Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1857-03-26
The Inaugural squattsr Sovereignty.


The Inaugural squstter Sovereignty.
The Louisville Journal in reviewing
President Buchanan's Inaugural Address,
thus speaks of Squatter Sovereignty, and
the Presidents views thereon
"The popular sovereignty Of the Nebrss.
ka.kansas act constitutes the whole plat
form of the present Democratic party
Upon this doctrine alone the issue was made
in the Presidential election, and the praises
OF the "happy conception were rung
throughout the whole land by the Buchanan
organs and the Buchanan stump orators. II
was represented as a great and glorious
principle, and, in both his letter Of accept
ance and in this inaugural address Mr.. Bnc-
hanan says that II is "a rlnciple as ancient
as free government ITSELF" md yet IN the
same document and almost in the same
breath he admits that the constitutionality Of
this "principle" is very seriously question
ed, and that II is his own individual opinion
that il don't exist at all.
This popular sovereignty either means
tnat the "wil of the majority [of the squat
tiers, or residents shall govern the settle
ment of the question of domestic slavery in
the territories" srhile in territorial condi-
fion, or. it means nothing whatever. Mr..
Douglas, the author Of the Kansas Nebras-
ka bill, stated distinctly in the United States
Senate that the language Of the bill was in
tended 10 confer this power upon the people
OF the territory. Mr.. Pierce, who approved
the act as President, in declaring that the
principle contained in it would exclude
slavery from every foot Of our federal terri
tories, gave to it a similar Interpretation, and
Gen. Cass, Mr.. Buchanan's Secretary Of
State, has always contended for this mean
ing of the term popular sovereignty. But
Mr.. Buchanan doubts the constitutionality
of this doctrine and decides that it is not
contained in the Nebraska-Kansa act. II
it is not contained in that act it never has
been applied by Congress, and the simple
eulogy of the doctrine with which the new
President, in his inaugural, enters upon the
consideration Of the slavery question, is SUI
premely ridiculous and absurd.
The gist Of this portion of the address
may be thus stated: 1.-THE popular sovereign
~ doctrine applied 10 the territories by Con-
gress in the passage of the Nebraska Kan
sas bill was happy conception; it is prin.
ciple as ancient as free government ITSELF
The constitutionality of this popular sove,
reign;y has been very much doubted ant
can only be determined by the Supreme
Court of the United States. The Nebras'
ka-Kansas act, in my own individual opin
ion, does not confer popular sovereign!
upon the people Of the territories" Thi
is the whole argument condensed, and W.
doubt il this or any other country has eve
witnessed such disgusting exhibition o
weakness and indecision Of character q
mounting almost to imbecility in one Of tn
chief officers of the government.
The l,meness of the inaugural in refer
ence is TO the territorial question is posi-
lively painful. 1t limps and halts and STUN
bles and crosses its tracks almost as oite
=. in the course Of two paragraphs as its dis
u tinguished author has done in the whole pc
riod Of his political career.
The inference is plain. The squatte
sovereignty humbug, the only stock in trad,
tlie,whole political capital of the preser
Democratic party, will have to be abandon
ed. Notwithstanding the ridiculous lauda
-~tion Of it as "a happy conception" and g
principle as ancient as free government il
SELF" it has already been abandoned in th
inaugural address. With it will disappes
all the identity Of The Democratic party, an
lis epitaph may be written, "dcd Of hal
py conception.