Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-31
INTERVENTION OF THE GENERAL GOVERN.
MENr IN TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION.


nent o! a policy Of entire non-nteryenticn by
he General Government with the Legislative
administration of the Territories.
Up tn the time Of The passage Of the Kansas
Nebraska acl. the Democratic party had umani-
nolisly adhered 10 the same constitutional doc
irinc still advocated by the Democracy OF Vir-
,inis that tn" territories are the common
property Of all the States. and Il. such
subject TO the administration Of III. ';ene-
raj Government. the only common agent
If the States: ,ha, tbs general agent
has no power, whatever. to destroy nr d.
,rcciate any right Of person or Of property
sanctioned by thc laws o; any Of the States !;
but on the contrary. the General Government
is bound 10 protect fully and efficiently ever,
,itizcn in the enjoyment oI those risht' in the
territories. which he would be entitled u enjoy
n any State OF the Union.
Congr,ss cJnn1' ;nttrr.a: I, d.s'rog" Tt9hi.
Congress mp,' ;attrtF"t TO pr"',rt righ't.
rheneeer az esi.t;Ag 'icFr<mcy c!i fr'''s''!'""
renter. ."ch iatrrcentipn nectsmry Such has
been the doctrine upon which the greatest
statesmen Of our counirv have relied. 10 deny
altogether the rightiui power Of Congress 10
intervene for the abolition y! slavery in ANY Of
the territories; al the same tim" that they
insisted il WAS the unavoidable duty Of Congress
to provide protection in all the territories for
the right Of slave property. i'll common with
al other rights Of property
This doctrine is not only true, but It is una.
voidablc Tn" Kansas Nebraska hill whiri,
is referred 10 by the advocates cf non .imtcrvcn.
ton a. the cxponen; Of their theory i itself i
marked example OF intervention. BY it, Con-
sress fixes the boundaries Of Territories. aud
,ssertS future discretionary power I" divide
each of the Territories into several states or
Territories Bv it, Congress r,>'ry"> the c!itir;
administration oi the high 'loman: rcfu>c. I"
permit anv interference hv the territorial az
!horitic, with the Indian tribes ~ their lands.
The entire Executive government "i IN" Terri.
tories is placed under the immediate direction
If the President The entire judiciary nj each
Territory is appointed by the President, and
controlled bv the supreme Court .! thr lnii"l
States.
Nor is the Legislative authority at ali cN-
,mpted from the intervention of the General
Government. The Governor nj the Territory
the appointee oi the President AMI removable
It will, is made a coordinate branch of the
Legislature flo may use the veto power Al
my time, and when used, it Is under the in
,tructionS OF the President.
The money power OF each Territory i>ioige'l
with the Governor and Secretary, both Federal
,ppointees, and to be employed by them sub
ect only to the instructions ofthc United state,
Secretary Of the Treasury. Congress provides
he qualification of members Of the Legislative
Assembly Congress provides even how MANY
officers may be elected by each House Of the
Legisaturc-such rs clerks. door-keepeTS, &".
Congress not only cxcinpts United States pro-
perty from taxation, and excludes all territorial
interference with the primary i;>p ,>tl D! t'i''
soil, bat undertakes, generally, 10 limit the
power Of taxation, especially providing that the
property Of non.reSidcntS shall not hc taxed
higher than that of residents. While protesting
non-intcrycntion with regard to slavery, Con
.ress does intervene torepeai pre-exi>ting laws
enacted for the protection Of slavery.
Moreover by sweeping clause Congress
restricts the whole power Of the Territorial
Legislative assembly to very narrow limits, by
providing that the Constitution and lH"s Of the
United States shall prevail whenever locally
applicable The Territorial Legislature cannot,
Of course, repeal, suspend or supcrscde any .;
these laws; the federal laws include the powers
of appropriation, the whole executive power Of
the Territory, the administration Of civil AMI
criminal justice. and may, at any time be en-
tended in their operations, in these as in new
departments and directions Thus the lcgisla-
tive power of the Territorial authorities is
merely supplementary intended to apply only
to cases not reached by existing federal legisla
ton, and liable, at any time, TO be subjected to
new limitations and restrictions.
Indeed the whole territorial government is.
practically, as well "a theoretically, the mere
creature and delegate of the General Govern
ment For territorial government To claim
exemption from Congressional Intervention, in
wolves palpable ahSllrdity. since it owes It's
very existence to the exercise "f this same in
tervcntion. And Congress must intervene 10
limit. restrict distribute and supervise the Ter
ritorial government. whenever Congress inter.
vcnes to recognise and establish it,
We will pursue these considerations and
their practical deductions in future articles.
- <-1D-S~ ~-------
Mr.. GALTs STATUE OF JEFFERSON.
We ar" much gratifed 10 learn that the clay
model Of the Statue Of Jefferson, ordered
for the University Of Virginia, is now complete.
II will be remembered that this order WAS given
to one Of our own Virginia artists. Mr.. Alex
andcr Gait. Most oi the citizens Of Richmond
arc familiar with Mr.. ,;altS successful artistic
career; and many OF us have learned Ia enter
tain an esteem for this enthusiastic and com
panionablc Young artist, apart from the
admiration vf the exquisite bn>;, whlcfI
have given such high promise "i more
ambitious attempts. The statue "f JEFF
ferson is the first full length figure whir!, Mr.
Cali hu> ret attrmptcd Private adyircs from