Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-02-17
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY.

A great deal has. been said recently, con-
corning the principle of popular sovereignty
by the followers of Senator Douglas, to which
we cheerfully subscribe We regard it as
the soul of the Democratic party, the breath
that invigora:es and gives it vitality. And
feeling thus we enter our protest against any
combiaator of ,n,n using the term merely as
u high sounding phrase, without any definite
meaning, for the purpose of gaining prose-
!ytos to their peculiar views The idea which
the Democratic party wishes TO convey by the
term popular sovereignty is WE'LL express
sed in the second section Of the Constitution
of Pennsylvania 'All power is inherent in
the people, and all free governments are
founded on their authority and instituted for
their peace, safety and happiness. For the
advancement of these ends, they have at all
times an unalienable right to alter, reform or
abolish their government, in such manner
as they may think proper"
When the opposition introduced the vii
mot Proviso into Congress, they were met by
the Democracy with the principle embodied
in the above extract from the Constitution of
Pennsylvania, that all power is inherent in
the people. This truly Republican principle
they applied to the territories They conten-
ded that the inhabitants of the territories
were sovereigns and had the same right as
the inhabitants of the States to regulate their
domestic institutions an Meir otcn ,coy Be
lieying, doubtless, that this was the only
principle on which national men of all parties
could unite, the only principle that would
preserve the Democratic party, Stephen \.
! Douglas introduced into the [. S Senate
| the Kansas Nebraska act. This act contains
nothing peculiar or remarkable. except the
provision repeating the Missouri Compromise
and giving to tue people of Kansas and Ne
braska the right to form and regulate their
| domestic institutions in their own way, sub
jeet only to the Constitution of the United
States" The announcement Of this princi
/ plc--tho right of the people of the territories
! to requisite their domestic institutions in their
own way, Immediately called into existence
| the Black Republican party. What Demo
! crat has forgotten the exciting contest OF
! 1856 ? tcphcn \. Douglas was placed side
/ by side with Arnold, and the Nebraska act
| denounced as 1.-THE crime against Kansas -
! Every means that the minds Of designing
demagogues cOuld invent, were rcsorted to in
order to secure the triumph of .tJolittoni:m,
and every man who upheld the principle OF
popular sovereignty Was denounced as a cow
ard or northern dcughfacc" But the
Democracy did not faltsr in upholding the
cause of right. James buchanan was trium-
! phautly elected, and the philanthropic C!) ad-
! vocatcs of blecdin Kansas SUNK back to their
kennels like whipped ours 1t has been as.
serted lin high places" that James Buchanan
has repudiatcd, rejected, the principle of pop
uiar sovereignty. fox which the Democracy
batiled when he was elected Prcsid, Mt. We
| deny the charge. We contend that in his
general message, and III his message submit
| ting the Lecompton Constitution to Congress.
he upholds the principle of opular sovcr,i iyn-
! ty IN It's true scnse, aud as it was understood
! by the Democracy when they elevated him to
! his present exalted position.
| The Kansas Nebraska act repealed the Mis-
souri, Compromise and gave to the people of
the territori' the ri ght to regulate their do
mestic institutions in their own way
The territorial government having been
fully organized, and the population of the
territory increased to a number sufficient to
entltle the territory to ask for admission into
| no mir I;,t
wards framing State Constitution. The ter
rltorlal Legislature accordingly passed law
Ito take the sense of the people upon the cx-
pedlency of calling Convention to form
State Constitution. The people of the ter
ritoFy having, at the general election of 1856
declared IN favor Of Convention. the I.eqis
inture passed an act for the election of dele
gates on the 3 Monday of June, 1857. to
frame State Constitution, Dclerates werc
accordingly elected on that day, who met in
Convention at I-ccompton, and proceeded to
discharge the duty imposed on them, and
having completed their work, adjourned -
| The far famed Lecompton Constitution which
is now fruitful theme for the denunciations
CT DiacH Nepublican orators and editors. was
the result OF their labors. The only portion
of the Constitution they framed which thev
submitted to direct vote of the people, was
the clause recognizing slavery as domestic
Institution of the State. The act of the ter
rltorial legislature under which they assem-
bled, contained no provision chat the const
tuition which they framed should be submit
ted to the people for their approval or rejcc-
tloa, nor did the Kansas Nebraska act con-