Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-08-28
AUGUST IS. 1S5

ANOTHER BAD SHOT FROM THE SOUTH"
The South lnbors hard to make out its double
case of consistency and inconsslency-the consis.
'ency of the editor of "The Souh"-the inconssten.
~ Of The Enquirer"
On the latter topic there ID much labor and many
words employed We extract from the entire mass
the two following sentences, which seem to cons
;ute the issus Oh which "The South" rests its
Does the Federal Constitution any where direct
that States applying for admission into the Union
mus: have their organic laws previously ratified by
popular vote? And does the Richmond Enquirer
Delnocratic paper, contend that Congress can exer
else any power which is not clearly granted by the
COnstituiiou!'
Here "rhe South" exposes papable ignorance on
apoint of constitutional law, which has been tho
roughly aud extensively discussed during the past
three years.
Startling as it may seem to "The South, the Con-
sttution Of the United States does provide for the
adoption of organic law by the popular voice OF each
territory applying for admission as State. If f"Ihe
South" will refer to the Report OF the Senate Com
mittee on the Kansas Nebraska BILL it will find the
doctrine directly deduced from the Constitution it.
SELF that it the province Of Congress to provide for
the organization OF each territory by the people OF
,he territory to provide for the admission OF new
States by and according to the wishes of the people
of each territory applying for such admission. The
Constitution under which territory is thus admitted
embodes the organization Of the State. 1t is the es-
senal attribute Of social organization guaranteed by
the Federal Constitution TO the popular will of the
territory, which Congress cannot usurp for itself,
which i, can much less permit the municipal author-
ties Of the territory TO usurp, which can be made e
iective only by popular ratification.
II is indeed true, as "The South" asserts, that con
dieting precedents may be found So can the admis.
sion of California be cited rs precedent-but like
the precedents cited by "The South" it is prece-
dent of usurpaton. Such precedents are bad prece.
dcms-all of them opposed to the doctrine laid down
by the State of Virginia and sanctioned by the Cen
era Government, in the act of cesson OF the North
West territories opposed TO the doctrine of the Con-
sttuon-opposed to the doctrine Of popular right
anti Democratic IL every aspect.
SO much for the Inconsistency Of the Enquirer "
As concerns the consistency Of the editor Of "The
South" that journal is still more unfortunate. The
only defence offered is that the editor is and always
was opposed to Syuattsr sovereignty. OF course he
is. Every body processes to be. But will 1.-The
South" attemptto define sqmnter S2rere'gnfy| We
admit tina. we cannot. In fact, We maintain that the
term has no distinct definition at all S7uaHe' sor-
ereigniy is slang tern-a term of reproach to which
it has not been found necessary to atlx definition
a mere handful of mud which newspapers and politi'
clans have become accustomed 10 employ for indis.
criminate abuse.
Now let 'The South" meet the isaue directly. Did
its editor or did he not, maintain the unrestricted
right of natives of Missouri who had transferred their
residence TO Kansas to vote in the territory mHedl.
a;ey after the transfer Of resdence Did be, or did
he not assist to send Vrginans to ksnsas, with the
expectation that they could vote if necessary, mme-
diately IN their arrival there?
"NIr. Pryor is absent" We know it, Neverthe'
Iess the mails can reach him. L,t us have hls own
answer.
As to the friendship OF the charleston Mercury
for Governor Wise, we are willing to believe that
that paper is just friendly as, and no more triend'
", TO the Governor than "The South" ITSELF
Finally, We may congratulate Ourselves lila. we
have accomplished one good work. "rhe South" !"
has suspended for awhile its extreme denunciations
of the President himself and Of the friends and mea
sures of his Administration. 1t indulges now mostly
in squbs aimed at the "Enquirer." $50 mete it BE-"
r,t,nt SptpIT NANJEES'TIEC, IrSELF