Washington telegraph., 1856-06-18
Sauatter Sovereignty.


Some two weeks since our nelghbors
of the Democrat. drought us up stand
iue.n for declaring our opposition to the
nature and tendency of the novel mea-
sure of policy which the Cass and Doug
las school of politicians have labored zeal
ously to incorporate into the system Of
Government under which it is at present
our good fortune to live. We were con-
demned in no measured terms because of
the opinions which we held and in the
course of column or SO of denunciation
devoted to us, and eulogy ascribed to the
doctrine which we condemned, our neigh
bors contrived to make it apparent that
they believed-frst, that the Democratic
party-mark it-that the Democratic par
ty-the whole party-endorse the princi-
pie of Squatter Sovereignty; second, that
the party which warred against, and op-
posed itself to the incorporation of this
principle into the system of our Govern
ment, and its active and unrestrained ope-
ration as an element of our public policy,
"made itself an ally to those Northern
Abolitionists, whose opposition to the Ne
braska BILL" (and, per consequence, to the
principle of Squattei Sovereignty "has
couched its hydra-had under efforts to
restore the Missouri Compromise line; p
third, that this thing of "Squatter Sover-
eighty was to be che great issue of the
day." &c.
Now, with .ll imaginable Difference to
the political acumen of our neighbors of
the Democr1t, we must be allowed to re-
mark, that We are altogether at loss to
know hov they could, even with careful
study, have managed to set forth three
propositions, so entirely untenable, so ut
terly incapable of being supported or sus-
tanned by the facts in the case, as are the
propositions referred to above.
Concerning the nature of this doctrine
of Squatter Sovereignty, We will here refer
you to the material part of definition of
the meaning of the term furnished by the
National Intelligencer, in a report of
great speech by the venerable Senator
from Michigan, General .Cass, on this
topic High authority, neighbors The
reporter says of Gen. Cass's speech:
'He held, however, that after Congress
had enabled Territory to assume Legis-
lative powers, it was not competent for
Congress to restrain any Legislative act
of such Territorial Government under
the Constitution of the United States:
and among such acts he held the adnais-
sion or exclusion of slavery. This was a
necessary deduction from the principles of
Sovereignty"
There is definition of the meaning of
the term from the highest authority
Now, We ask you, as the representative of
the principles and tenets of yoar party
in these ends of the earth, DO you, look
ing at this matter as Southern men, be-
lieving the South possesses rights under
the Constitution, and looking at the mat
ter as national men, desiring the perpetu-
ity of the Union, endorse this doctrine as
thus enunciated? If you do endorse it,
upon what grounds do you predicate your
endorsement? and by what known rule gov
erning the construction of language, do
you, admitting the above definition as the
correct theory, arrive at any other conclu-
sion concerning it, than that territorial
legislature possesses of itself the inherent
right, as the first, if they will it, conse-
quent act of their establishment as a leg
islative body, to declare, that slaves are
not property, and that the Southern man
emigrating to territory won by the common
efforts of Northern and Southern men,
loses, and shall lose, his fee in the proper
ty which he brings with him there? We
do not know how you can arrive at any
other conclusion. We may be permitted
to see. Thus much for the nature of
Squatter Sovereignty.
Now, as to your first proposition, which
we have found was, ''that the Democratic
party-the whole party endorsed the
principle of Squatter Sovereignty" We
shall not infict any of our prosings on
you, neighbors, in refutation Of this unite
nable position of yours But tell us
whether you recognize Mr.. Calhoun, the
Nashville Union & American, the Rich
mond Enquirer, and the Democratic State
Conventions of Virginia and Alabama,
competent Democratic authority. Now
don't ruin their standing with the party
by saying you don't, but hear them for
their cause, andJtell us what becomes of
your fne-spun theory-your furious on
slaught upon our views
Mr.. Calhoun said, upon one occasion,
that this thing of Squatter Sovereignty
was
"The most monstrous doctrine ever ad-