Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1857-02-07
"Popuiar Sovereignty"


ssPopular Sovereiynsy."
| la our article of yesterday we stated that the
practical workings of the "popular or squatter
sovereignty doctrine" upon which Gen. Cass ex-
patiated so eloquently and which was inaugura-
ted on the destruction Of the Missouri Compro.
mise. was most completely illustrated
LIST, In the acts of the Missourans;
II, in the odous laws forced upon the people
| of Kansas by spurious Legislature;
Sd, In the action of the people of Kansas in
! Convention assembled and the adoption of Con-
stitution; and
4th, In the rejection of that Constitution by
the Congress of the United States.
The matter was put to complete test and the
result has demonstrated that the doctrine is wrong
in theory, unconstitutional, wrong in practice,
/ and evil in its results.
"But." says an ardent supporter Of the meas
ure, s'you believe that the PEOPLE of Kansas have
the right to adopt their own Constitution, and if
We remember correctly, you justified them in the
act.' That's true. But ,ohy did we do this !?
Simply to prove your doctrine humbug. Con-
gress rejected the Topeka Constitution and in
| formed the leaders Of the movement that the ac-
ton of the people was "revolutionary"-th
Congress had designated in the Organic Act of
Kansas what course to pursue-when and how to
! elect Delegates, and that inasmuch as the Mis-
| sonrians had followed these directions (no matter
what were the ends used,) therefore, whatever
Constitution should be adopted by them, would
be considered BY Congress valid, and under the
| fostering care of which Kansas would be admit
| ted into the Union. The people were not permit
ted to have any voice whatever in the premises,
but willing to test the doctrine so persistently
forced upon them, they met in their Sovereign
capacity, and-the result is we'll known to the
world. The doctrine proved to be humbug!
| In the 4th Article, Section Sd of the Constitu-
ton Of the United States, we read the following !:
| 1.-The Congress shall have power to dispose
| of, and make all needful rules and regulations
respecting the territory or other property belong
ing to the United States"
| This was the position assumed by Congress
when the Topeka Constitution was presented for
their sanction, and this will be the position as
sumed when Minnesota shall present her Consti-
tuition. The "popular sovereignty" clause in the
| Nebraska bill was inserted in order to allow Mis-
sourians and other Pro-Slavery men to get into
power, and when once in full possession, then
the real, genuine popular sovereignty doctrine
was Ignored and the poor Free State men were
left floating the political sea like ship with
out RAIDER. They have been "crushed out"
| even at the points OF the bayonets of the United
States troops, and are as helpless to day, aye,
more SO than at the period when they first enter
ed the Territory.
These events, at this particular period, are wor.
thy our serious consideration. The question nat
urally occurs to us" if the Constitution, adopt
ed by the people of Kansas, was rejected by Con-
| gress on the ground that the act Of the people
| was revoutionary'-th there exists no power
| in the people of the Territories of themselves to
| form Constitution without first the consent of
Congress-we say it occurs to us, that any action
! on our part toward the formation of State
Government, unless acting under the Bill passed
by Congress for this especial purpose, will result
in great injury to us as people and to the utter
destruction of the Republican party of this Ter
| ritory.
That Congress has the right to say where the
boundaries of the new State shall be made, is in
| disputable-that Congress has the right to con-
troi and ha entire jurisdiction over the soil, is
I indisrutable-that Congress holds in trust this
and all other Territories for the whole United
States and can dispose of the same to suit it's
convenience, is putable-that, by receiving
an Organic Act by which we are governed, and
acquiescing 10 that act, We concede to her the
power of controlling US, is also indisputabe.--
But that Congress will exercise all these powers,
| We are far from believing. Granting the power
to exist, let US be cautious HOW we move, so that
at the very period when Minnesota should walk
into the Union dccked with the Republican man
tle-be cautious We say, that that mantle is not
stripped from her wide the Topeka Convention,)
and she is left as the Free State men of Kansas
have been left, tho mere tools Of the Slavery Oil
garchy.
We propose to follow this subject somewhat
further tomorrow, and to point out the course
which in our opinion the Republican party should
pursue to attain those great ends for which they
have been so nobly battling. aqo.