The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-02-07

BORUP & CAKES BANK.
BANKING HOURS FROM 9 A. NJ, TO SPIN.
The True Doctrine upon the Humbu& Of
"Squatter Sovereignty"
The following substantial legal argument
sets forth the vital principles of the consti
tuition and the doctrines of our fathers in re-
gard to the modern clap-trap about "squat'
ter sovereignty" in the Territories. We en-
dorse every line and precept of it, and com.
mend it to the careful perusal of those of oul
political friends in the Legislature and else
where, who are at present disposed to be
wildly led into the swamps ofpolitical heresy
by that new-fangled will-of-the-wisp known
as "Squatter Sovereignty"
Col. j. P. OWENS:
Dear Sir AS much is being said and
something done, touching the time and man
ner of Transforming Minnesota into State,
and as there is conflict of opinion as to the
powers reserved respectively to Congress
and the Territory, by the constitution and
laws of the United States, have deemed
the following observations not WIDELY in
appropriate at this time, especially as it is
evident that the recent action of the Lesisla-
ture of this Territory is in direct opposition
to, and in conflict cuh that of the Congress of
the United States, upon this Territorial and
State question, as will more fully appear, by
reference to the action of our Legislature in
its attempts to call convention Of the peo-
pie, to form a constitution, Independent Of Con-
gress, and in its passage Of a memorial from
which make the following extracts:
"To the Honorable the Congress Of the United
States.
The Memorial of the Legislative Assem-
bly, of the Territory of Minnesota respee-
fully represents
That your memorialists have learned with
regret, that a bill has been reported to and is
now pending in your Honorable body, provid-
for the division ofthe present Territory OF
Minnesota, by line running from the North
west corner of Iowa, north by the line of the
Big Sioux and Red rivers, to the line of the
British Possessions in North America, and
for the formation of the State of Minnesota
to comprise and include all the Territory ly
ing east of the proposed line of division and
embraced within the present limits OF Min
nesota.
Your .memorialists respectfully but earn
estly demonstrate and protest against the
passage of that part, and so much of the said
bill as prescribes the lines of the said Terri
tory to be included in the State Of Minnesota.
y
Their wishes and opinions should be para
mount to all other considerations, and to i'm
pose upon them q measure Of such mOmen-
tous and continuing consequences against
their wishes, or even without their con-
sent, would be violation of their sovereign
rights as people, and tyranical in the ex-
treme."
1t is most fortunate that in the discussion
of this question, we are not left to the doubt
full and ever changing declarations of partisan
leaders, and the press in their employ. We
have as our guide the usage ofthe nation, the
ordinance of 1787-the Constitution of the
United States-the commentaries of the
most eminent jurists, and the decisions of
the last-the highest tribunals in the land
upon the subject in question.
Fast steamboats,, locomotives and tele-
graphs, have tended to produce fast men,
men who can see neither wisdom, strength
or beauty in that constitution which formed
the bands with which the limbs of our in
FAINT nationality were draped; that constitu-
tion which now forms the mantle which,
shields the giant manhood of our nations
glory.
When the blasts of notification swept over
the land, when "squatter sovereignty" was
about to be inaugerated in South Carolina,
Andrew Jackson gave utterance to the ma
tional sentiment of that time. He and the ma
ton felt that any irrevential touch given to
this ark of our public safety, should be re-
buked, every violence chastened, that its
sanctity should be no less than that of our
household goods, our affairs and our fires,
that it's guardians should be ever vigilent-
that as the price of its purchase was blood,
the best blood of our fathers, it should be
preserved, even if this price be paid again,
by that of their children.
Hence General Jackson removed Stevens
T. Mason from the Office of Governor of
Michigan, for the then criminal, but now laa-
dable vocation of making himself generally
useful, in forming State, at a time, and in a
manner, not directed by Congress, or sane
tioned by the constitution, but in accordance
with the doctrine contained in the paper
above mentioned, in which the memorial, re-
monstrance, protest and manifesto are equal
~ visabe.
From these efforts on the part of Cover
nor Mason, to relieve Congress from the dis
charge of its constitutional duty, he was ad.
vised to desist, or prepare to defend himself
in the courts of the nation, upon charges
then constituting the crime of HIGH TREASON
but which now form the platform of party
advocating "squatter sovereignty" 1t was
the practical workings of Mr.. Calhoun's faitl
in this doctrine, that caused President Jack.
son to declare, by the Eternal 1 will hang
him on gallows higher than Haman's."
But to the Constitution-Section 3, Arti
4-reads thus:
"The Congress shall have power to dis
pose of, and make all needful rules and regu