The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-01-07

Il SoUATTER SovEREIGNTY--The declaration b.
/ senator Bgler, the confidential friend OF MI
Buchanan, that the people Of territory haV
the right to determine whether slavery shall
e shall not exist therein will be assumed BY mos
persons as an expression of the views OF ih
4 president elect If these are Alr. Buchanan,
: opinions they will CRATE haTsEly on southern
ears. There is a marked distinction between
the democracy of the north and that of th
south on this same question of territorial sore
f reignty Northern democrats, headed by TIM
e venerable Cass, have proclaimed the doctrine
of popular supremacy in the territories, holding
: that the people of a territory may enact law
s iuterdctng or recognizing slavery. This il
+ what is commonly called ''squatter sovereign
: IT," The democrats, and not alone the demo
2 Gratis but all parties at the south, maintain tina
: territory, while such, is subject TO the su
, preme authority of congress, and can donoth
ing more than congress permits 1t toado-tha
as the powers vested in congress by the constl
tuition are limited, the powers granted to ter
rilory by congress must be likewise limited
that as congress possesses no right either tc
establish or prohibit slavery, aterrltory is equal
" destitute of this right; that the people of a
territory have but one mode of regulating THEN
social condition, and that is when forming a
State constitution to embody in that instrument
such provisions as they may deem in accord
ance with their position, and which are got in
compatible with republican form of govern
ment, or with the constitution of the .. States.
This is the southern doctrine, and is opposed
toto ccelo to the squatter sovereignty of general
Glass; and of the northern democrats.
Now if Mr.. Bigler is to be received as the
echo of Mr.. Buchanan, the latter favors this
false and fatal heresy, and to this extent, en-
ertains views seriously conflicting with those
of the section to whose all but unanimous vote
| he is indebted for his success. We do not de-
sire to pre- Judge Mr.. Buchanan. We have not
| the slightest prejudice against him. On the
contrary, our disposition is to give his admin
istralion an honest support, and at all events to
make no tacous war upon it. We trust there
fore, that senator Bigler speaks for himself and
not for Mr. Buchanan. We should be sorry
to STE the incoming administration injured in
advance by the ascri plion to it of doctrine
to which the south is inyincibly hostile, and
especially doctrine in regard to which Mr..
Buchanan's record is singularly uncertain,
since while his Sanford letter seemed to repu-
diate squatter sovereignty, his acceptance of
the Cincinnati nomination had an awful squirt
ing the other way. We could almost forgive
any political monstrosity save this, because it
strikes at the root of those fundamental prn-
cipes on which the safety of the south abso-
lutely depends. Give to the people of terri
tory the right of settling the slavery question
within its borders, and you invest them with a
power greater than any welded by congress,
or conferred by the constitution. You sanction
IN effect that 'higher law of which treesoil
ers pirate, as overriding human institutions
This is one of the radical objections TO the doc
trlne, and another equally overwhelming as re-
spects southern interests is, that were squatter
sovereignty recognized every square foot of
territory organized by virtue of law would be
snatched from slavery. But it is needless to
argue point on which there is no difference of
opinion at the south. We repeat the hope that
senator Biger does not speak by authority, for
If he does, the very inclpiency of the new ad
ministration will be clouded by distrust. Bee.
MARvELLoUs.-The Cincinnati Commercial
gives the following description of a curiosity
cut from the heart of maple tree near that
city, by Mr.. Beli:-It has very perfect hu
cheeks, somewhat shrivelled now, but which, |
when found, were, he informs us, plump and
smooth, bearing even more striking resem-
blance to the human face than now. 1t is about
the size of a goose-egg, and is much the same
shape, save where the smooth surface is varied |
by the outline of the features, and all of it ex-
cept the face is covered by substance re-
markedly resembling hair 1t is unquestiona-
J. AVID IT.,
of the face Mr. Bell informs US that in the
mouth, when found, were little white protu-
beranees very like teeth, which were picked out
by one of his children who was of an inquirine
turn of mind. Mr.. B. is well known to some
OF our most respected citizens, and pledges his
veraclty that the tungas which is fashioned in
The simltude Of a face (there being not only
general resemblance, but a cavity to the mouth
and nostrlIS, connecting with it, amazingly like
humanity was found in the heart of tree
which was cut on his premises, that was two
feet in diameter, about three feet from the
ground, in a small cavity, between which and
the air on every side there was at least foot
Of solid wood.
The SLAVE TRADE AT THE NoRTH-The New
ork journal of Commerce has the following
paragraph Tor the digestion of the descendants
Of the men who pocketed the profits of the
slave trade, which is now declared to be pira-
y by act of congress:
We have been thinking over the question of
he proposed revival of the slave trade in this
country, and have come to the conclusion that :
ever 1t should come to pass, it will be done ,
~ Massachusetts rather than South Carolina. !
A modified slave trade is already carried on
rom Boston as well as from New York, but !
lot at all from Charleston or any southern port.
We allude to the traffic in Chinese coolies. who -,
'elng comparatively white, their enslavement ,,
lnder various forms of imposition, is all right, :
IS estimated by northern cupidty So far as :
he African slave trade is carried on from the y,
northern ports, it is done by foreigners, who
kulk from public observation but the coolie -,
rade is conducted openly and largely by the =
1ankees
CLERGTMEN AND PoL1ncs.-The venerable i
lshop Meade, of Virginia, has addressed a let f
ar to the Protestant Churchman, in which he #
Iscourages any active partcip patton in politics a
n the part of ministers of the gospel. Tie II
richmond Dispatch gives the pitb of the let p