Brookville American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1858-1861, 1858-07-02
Popular and ''squatter" Sovereignty,

There are, probably, no two words Of
our language that have given rise to so
much controversy, and important po-
litical changes, as those which head this
article. We very much doubt whether
the venerable Secretary of State, when
penning tho words rs contained in his
famous Nicholson" letter, either com
pretended its full import or dreamed
of its subsequent influence in the form
alton Of party and partizan creeds.-
After the unexampled contest growing
out OF tho settlement Of the Missouri
Compromise line, by which II was
soIemnly agreed upon, by the politicians
North and South, that all Territory
north Of SO 80, north latitude should
forever thereafter be dcdicated and set
apart for free labor. Comparative peace,
quiet and good neighborhood prevailed
between all parts Of our Union, for the
space of near thirty years. In the
meantime large, and then unexpected
acquisitions of territory had been made
TO our already unwicldy domain, bring.
ing with it new complications, and vast
responsibilities. The territories had
stretched from tho western limits Of
Missouri TO the surging shores Of the
Pacific, developing incalculable mines
Of gold aud silver ore. Within these
complications, avaricious political dem
agogues, cspied fertile fields for their la
Dor, and amidst tho excitement Of new
ly fomcnted sectional strife, sure guar
teo for political organizations, in the
lead Of which, Ioomed up high official
position with its long coveted emolu-
ments.
Gen. Cass, whose love Of Office is only
surpassed by love for its emoluments,
was the first to move in behalf Of the
slave power in this now mighty struggle.
BY his nicholson" letter concocted for
Southern support for the Presidency in
1s4s, the idea Of popular" Sovereign
ty, as applicable to territories, was first
promulgated and by which his peculiar
friends South, understood one thing,
and those North another.
The bait Of the Gen'l. however, was
not well adjusted, the South were not
then ready to bite-the sacrifice was not
sufficient and Gen. Taylor eliminated
into executive position. As time wore on
and new asaaisitions OF territory fol-
lowed as the object and natural results
of the Mexican war, an attempt to pro-
hibit Slavery therefrom, resulted in the
compromises of 1850 by which the doc
trines of Popular Sovereignty" were to
be applied to tho newly acquired terri
tories, in their formation of State gov
ernments and admission into the CON-
mon Union as sovereign States. The
people, tired of the never ceasing agita-
ton Of slavery, yielded seeming nc
quiescence, Notwithstanding their up-
mistakable detestation oil some Gifts pro-
visions-hoping that by its peace, harmo-
ny and quiet might be restored as be-
tween the North and South.
The boasted consequences of mis-
taken compromise, had scarcely died
away in the distance, ere another of the
hoard of reckless, desperate, dema-
gogues of the free trest was ready to of
fer himself and services to the South in
the person of Stephen A. Douglas
Notwithstanding the future agitation OF
the slavery.question, "eitherlin or out OF
Congress" had been ignored by incorpo-
ration into the Baltimore platform Of the
party, and by it thoroughly Endorsed
the interests and demands Of the slave
power, disregarding all comfy and good
faith, exacted implicit submission and
hearty cooperation from their north
ern allies to open afresh the old ,cound
by the repeal ofthe time honored luissou-
ri Compromise. 1t was not sufficient to
their purpose that newly acquired ter
ritories should be subject to the doc
trines Of 'popular sovereignty" but
that new theory of SCATTER sovereign
ty should be applied to al! territories Of
the Union including that North Of the
Missouri Compromise line.
Before the eyes of that free state pol
itician who would engineer through