The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1858-01-06

ventton ; anc, II Judge Douglas Is now righi,
to assert, at The same time, the complete SOW
ereiguty of the people touching the organiza.
tion of their State systems. s.
If We take away part of this principle Of
Federal interference in The Territories, il
seems clear that we must take the whole. II
we divest Congress- of all right 10 intervene.
we must no, now aspme 10 decide at this
distance question: lch are purely local,
aud which, in the very nature Of things, ap.
pertain solely 10 the people Of Kapsas. The
rights of Congress in reference to. the subject
accrue under specific ptovision or the Fed
eral Constitution, by which that body is au.
thorized to admit new States into the Union,
and is limited 10 the single question, whether
the government established is or not republic
can in form. If non.inleryenlion means any
thing, il certainly carries with ii the absolute
right Of the people to establish their own In
slilulions in their own way. Congress, then,
having denounced its authority over the sub
iect, the inference is inssitabe that the peo-
Pile of Kansas ought to be- regarded as free to
do as they please. By their acts, through
their own local Legislature, and by the vo'es
OF the people, they constituted convention,
aud empowered it to frame a constitution,
without imposing upon ii any Limitation
touching The question o: It's submission to
them for ratification or rejection. Now, it is
hardly fair TO deny the right of Congress to
enact the Missouri CompIomise, which was
Limitation OF restriction imposed by that
body upon the people Of the Territories, by
which they were prohibited from exercising
their own will upon given subject, and at
the same time c'a:eto that people,he mode
IN which they shall organize their own gov
eminent.
The 14th section Of the act repeating the
Missouri Compromise expressly declares that
ii is "ihe true inieu, and meaning Of this act
not 10 legislate slavery into any Territory, o,
Stale, nor TO exclude it thereIrom, butio leave
the people thereof perfect, free TO form and
regulate their domestic Institutions in their
own way" We know of no other conslruc-
ton to put upon this language than that Con.
sress intended 10 "leave" the people to es'
tabIish their own institutions, disavowing all
authority in The premises The repeal Of the
&C, of 1850 was part of The system Of leg
islation then settled and fixed. There was nc
vlrtue III tnat Tspeai, u we bow uetesuH"s
that The Territories are still dependent upon
the National Legislature for authority 10 es
tablish their "domestic institutions" or claim
the right still 10 intermeddle in their local at
fairs. The Territories and States are dis
tiuc,y referred 10 as equalin political inde'
pendence and rights, SO that the disavowal ot
Congressional authority in the act of 1854
and the assertion at this time of The authori
ty of Congress over both, are 10 be taken TO-
aether. Il is manifest, indeed, that il was
the intention of Congress 10 place the Terri
tories and the States upon an equal footing in
respect 10 the establishment Of their local in
slitutions.
If this is the construction Of the Kansas
Nebraska act, how is il possible togo behind
the Eecompton Constitution without cleal
violation of It's provisions? The obvious
purpose of that act was 10 effect the entire
separation of Territorial from Federal politics
and 10 settle The principle, without touching
questions of detail, such as neediuI numbers
and local organization, upon which new
States are TO be organized and admitted. w;
see no necessity for enabling ac;s. if Con
gress Is divested Of all right to interfere il
Territorial affairs. The principle of non-in
tervenlion being settled, and Territorial ant
State Independence, in reference to all do
meslic institutions declared, what reason Il
there to be urged in favor Of special permls
sorry Legislation 10 such casess