The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-05-22
Popular Sovereignty Universally Ro-
cognized,

from the journal ~ Commerce
The iAstfseled struggle ON The Kansas
question has been Instrumental 100 hccom-
plishWg what years ui previous discussion
bad failed 20 bring about viz the almost
universal recognition Of the s0uudnets Of the
doctrine thal the people Of q Territory have
right 90 determine by popular vote Nhhl
shall be- the character 1t their insutullonh,--
This doctrine, 6a long advocated 10y The
journal and by the fflends Of the Union and
Of State rights, met with powerful opposition
al first, and has encountered the mnat deter
unned hostility from the Abolition press dur
ing the different stages Of the discussion
which has eliminated in the present sharply
fought struggle over the bill for the pdmia-
sion Of kar sRs into. the Union
Whatever may he the fate Of the bill now
before Congress, IL Is q satisfaction 20 know
that the doctrine for which We have 30 long
cuntcnded, has not only secured the approval
Of the administration and its friends, but 10
now also Acknowledged hy the Republican
Representatives % he Tho doctrine upon
which future States must boo admitted into
the Union, Much as We dehire the immed-
ate admission Of Kansas 40 q means Of set
! ding the controversy now existing, we regard
AZ even more important the result 90 which
vs. have referred The people -hlAlng once
adopted and acted upon u doctrine 30 cmi-
ueuily just and 10 exactly In harmony with
the character Of our institutions, there il uo
danger that they viii ever go back % the cN-
plodod theory that 10 Congress belongs the
duty OF prescribing ~ the inhabitants OF
Territory the character Of the institutions
under which they shhl live bcyond the con
stitutionul requirement that their govern
mcnt shall be Republican IN form, an con-
dIion Of admission into the Union,
Angry and bitter M has been the DISCUS
Il. I'll IA l. ttf
/ 10 observe the singular uUauimity with which
the precise doctrine embraced ~ the Kansas
Nebraska Law has been approved hy all pr-
ties in Congress. The Senate liill, while 10
provides for the immediate admission of Kan
,ns under the LCcomplun Constitution, is ac-
o1mpuuicd by "a declaration u the rlghl Of
the people 90 change, after or amend that in
strumout ~ any times and the House bill
makes submission Of tic constitution 20
the popular vote a condition upon which the
State shall be admitted Both distinctly md
uuqualiiicdly endorse and recognize the doc
trno Of the popular sovereignty, and thus ni-
ford guaranty that hereafter no opposition
will lac made by either Of the political parties
20 the great principle which has heretofore
encountered such active hostility from the
Republican party, md from largo purtt0n
Of the Americans We hrc happy u know
that the hhors Of the Giouds OF the doctrine
have becu crowned with entire sUcccss.
The above article {, a specimen Of the ar
roganec with which the uor,hcu democratic
press claims the devotion Of It's party to a
principle which VA, been practically aud OBJ
,,inatcly repuda,cd by tlo administration
Why il is this which constitutes tAc bone of
contention between Mr.. Douglas and the
Republicans ON the one hand aud the admin
iatrlliuu on the other Mr.. Douglas aud the
Republicans stood shoulder TO shoulder IN
opposing the lccomp,on Constitution, be-
cause II dit nat aNor he pcopie Of 'H0Hsds
The rgh n "daiomiue Up popular roia"
whether they would accept il. Mr., Douglas
rightly claimed that the Senate bill ignored
the doctrine Of popular sovereignty At
length the Senate bill was amended on mo-
ton Of Mr., Green. aud it is allcdgcd that
this amendment provided that the people
might alter their constitution at am, time
Hut this was shown "a ,hc a catch. They
could only altcrit IN accordauc, with is own
provisions, one Of which was that no allcra-
ton should be made "io gg;ci tie right ot
properly holiiY m A1res," The claim,
therefore, Of the Journal Of Commerce that
the Senate hil contained "a declaration Of
nc fTF'Jt oT TIC pc5pl5to alter or amend that
instrument at any ,imc," a. nat hut Find
ing il impossible 10 force through Congress a
bin which practically denied the right of the
people to decide upon their own constitution
the administration hii upon the cunuiney
devised scheme embodied in the English
Ri!!,' which is-po~ e. law, and which, ~ ~
cnigmolicnl that good democrats may under
stand t'eithcr way. The Journal Of Com
mcrcc and the northern government presses
assert that it does submit the constitution TO
the popular vote Of the people, and are jubi-
liant over the triumph of the doctrine of pop
sepefeie+tttr- tire ut1rr- turtrf the
Washington Union, lie orgH ef The adm61-
iS'r0iioa maintains that the Locompton Con
stitu,ion is not submitted 10 he people, The
Union closes a long argument 10y saying that
1.-THE question of admission and the PROPOSE.
lion ia regard 10 HHds are alone submitted -
and it insists that after the vote of the people
? against admission, the lccompton ConSiitu-
ton viii still be the constitution of Kansas.
This is the language Of the Washington
Union, and Of the southern democratic press.
and this shadows forth the views of the Pres
idcnt. Popular sovereignty Il with the adj
ministrotion an igi'is Fotmts. It procaims
the right Of the people to regulate their in
stitutons, while by its strong arm it with
holds hom them this promised boon, and
fastens upor hem an institution which they
, abhor and r-.At. The English BILL cha
, mellon like, affords all the required facilities
for enabling the administration to ignore its
professions by its practice.
Now Publications.
(ppIy rpu No., 49,.