The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-08-12

feLd ana support his absuities, as well ss
himself, without regard ohe principles in.
voived, or their own consistcy. They made
no discrimination between Iates and Terrific
ries; each was alike sovereip, on the Slavery
question at least; State constitution and
Congressional Territorial oganic act were by
the new theory in chaIscte the ss=ss-there
was no difference between IL po,Oers reserved
oy the people of State to themselves, and the
po'oers granted by Congress to dependent
Territory-a distinct aad Independent people,
who framed their own Government for them
selves, elected their ow, offers or agents to
administer it, and defrapd The whole expenses
incurred thereby, WEI co1founded with a
sparse and Heterogeneous population, collected
on the public domain pder the jurisdiction of
the Federal authoritis with no Government
but such as might be extended to them, few
in numbers, weak in ,esources, incapable of
forming, uniting on, aa sustaining, Govern
ment for themselves. sut these pslpable diff
ferences and details hal not been alluded to in
the Nicholson Letter; md that was to be de-
Tended, because their candidate had written it.
This so-called PopuAr Sovereignty" was
propagated in lS47 sndl84S, and has been
source of irritation, disagreement and perpet-
usl annoyance, to all Connected with it-has
embarrassed and perpleied not only its author,
but successive Administrations and their sup
porters.
m nSi 10 L. L. e..
practical issue in the Convention which Assem-.
bled at Cincinnati in 1856 and nominated Mr..
Buchanan, this subject of Territorial Sovereign
ty-Popular Sovereignty inthe Territores-was
found an impossibility. The absurdities of
the Nicholson letter, that the people of Ter.
ritory had the sole right of authorizing or ex-
Guiding Slavery, could get no endorsement.
They might establish the institution of Sls-
very, but "Southern Rights" that sectional
and controlling element in Administration poll
tics, forbid them from prohibiting it. This is
Popular Sovereignty" in the Territories, as
expounded by the party doctors at Cincinnati.
The people are to be permitted to form and
regulate their own domestic Institutions in
their own way, but must not inierdict Slavery.
Like the considerste father who declared he
was the last person in the world who would be
80 unfeeling as to attempt to Interfere with or
disturb his daughters affections, but he should
compel her to marry the man he selected
whether she loved him or not. The people in
the Territory may establish and regulate their
own institutions in their own way, but they shall
have Slavery, at all events. This also is the
doctrine of the Supreme Court" Popular
Sovereignty" as recently expounded by ma
jority of that tribunal, which has assumed the
right of establishing and decreeing political
doctrines.
There is, however, another issue in regard to
" Popular Sovereignty and. that is, when,
emerging from their Territorial and dependent
condition, the people take upon themselves the
duties and responsibilities of distinct and in
dependent community, and become sovereign
State. This is legitimate Popular Sovereign
ty-the element that constitutes free and in.
dependent people, exercising the right of self
government, establishing their own institutions,
defining the power and authority of those whom
they may intrust as agents, and throwing safe
guards around their rights and privileges by
written Constitutions, embodying the funda.
mental principles on which the civil super.
structure is reared. Even the sectional "South.
ern Rights" party, which controlled the Cincin-
natl Convention, voted to recognise the right
of the people of all the Territories, including
Kansas and Nebraska, y y whenever
Tho pur,ha- JusIIn0S IL, 70
form Constitution, with or without Slavery,
and be admitted" &c. This right of people
to form their own Constitution, whenever they
have attained the requisite number of inhabit
ants, had never been disputed question in
our politics, when the Cincinnati Convention
declared their recognition of it. There have
been objections to admitting States after the
of their Constitutions in several in.
stances and for different causes, as in the case
Of Louisiana, when the Federalists objected,
because it was not within the original limits at
The adoption of the Federal Constitution as
in Missouri, because the Constitution which
they framed was in conflict with the Federal
Constitution; in Arkansas, from alleged in
formality, and because it established Slavery
in Michigan, by reason of boundary Difficult.
ties IN Wisconsin, because the Constitution
which was first presented had not been ratified
BY the people. Whatever irregulariiy, inform
atty, or objection, may have existed, however,
in regard to the admission of either of these
States, the right of the people to govern them
selves, when their numbers and resources would
Justify it, and they chose to take upon them
selves Popular Sovereignty" was never ques
toned.
But the administration of Mr.. Buchanan, in
the exercise of Federal power, has arrogated
to itself and to Congress the right to dictate to
the people of State, and compel them to re.
cieve a Constitution to which they are opposed.
They have by their acts shown themselves the
enemies of Popular Sovereignty" The LIE.
compton Constitution was not formed by the
people of Kansas, was not authorized by them,
was never sssented to by them, but was rejected
by them at the ballot-box by ten thousand ma.
jority. Yet, in the face of these facts, the
President and his partisan friends exerttd them
selves to impose that Government and Csnstitu.
ton upon the people, in defiance of their lover
eign will. This is the Democracy of the Presi-
dent and his "Southern Rights" suppotsrs-
an exhibition of their principles, and of their
regard for popular rights and Popular SIver.
eighty" But the outrage aud despotism we're
SO great, that thousands and tens of Thousands
who had acquiesced in the Territorial poll y of
the last and present Administrations, and Who
had voted for Mr.. Buchanan, refusedto endrse
his principles and his acts, by which Poplar