Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-13
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 1., 1857,
TIE PRESIDENTS lNAUGuRAL-pOpULAR
SOVEREIGNTY, AND TIE NEW YORK
EVENING posi-
BY RITCHIE l. DUSN.yaST.

oooh 'teotJ 'f'''cscd anu commented On in every
section and quarter Of The coun,ry-berally, frank
~ anu justly or mallcousy aud unfairly rs passion
and prejudice, Or reason anl patriotism, preyaed-
Our exchanges are the media through which We nre
enabled 10 0e informed of the sentiments of the sec.
lions and districts which they represent. Aud though
the inaugural Is visited with severe censure aud vim
dlctlve condemnation in the structures of some of the
most malignant and mendacius Journals of the anti.
slavery press, We are pleased and proud to perceive
that zen they the organs of the arch tenls OF aho
ton agitation are not unlrequently obliged to admit
that The President p'omSes if possible, to institute
| new era oil patriotism aud peace.
Among TIA. many commentaries Of the opposition
press iba have come under our observ Of the
New York Er.inr Post i. perhaps provocative oi
most astonishmsnt, hen with reference the Presi
dent ei~Vson rtfe subjer Of slavery IN the terri
tories, II says:
If Mr.. Buchanan had openly proicssed these opin.
ions before his election, II would have made very
essential difference III the support he received ia
scme of the United States Ii he had then expressly
sald as now that Congress has no power to prevent
The Introduction OF slavery in the territories and The
territories no power 10 exclude it, we should have
given him credit for !rankness, but we could have
appealed, and he knew il, with great effect 10 the
people, to flock to the polls, and record their votes
against this man who stands up the champion OF
slavery, claiming for it the prerogatve of overrunl
the will OF the minority, aud the legislative power
whether in the Union or in the territories. Under
the load of this enormous doctrine his cause would
have broken down.
Mr.. Buchanan processes earnestly to deprecate all
further agitation Of the question OF slavery. Ii we
could be amused with hypocrtiCal professions in
| high places we should be amused with this. Here
is man who puts forth the most monstrous doctrines
who claims for slavery national. character, making
its empire contern;inOus with the Jurisdiction Of the
| federal government making it supreme in the terri
tories setting it above :he power of law and OF the
| popular will. and who yet ulters solemn warnings
agalnst agitation. While he Is stirring the subirct
freely aud in the most offensive manner. he eyhorts
those who differ with him not to medde with it,.
We cannot take MIR. Buchsnan's advice. II he ag
tales the subject If the friends Of slavery
put forth exorbiian pretcnsions must resst them.
When the right Is in danger from the attacks of its
enemies pay little heed to their attempts TO dis
susde US from undertaking its defence.
We were under the impression, and our part was
played in tue canvass accordingly, that the opin-
ions avowed in the inaugural, relative TO terri
toriul legislation on the subject Of slavery,
are identicaIly the same which were held by
Mr.. Buchanan candidate for the Presidency
upon the principles promulgated in the Cincinnati
platform. 1t will be remembered that, early i'll the
squarely and fairly upon the policy prescribed by the
Convention which nominated him; and, If the Posf
will tax its memory for a moment, it may be enabled
to recollect that The Nebraska Kansas bill was em.
phatically endorsed by that body Of the representa-
tyes of the Democracy Of The nation. Would the
Post be understood as implying that Mr.. Buchanan
was recognized in some OF the United States" as sn
eQuivoca candidate advocating the rights OF the States
only abstraction, and indicating the Conslitu.
ton only with an empty proiessonl II 20, why was
be fought to the waters edge, by day and by night by
fair means and foul, zsalously untirngly and despe
rstely. by the undivided army OF Aboonists oi ev.
cry school Why was it, how was it, that the more
moderate enemies OF the institutions Of The South,
who were opposed Only 10 the extension Of slave
ry, and not in favor Of immediate, universal enan-
cpation by any means. well az the furious faDat-
ics of the Northi why was il, we say, that al the
anti slavery forces were marshhled IN one uniform,
appointed with the weapons, uude. this same
black banner and the traitorous leader in the
crusade against MIR. Buchanan, if he was not under
stood to entertain opinions in opposition to territor
al legislation on the jact of slavery Why is II
that the South supported him go unanimously, while
with the exception OF the Fillmore faction and that
sterling host OF dsuness Democrats in the North al!
Yankeedoin enthusiastic in the cause of the
Rocky Mountain mule eater How it that
he stood upon the Cincinnati platform and might atill
he suspected of concedng 10 Congress. the right
either to nhLit or Introduce slavery into the terrific
riesi That the people of the territories have the ex
elusive prerogaiive Of determining the character OF
their own institutions when they prepared form
.l..,.,, a..
Union, aud not till then, Is self evident truth To
every mind, not gangrened with prejudice, or other
! wise incapable Of an appreciation of the cOnstlu
ton and comprehension uf the simple but grand
ground work of our government. And il is this
principle that the President procnlms again in his
| inaugural address, and which the New York Post is
obtuse enough and absurd enough TO intimate was
| point of prevaricalion at least IN the late cam
psigp. OH the part Of the candidate, who was
committed TO il IA one Of the most prominent princi
pes of bis party, and OF the particular platform on
which hs appeared before the American people the
chosen champion of the Of the constitution the
equality of the States. the rights OF The South and
the perpetuity of the Unlon II is II principle embo
diving vast volume Of political philosophy, aud re,
ducinp to practical utility, al once The most maiera
slenents and admirable arrangements IN the organ
ian, ,f opr government. Popular sovereignty is the
sr,o and v;si the soul and substance of seltgovern
| mept. Ant. when egitimatey exercised, under the
nh,..o-,s rc.rsnt of that moral centrifugal force,
which all lave, civilized and savage, acknowledge
10 ma indispensable 10 society and order among mep'
| under the genial IDiuence ut republican m
shtu,ions, il becomes potent for the accomplish
mani Of the highest and nobest destiny of man,
nbvsioslTy, socially, reigiously and politically
Eor the neople of the territories to form their Con
stuon, and recognize or repudiate negro slavery at
their own opton, is 81 exercise OF popular aovereign
tv eremnlifyipg the closest approximation to abso-
lutte individual liberty compatible with g"od govern
ment, and aptly illustrating with delicate but DIE
tinc ne of denarkation the separate spherea OF Tie
Federal Government and the several states. lhe
territorie. being States in embryo are not entitled 10
the privileges and prerogatives OF states until their
nonnls,iop iustifas them il the formation OF Con-
..;,,,on ard then they stain the dignity anl ma.
;o.., of oov,regn States. Belonging to the United
.,o,o. no whole thev are held in abeyance by the
co,ol Co-eronent as the guardian of the interests
of each and every State, open 10 Immigration
md to the Introduction of everything as property,
which is 30 Acknowledged by the laws OF the
s,s,s from which its owner emgraea The
Massachusetts, man may carry along with him his
natept for pulling up stumps, or his OF or his horse
Tho man from Mississippi or Alabama may carry his
hundred slaves 1t i. the duty Of the federal govern
men, to ace that each lie protected in his respective
r;ubt. And when the infant territory has grown
into maturity and is prepared to adopt constitu-
tion and take its place as sovereign State in the
At
confederacy, then, and not till tnen' have the people
the power and right to say whether or not negroes
or mules shall, for the future, under the organic
laws of the nav State, be recogazed as property.
The President in uttering this principle of popular
,ov.roignty as one of the cardinal canona OF bis