Washington telegraph., 1856-07-23
Buchanan and ''sqaatter Sovereignty

Buchanan and ''Squatter Sovereignty.S
Here Is Rhat the New Orleans Delfo.
heretofore red-hot Sag-Nicht Buchanan
papcr, says % this subject.
Ir. buchanan seems not to have been
content to let the wcil-enourh alone. III
adis marginal mote III the wrong nlacc
MA ail wrong places; he ~ \ word IVY
much at an uniucky moment WI al un-
lucky moments; ANA nur word t1 much ny
NJ critical fine inr, 5iitia5, especially up1r
the delicate ana vital subject which nv
i.- -S m l1i;' n.r-ltnitlus commentary, NAV
haNn word ~ meaning ana rg.l4ls.,
But he has said il. and We, a. S.M.az4s
Journalists; have to comment on hte --sI.-
mcntary. Referring % the NebrlsEa-
k,xsas bill, he says: =
recent legislation Of Congress re-
spectiug domestic slavery, derived. as ithas
been, from the original aud pure fountainI
of Legitimate political power, the Will Of
the majority promises ere long To- allav
the dangerous excitement. This legi-ll-
tion il founded on principles Is ancient
as free government itself. and in aceor-
dance with them. Inns simply declared that
Ml yaJpia M territory LIKE THOSE oF A
~rArE, zAall decide tor themselves, wheth-
er slavery -haiL or -hall not exist within
thcir limits"
NOW. III he Lad slii that the people oF
a territory like those of -tate. when thcv
cIme rp adopt "A constitution. shall decide
llr themselves whether slavery shall or
sha!l nUt exist i'll their limits. ~ u .Sir,e.
hi- c1mmcutlFv would have been in har- /
uDny with the rzt Of the platform which I
he slys he endorses. and would have been .
as unexccPiionableas As appropriate. But he I
chose not 70 limit the expression Of his .
views relative to "sguatter sovereignty" Z
and but too distinctly lays down the doc I
-rine that the people Of 4 Territory may
decide for themselves. whether slavery
shall Or shall not exist il their Territory 4
limits This proposition j. equally H.
admissible and repn-nint % the south.
'Nc fatly reject il. VIE deny that ii IL
.iihcr sound or jnzt; ALTA, with all dete-
renee flr Mr. Burharan's shrewdness anH
experience, and Hid due consideration f1r
.le czi.enl nael ha may have felt in pla-
llE himself in favorable ald 1R rrg-
n.aiFm attitude before tle North on thr
question XXI --sIuattar sovereignty" we arc
compelled tJ regard I'LL cEigcsi- uncallai
nr and n1t justified by The te-t We hold
Int the government of Territory i the
.rclture VI Congress; that the people Of q
777T=7s .s4Ilsz!s ,lhe legislative branch
congress; and n 49, ~ casrftIDs vtrf-tr-
u,ionallv establish or prohibit slavery iuf
Territory. 20 neither. n yortiori, can
Territory exercise any such power \
Territory Is the common property Of al
he States; the Constitution extends over
I % protect the persons and property Of
m II. inhabitants. whether they be from
bc North or South, slave holders or non
lave holders; and il j. only when the peO
wv of Territory form a government a
hrir own. with the consent of the States
rfven through Congress, GIT they can
oritimatclv decide f1rthemsclvcs, whcth-
wv slavery shall rr -haIl nnt czi5t in their
limits" such wc conceive To hive been
h1 yiews vi 1lr. Calhoun, Vito -rigmatiz-
,d thc other doctrine W "slulttgr sOver-
.i-uiv' as odi0us and aischievous in the /
highest degree and these views have been .
expressed. from time 20 time. BY Davis, .
Duitman. Soule. and other distinguished .
States-Rights men Of the South. How .
these gentlemen viii stand affected toward .
Mr. Buchanan. after knowing the views
he has promulgated in regard to ''squatter
sovereignty" we viii not venture to say. I