Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-05-27
Scuthasa Democratic View Of sQaatssr e.s~
eglty


sgity
4 nong tho fair bat fAlss and fatal thsoriss ~
the day ueEs kSracfs 40 much LoGsse .. lAs
4" SO natter Sovereign" courtexan. Tbers az
none radiant with mere.IicioDa sbnfms coss
50 ready With deceisf1l promise. asd pops -
sure 70 coTer TIE victim with repgoaeh. Tas
sovereignty of the people il rotls prinsl-
pie, and should Command universal hom.ss-
"Squatter Sovereignty" i. az iupo.t.rs. cossr
se,fsis copy ,sg'y iIa wrought by mana hssds.
and should be kicked off the pedestal ~LsT, Is
sits IN meek rna;eety and eourta TIE e6sss:.oa
Of fools and dsnlsgegues.
We eanaot conceive how aRy doubt sea sriss
q. to the full. perfect, unlimited, kna sorersiss
power of The Federal Government ovsr III. Ter
ritory of Kanaas. as the agent or trustee of shs
existing States By the purchase Of Louisiars
and the subsequent extinction of the IHd:aH NJ
ties. the Territory became ours Is disposs Of and
govern as we pleased. for tie common bszset
of all the S;stes The States can Only exsrsiss
their sovereign administrative and govern ,srsntsl
rights through the instrumentalsy Of the Fed
ersl Government The writer's Oh zat.ou.l ia~
IL is true sx thi. lirui. to the sxercise Of sual
powers. THAT no nation hs. righ, to kesp ia
settled large and fertile domon" This il,
however. mere speculative morality. which saa
never become practical que.6oa Ls.wosa sr-
ilzed nations
The practice Of the Govern msnt sorresposds
with our doctrine. Wher Louisiana vr acq-i,-
&c the President alone wss sptrusted With al.
most absolute power over it. goserurert uBtii
Congress should make other regulstious (ii
session 1853. At the next session see vol. Si-
?. 2S3) Congress authorized the President u
appoint Governor and a Legislative CeuEsal
of thirteen. all 70 be land ovuere, Who might
en.ct laws subjjsct to the approval of Congress
Thus the Federal Government continued. tI7o'
officers selected by itself to exercise sove-risa
power ov.r a Numerous and wealthy people.
without allowing that people s2y voies vhsteT-
er In their own government similar course
WAS pursued in tho Northwestern Tsrrissry,
where II Governor and three Judge. appointed
By the Federal Government exercised legals-
tive. executive and jrdicisl powers their lave
also being suhjec: to the approval Of Ce.Cresa
(Crlted States statutes at large, vol. / o. :I)
The ordinance, howevsr, oi l7S9 gives to this
Territory the right to elect = Legislature 81 sooa
- it shall contain 5000 free male inhabitants
above tho age Of twe1ty-one, Cha. is. whsn is
population should amount to about 25 900 -
None were 10 vote for members Of Assembly
unless possessed Of a freehold of fay asres ef
land. TIE whole tenor Of these act. shows .ha.
it was dsemed clesr that the people of the Ter
ritoTlss had no r.gnt to a voice in their ev.
government till such right was conferred Q.
them by Congress
This absolute dominion over our Tsrrite!.s
Is essential to existence as s.tion Il
might happen that newly COZ Equer.d territory.
or territory or = territory oocupisd by ftse as-
groes, Indians, Chinese, hords Of robbe.., or law
less. ignorant, and immoral people Of any lisd
could rot be trusted with an voice in their own
government even territory, much les. would
such people be entitled - admission Sc STATE,
simply because they had population sufficient
TO elect member Of Congress Tho FsdsrA
Government is bound TO govern all Territories
1t may and should exercise ia po-ern through
the Territorial Government elected by the pco-
pie, 10 be governed when the people as sui.
cienuT moral sad Intelligent for :.,,-eo-sra-
meat asd ars well Affected to q. ead our :2s.i-
sutions 1t should admit no people r. S....
who are not IL all rsspects fitted fo- ..,fgov-
ernmen., and should look closely 10 tiis proyi-
sion, of the coz,titutioz of the people applying
70 scc whether the Grca. Interest Of morality.
religion. proprie'y, and liberty ere sdsqus;sjy
seeu-ed--Aicltmona Enq,.rer