Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-03-14


slavery. ns n rirht Inherent in their sove-
RI ,rtv over their own affairs. This rrinci-
MO of nonuar soveroirntv, ma IL ia STYLED,
was embodied in tho Hills for organizing Now
N,vico and Ttah. md u made the substitute
for tho rrohihition of slavery in the VI ssouri
C1mrromiso which 1t repealed md the
slav-holdinr interest is now Sustained nv the
Federal government. in this nov nosition, as
it has bra1 in all the positions it has success
siycv assumed.
Tho rr'nci-le Of popular sovereignty is
fundamental in our institutions No ona
doubts that the People are sovereign over all
thn territories. ms we'll ne over all tho States
. i've Confcdprncv. But this sovereignty is
subject t1 limitation and definition. md can
IN V exist within tho limitations or the Con
stitution. The roorlo are soveroirr in the
House of Representatives hut their sove--
cisntv nav ho ovcrrurd hv tho Senate. or de-
Galtcl hv the veto of the President The
States are sovereign hut ONLY within certain
limits and in subordinaton 10 the sovereign
tv Of the milton. Two sovereignties over the
sumo country and on the same subject, it is
manifest cannot co-c1ist one must Of neces-
sitv exclude the other But the Constitu-
ti1n. in express and unmistpkenhe terms,
makes Congress sovereign over the territories,
by comforting upon it power 10 make " all
nccdrul rules and regulations respecting
them"
The doctrine Of popular sovereignty in the
people of the territories. finds no warrant or
support in the Constitutions In the Ian
rulge Of Mr.. Calhoun. il involves an absurd
ity: if the sovereignty over the territories
he in their inhabitants instead Of the United
States. they would cease to he the territories
Of the United States the moment we permit
them to he inhabited" D." So long as they re-
main territories. they are the possession and
under the exclusive dominion Of the United
States and it is for the General Government
to make such laws for them us their welfare,
and that Of the nation. may require.
We deny that Congress may abdicate a
portion Of its authority. and commit to the
inhabitants Of territory power conferred
upon it by the Constitution. Such an abdi-
cation is an abandonment of duty, and can
not he justified on the nretended principle of
popular sovereignty. That principle, indeed,
is discarded in the verv act of Congress in
which it is claimed to be embodied. IT sover-
eighty exists. it must be exercised through
the organized departments Of government
the legislative. executive and judicial But
tie act to organize the territories of Kansas
and Nebraska prescrihas the requisites ofciti-
zeuship ani the qualifications Of voters, con-
iars upon the President and Senate the ap-
rDiutnent Of n Governor, who is clothed with
the veto power. and Of the judges by whom
tie law shall be INTER- reted.
Each department Of the government thus
rests virtually in the power of the President
Of the United States To style the small
remnant Of power which such a law leaves to
the people popular sovereignty, is an abuse
Of language AMI an insult TO common sense.
Yet even this has been efectually destroyed,
by the invasion of armed men, sustained by
the General Government, IN their highhand-
ed enleavor to force Slavery into Kansas
against the will of the hardy settlers who
have made it their home
The whole system of doctrine by which
Slavery seeks possession of the territories of
the Cnited States, either by asserting the
sovereignty of their inhabitants, or by deny
Ing the power of Congress to exclude and
prohibit Slavery from them is novel and alien
To the principle and the administration of our
government. Congress has always asserted
and exercised the right of prohibition. 1t
was exercised by the vote Of the first Con-
gress in l7s9, reafirming the ordinance of
the old conederacy by which Slavery was
prohibited from the territory northwest Of the
Ohio river. 1t was exercised in ls2O, in the
prohibition of Slavery from the Louisiana ter
rttory north Of 80 dec. 50 min. 1t was ex-
ercised in lS4S, when Sllvery was prohibited
from the territory Of Oregon.
Nor is it in the least degree impaired by
the argument that these territories, when
they become States and are admitted into the
Union. can establish or prohibit Slavery in
their discretion. Their rights as States do
no, begin until their obligations as territor-
les end. The Constitution knows nothing Of
'inehoate states Congress has power to
make all needful rules and regulations for
them rs territories until they arc admitted
into the Union as members Of the common
confcderacy.
GENERAL TENDENCY OF FEDERAL
SLAVERY.
In all these successive acts, in the admis-
sion Of Missouri and Arkansas, in annexa-
tion of I Iexas and the provision for admitting
four new States from her territory in the
war with Mexico and the conquest of her pro-
vinces in the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise, and in the cruel war now waged against
the people of Kansas for the extension of Sla-
very into that territory, we trace the foot
steps Of a powerful interest, aiming at absol-
ute political power, and striding onward to
u complete ascendency over the General Gov
ernment. 1t finds powerful allies and an
open field in the political arena for the pros
secuuOn Ofits purposes. Always acting as q
compact unitit finds its opponents divided by
variety OF interests.
Partisan alliances and personal ambitions
have hitherto prevented any union against its
aggressious, and, not feeling or fearing the
dlspieasure OF their constituents, represen-
tahves from the Tree states have been Induced
to and IN the promotion OF Its design. All
other interests have been compelled to give
way before It, The representatives. OF Tree
com on the uoor OF congress nave been treat
ed with contnmely' II they resist or question
the rlsnt to supremacy OF the slaVehoiding
clAsS' The labor and the commerce OF sec
,ions where slavery does not exist: obtain
tardy and inadequate recognition from the
general government, which Is swayed by ITS
influence ana Tor the accomplishment OF It's
ends. The executive OF the nation IS the
wiling servant ol ITS oenestS, ana saerih'es