Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1857-10-03

IlPi0, viz PioPcA Falty w IcuuCe tDal
! principle to 4 system, and create :.
Banking Law! Ii not, then vote the
Republican ticket, and let tho friends
Of this measure enact the law.
Other important measures will come
before the next legislature, but we
have not the space to refer to them
here. Any one who peruses tue new
Constitution, will at once see what they
arc, and will feel the necessity Of elect
ing good and sound Republicans to the
Legislature. Permit us to call your
attention to oAe or two points presen
ted in the present CANVASS Of national
character
SLAVERY EXTENSION.
Upon this point, we wish to quote
from the Democratic Platform of 1856,
to show what was then the popular idea
upon this subject:
"The American Democracy recog-
nize and adopt the principles con-
"tained in the organic law establishing
"the territories Of Kansas and Nebras-
"ka, as en'bodying the only sound
and safe solution Of the Slavery
"quesfion, upon which the great ma
" tional idea of the people may repose
in its conservation Of the Union"
What Was the principle as expressed
in that Act! Let US gather it from the
words Of the act itself:
"N being the erpress intention Of
"Mis act neither to IegisIate SIarery
into these Territories, Or to cacluds
sit Merejrom."
The whole question was to be left to
the "Squatter Sovereigns" to regulate
in their own way. The Democratic
party contcndc l that the people Of the
territories could either admit or exclude
it :; that slavery did not exist in the
| territories, and could not until by legal
enactment it was permitted; Squatter
Sovereignty was then the great Demo-
cratic idea; the orators and papers Of
that party denied that slavery did then,
or could in future'cxist there, until the
people inhabiting the territories legal
lied it.
.Noar, a new Interpretation has been
given. 1t originated in South Carolina
and Virginia. 1t was sent by these
| Southern masters to their time serving
vassals at the North, who all at once
discover that Squatter Sovereignty is
humbug, and is not Democratic!
In order to manufacture ne,e
Democratic principle, they get y poor
negro in Missouri { bred Scott) to sue
for his freedom. They raise the ques-
ton of jurisdiction the United States
Supreme Court decide this question,
and then for he purpose Of manufac-
turing this new principle, and national
izing the institution of slavery, they
step aside from the issue presented,
and decide that the "Missouri Compro-
mise" and the "Ordinancc Of 1872
we're both unconstitutional! Nor is
this all. Fearing that some might not
understand what this principle was, the
Chief Magistrate Of this Nation, elected
under the Squater Sovereignty idea,
over his own hand makes the following
declaration:
BUCHANAN ON SQUATTER SOY:
EREIGNTY IN 1851.
"Slavery existed at that period (the
"passagc of the organic law, and still
" exists in Kansas under the Consti-
"tution of the United States. This
"point has at least been finally decided
"by the highest Tribunal known to our
"laws. How it could ever hare been
seriously doubted is n1ystery?'
| (Secletter to Prof. Silliman and others.
! When Texas was admitted, the sub
iect Of slavery was under discussion in
the United States Senate, and James
Buchanan was then in favor Of the ex-
tension Of the Compromise through
Texas. He made speech upon the
question, and in that speech reminded
the Senate Of the agitation this question
had caused both North and South re-
minded them of the fact that the Union
had been in danger, and that Congress,
by the passage Of the Missouri Com
promise, had settled this question upon
a basis that was just to all parties,
and he says:
BUCHANAN IN 1914.
"Upon this Compromise he had ia.
"ken his stand, and there he would
"let the question rest forever. He
i" reminded them Of the fact that north
"of this Compromise line Slarery
"could nerer go, and asks: Who
wished to see this exciting question
"again opened, to arouse angry feel
ings and cause angry discussions
i" for one, he did not (See Benton:
Thirty Years: