Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-01
From the Louisville Journal.

7th The recognition of the right of the
native 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
70 the provisions of the Federal Constitution,
with the right of admission into the Union
whenever they have the requisite population
for one Representative in Congress Preceded,
&c.
This is the Seventh section of the American
platform. The editor of the Democrat is fool
ish enough to say aud possibly foolish enough
TO think OhOugh We presume nOO that il it
refers at all TO slavery it embOdies the princi
pie of squatter sovereignty, that is, that a
Territorial Legislature or the squatters of
Territory having no Legislature may abolish
slavery. or course every man of common
sense sees that the section does not touch the
subject of squatter sovereignty at all 1t sim
ply recognizes the right of citizens of the Uni
ted States residing permanently in a Territory
to frame their own constitution aud laws and
regulate their domestic and social affairs sub
ject only to the provisions of the federal con-
~tituJion, with the right Of admission into the
Union with Institutions of their own framing
whenever they are numerous enough.
The assertion that the people of Territory
may frame their constitution and laws and
regulate their domestic and social affairs sub
ject only TO the federal constitution preclndes
the idea that Congress can Interfere with SLAVE
~ in the Territory. Aud there is no faint of
-quatter sovereignty in this assertion, for it
recognizes The limitation of the power Of the
people OF the territory by the provisions Of
the Constitution, and all the opponents Of
squatter sovereignty agree that the abolition
of slavery in a territory either by the Legisla-
ture or 10y the squatters would be a violation
of rights guaranteed by the Federal Consttu
ton. This seventh section Of the American
platform asserts the right of the people of a
territory TO come into the Union with institu-
tons of their own choice subject only TO the
provisions of the Constitution, and we all
know that the Constitution does not prohibit
their coming in with slavery. A director or
broader assertion than that contained in the
seventh section a. to the right of Territories
to come into the Union a slave States when
ever their population is sufficient could not be
made by human tongue or pen
The editor of the Democrat pretends to call
himself an opponent OF the doctrine Of squatter
sovereignty, and yet, while he says that the
principle OF squater sovereignty is embodied
in the seventh section of the PLATFORM there is
NOT, in the language upon which he comments,
one line or one word, which, reckless as lie is,
he dares to gainsay. Ia is very true that there
is no direct Reputation of the miserable doc
trne Of squatter sovereignty in the seventh
section; bat the assertion that such doctrine
is set forth in il is base SANDER upon the
American platform, the American convention,
aud the American party. The section takes
no notice of that dirty thing squatter sove.
reignty.