Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-01-16
John van Buren's Defense Of MI.
Buchanan.

John van Buren's Defense Of MI.
Buchanan.
The newest, latest and patented Demo
fcratic doctrine that there shall be no Pop
lar sovereignty in any Of the Territories
and no more Free States in any quarter
or latitude where shareholders choose to
carry theii property, is now taught boldly.
John Van Buren, latelysmade q speech
in New York from which We extract as
follows:
"Let us now pass along to another sub
'iect whice has been a good deal discussed,
and l think not very well understood; and
that is what is called popular sovereignty
or squatter sovereignty. Senator Douglas
and Others contend that it is violated by
not submitting the constitution of ;he state
to the people Of Kansas. Well, gentleman,
| have looked carefully through the Ne
braska bill, and carefully at the Cincinnati
platform, and there is not one word about
popular sovereignty, or one word about
sqnatter sovereignty in either. Nor did
ever, in addressing the people, undertake
to say that they contained any such prin
lciple, or that l even understoo +! what YVES
meant by popular sovereignty.
l was: told that popular sovereignty
was some principle of the Revolution which
had been brought forward in 1854 and ap-
piled to Nebraska and Kansas. Well, |
said, "Gentlemen, if this is a principle of
the Revolution that has laid dormant from
the time Of Washington to the time OF
Pierce, it strikes me it would not suffer
from a few years more of undisturbed re
pose. fLaughter.) Least Of all did see
how a mar could bling forward a princi-
Pile and claim to patent it now, if it had
been a principle in existence at the time
of the Revolution, and understood by the
founders of the constitution. But what
was The principle of the Revolution. AS
understand it, it was the right Of the peo-
pie to frame their own government
Well, fellow citizens, now was thot to be
carried out by the Nebraska bill? Why,
application was to be made to Congress
for the privilege of forming a government,
and then q bill was to be passed by Con,
gress making the framework of the govern.
menf after it should be established. Well
that would have been a funny principle Of
the Revolution. If Johu Hancock and
George7W ashington had applied to Great
Britain, under the principles Of the Revo-
luton, for the privilege of forming a gov
eminent and the passage of an enabling
ACT, and the framework of the structure
it strikes me the revolution would hav.
been indefinitely postponed. (Laughte
and applause. A Voice-"that's soy
What is this principle Of popular sover
eighty that suits SO well Republicans, be
cause it is AL entire abstraction, of M
earthly consequence, and therefore fittet
to form a platform for them? 1t is no.
popular sovereignty when the thirty-ont
States of the Union meet in Washington
and pass a law establishing a government
over Kansas, and making the government
exactly what they please? That is popu
lar sovereignty!
John then goes on to say that popular
sorersigaty was only preached in particu
lar places among particular people By
|squirts Of fellows who, like Douglas, laie
the preIiminaries Of ultimately going with
the Black Republican absiractionists.-
What, says John, if Pennsylvania and In
diana were carried by This new doctrin ne Of
squastef sovereignty? The party is this
day worse off with the victory thar hac
our enemies won the battle under Ere
mont. John was cheered at every step BY
the Buchanan men.