Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-08-01

accordingly, to be entirely silent as to the
power OF the inhabitants of Territory to
exclude Slavery, although it comedies that
power to them when they come to form a
State Constitution. The Southern Demo.
cratic press represents this as complete
reputation Of the doctrine Of Squatter
Sovereignty aud from one end to the
other of the Southern States Mr.. Bucha-
nan is supported upon that basis-of hos-
tiiity to the principle which gives to the
inhabitants of Territory control Of the
question of Slavery.
Upon this important point, they and we
are no longer left to inference. The Rich
mond E1amiaer reprints letter written
by Mr.. Buchanan i'll 1913, to u Mr.. San
ford, Of Ala, which is perfectly conclusive
as to his opinions upon the subject. That
letter is as follows:
WAsHlNGToy, Aug 81, 1s4s.
DEAR SIR have just received yours
Of the 18th lust, in which you submit to
me the following paragraph, and ask whe-
thtr it contains an accurate version of the
conversation between US, concerning rhy
Berks County letter on the occasion to
which you refer:
"Happening to meet MIR. Buchanan at
the Presidents levee, on Friday evening,
/ called his attention to this letter, and
asked him if be intended to be understood
as claiming that the population cf u Terri
tory ia 0a inoryanised capacity had the
right to coatToL The question IF .Sla0ery iis
sseh Territory. He declared that no such
idea lad eur been maintained BY him
that the construction pu. upon his Ian
guase by Mr.. fancy was 4 perversion of
Its plain and obvious meanis.; that, in
his opinion, The inhaLi,dn,s of a Territory,
as sueh, lad no political rights, lalthough
they possessed all the private rights Of
American citizens j that they had NO POW:
Err WHATEVER OVER THE SUBJECT Ur sLA-
VERY, and they could nsib.er inieroiict Or
esto6iish 1t ezeept ,ohe1i assembled ~ Coa-
uenfion 10 form q State Constitution. lie
further authorized and Requested me tv
make any public use Of these declarations
that l might think proper, to correct any
which Mr.. Yancy's construction
Of bis language in the Berks letter might
have made"
VIII, thv aiai,ivu- whivi, hsvv insvr-
ted between brackets, Giis stdten.e,.t Is SUB
AND ALMoSf LITERALLY COR
REcT, according II my rccollectioa.
IN my letter to Bcrks County Of 25th
August, 1877, l have said, "under the
Missouri Compromise Slavery was forever
prohibited north Of the parallel of 36 de- /
grees so minutes and south of this parallel I
the question was Lett to be decided By the |
people," What pec2les Undoubtedly
lhe people Of the Territory assembled in
Convention to form State Constitution,
ind ask admission into the Union and .
not the first adventures, or "frst comers,"
who might happen to arrive in the Terri
in public meeting If
ioubt on this subject could possibly exist,
il Is removed by the next succeeding sen
euce Of my letter. proceeded TO state
on the admission Of Texas,
.dopted the same rule" etc Aud what
vas this rule! ''The joint Resolution
or annexing Texas to ;he United States"
approved March 1st, 1915, answers the
question in the following words .'Ard
uch States as may be formed ou, of that
,ortion of said Territory lying south of 36
legroes so minutes, North latitude, COLI
monty known as the Missouri Compromise
inc, shall be admitted into the Union with
II without Slavery, as TIE peqpts cF such
State asking admission may desire" S',1i
sas the description of the people to whom
referred in my BeEks County letter.
Any other construction of the letter
Fould render itessentially inconsistent with
tself. Having urged the adoption Of tie
Missouri Compromise the interference is
rresistable that Coagress, in my opinion,
assesses the poper to iegislats upo,. Tie su6-
.ct Of .SIeery IN tie 7erritorics What
n absurdity would it then be, Il, whilst j
sserting this sovereign power in Congress,
'hich power from its nature must be excIu-
i've, I Should IN the very same breat'. also
lain this identical power '.for the popula-
ion Of Territory in an uuOrganized ca
acity,'' il
In conclusion, desire to reisera'e and ,
e AFFIRM every sentiment contained in lny
'erks-County letter. i cling to Mc .Mis-
,ari Compromise aciM greater tenacity
ian erer, and yet firmly believe that it
ill be adopted by Congress. Il
Yours, very respectfully; -. !,
JAMES BUCHANAN,