting devo
ton to popular government" sasal. =.
How similar the language, to that used by
Gen. Cass in his celebrated Nicholson letter, viz
Briefly, then, am opposed to the exercise Of
jurisdiction by Congress over this matter; and
am in favor of leaving to the PEOPLE OF ANY
TERRITORY, which may be hereafter acquired,
the right to regulate it [slavery] for themselves
under the general principles of the constitution "
In '48 the Democracy South, ,contended that this
was not Squatter Sovereignty, and the Democra-
cy North, that it was. After the Presidential
election, Mr.. Cass interpreted his language in
the Nicholson letter, thus "That organized
communities, exercising the powers of Govern
ment, whether State or TERRITORIAL had alone
the right of determining this question for them
selves" This is the Interpretation of the all-
thor of tile Nicholson letter, rs will be found in
Congressional Globe, vol. 81, part l., page 39s.
Gen. Cass intended to convey the idea that
"Squatter Sovereignty" is the true doctrine, and
if his language bears that meaning, how con
that used by Mr. Buchanan, as above quoted,
be misunderstood? Mark the language "THE
PEOPLE OF A TERRITORY, LIKE THOSE OF STATE,
shall decide for themselves whether slavery SHALL
OF Sldll HOl, eAlSI WlLillu iLS llIlllLS
In 1S4S, the Democratic party of Alabama
at Montgomery, for the purpose of
appointing delegates to the National Convention
at Baltimore. A committee having reported
resolutions. The Hon. VIM. L. Yancey proposed
an amendment, consisting of preamble and
resolutions which after discussion was unanim-
ously adopted. The preamble and three of the
resolutions are as follows:
Whereas, opinions have been expressed by
eminent members Of the democratic party, and
by Convention Of o party in New York, as
sembled for the purpose of selecting delegates
to the Baltimore Convention, that the municipal
laws of the Mexican Territories would not be
changed in the ceded territory, by the cession
to the United States, and that Slavery could
not be re-established except by the authority of
the United States or Of the Legislature Of the
Territorial Gorernment-that no doubts should
be allowed to exist upon subject so important,
Il -