The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-18
WHAT Is POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY

WHAT Is POPULAR, SOVEREIGNTY p,nua
We fear that some of our democratic friends are
falling into a fundamental error as to the true
meaning of territorial popular sovereignty. This
doctrine was incorporated into the democratic plat
form as the best constitutional solution of the slavery
question Until recently we had supposed that there
was an entire unanmity Of sentiment to its pur-
port and meaning Abolitionists controverted it in
it's inception, and maintained that Congress alone
possessed sovereignty in the Territories. They were
forced to maintain this tyrannica principle in order
to uphold the power which they claimed for
tho prohibition of slavery in the Territories
The public mind revolted at such outrage on
the great fundamental principle of American re-
publicanism 1t was the assertion of the doctrine
of unlimited Legislative power against which our
fathers protested, and finally resorted to arms
When driven by the force of argument and pub
lie sentiment from this despotic assertion of con-
gressional power, abolitionism went to the other
treme, and sought to make the doctrine of popular
sovereignty subservien to its schemes for resisting
and overthrowing all law and order in the Territory
of Kansas, and of justifyng open and fagrant acts
of nsurrection and rebellion. 1t under this
pretext that the authority Of the regularly
ted Legislative assembly of Kansas was defed and re-
sisted 1t was on no other ground than perver-
sion of this doctrine that the Topeka convention APP
Piled to Congress have its constitution recognised
and the State admitted. II is upon the same mscon-
sructon of popular that aboitionsm now
ressts and denounces as invalid the organization and
action of the late Kansas convention. g., 80 f,,tr
If the democratic party has plank in it's platform
on which fanatics can stand and resist the athori
ties provided for the government of a Territory-if
the doctrine of territorial sefgovernment enable
faction to run riot over law and order, and to com
nit crimes of the deepest dye with impunity-in
word, if popular sovereignty is to be made sue
cessful cloak for insurrection rebellion and treason
Il ia high time that it be torn from platform
and rejected with universal scorn But our poiti-
cal creed contains no such cloak for crimes and crmi
nails, and the time has come once more when all true
democrats should step forward to yindcate their
faith II is no more for to repudate popu-
lar sovereignty because bad men pervert il to crmi
because factonists and demagogues seek to shelter
their offences against the public good under the name
Let Ills understand distinctly what is popular SOW
ereignty and we can have excuse for falling into
the Fundamental error of supposing that the re-
sistance now being made in Kansas to the proceed.
ngs of its late constitutional convention can be just
fed on the doctrine of territorial self-government
The people Of Kansas have the right to regulate
their domestic institutions in their way, subject
only to the constitution of the United States That
is the general definition of popular sovereignty, II
is not meant that every individual one of this peo-
pie has a right to commit crimes with mpunity. 1t
Ia not meant that any number of individuals Of this
people have the right to Disregard law and order,
and to excuse their offences under the plea Of popn
lar sovereignty. When we speak of "the people" of
Kansas we speak Of an organized political communi-
ty.-one living under an organic form Of government
provided by Congress-. When we speak Of the right
Of this people to regulatc their domestic matters n
their own way we speak Of an organized political
community exercising their right of sefgovernment
in legal way, but that ,uay adopted BY Themselves ~
a,ff conformity 10Th iar and order Kansas is provi-
ded with charter of territorial government. The