Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-02-18
uThe Democratic Ere comes to Us ia 4

0 The Democratic ET0 comes 10 Us. IN q
Ing article again, trying topatch up its bad
cause, and more particularly to shoH that
Congress has no POKER over her Territories
and to give.tbe pnTer Of age To the grand
humbug of squatter Sovereignty He can
not conceive how a people can be in a ter
ritory of the United States, and subject tc 6
iau of the general government. Yet j, Is
the natural constitutional Inference. that so
long as there is no established law, having
its origin in the Peop!e-which there can
not be without an enabling act from Gun
gress, the people mus; lock to Congress lo'
protection. Protection in its full sense i'm
plies Law. Such law we meat as was
called for by the people Of Illinois Of whom
Mr.. MADISON says in a letter to JFrFsRsos,
dated April %, 1857. "The inhabitants al
those places, claim protection against the
saEagss and prorisons fer esfa oid
criminal jiastics." The Era doe. not cu'ne
TO the point and show what "rnles ard regu'
h,ions" can be needed, unless as a temporary
gosernmeat. It charges that VIC DO not tell
where The "poWar begiHs Or where is ends"
We will now say that it begins with posses
sion, and ends when under the direction Of
Congress anu .he constitution, It comes into
the Union Sc a State. The possession means
possession in the fullest sense, and as u
plain sequence, Congress has power to 'tis-
pose Of" and power 10 mike call nced!ul
rules"-which might as well be written
s'needful laws" There is no difference
unless to one who bubbles on techn'ca!ties.
But the advocates of this modern humbug,
contradict the very letter of their darling
law. So far from considering the people
sovereign in Kansas, they have appointed
their election days, they have appointed the
Governors-yeH, FIVE ofthem, they have ap-
pointed the Judges, Sheriffs, Constab!eS,
Judges of election, aud even delegates. This
is the only instance where the principle has
been applied, and this is what is made Of it,
Grad, yes a glorious humbug aint it! But
the Ere quotes MADISON. and what does he
prove, why simply nothing, steamed TO the
belief" &C., il not very definite more espec :
Tally when Mr.. MADISON did exercise these
powers. The quotation from Gen. uArRIsOS
does not refer to the point al iseue. But
since the Editor oithe Era has one opinion
we will see how far he differs from otter
great men, and also see whether this princI-
pie has sge enough 10 command respect
THE power was entirely conceded 10 be
vested in the general government at tie
time of the cession of The norlh-w estern
territory. True it was before the consli-
tuition had been adopted, yet il was done
with the sanction of the master minds who
framed thai instrument. There can De No
doubt of the meaning of The ordinance OF
1887. When North Carolina in the year
1890 ceded her western territory, this power
of Congress was clearly recognized, SO it
was by Georgia in 1902. 1t YVES recognized
in 1920. and lHlso in 1850 directly, and in
the mean time it Was Indirectly recognized
in a variety of ways, BY our greatest men,
and seundest judges. 1t is loo late now To
claim that this doctrine has been handed
down from the fathers OF cur country, on
the contrary they have exercised the power
TO govern the territories almost without
question. This of itself is almost sufficient
TO establish the power, fer hat is the com-
sti.ution, but the Acknowledged will of the
people. The Era must either set itself up
as an cxpounder of law, superior to the early
ii ghts Of OFT nation, else it must knock
under"