Oroville daily Butte record., 1858-01-06
Ixanxas.

mas again knockeu at the u0Or OF congress
with constitution which has not received
the solemn sanction of the citizens who are
to be bound by its provisions for term of
seven years.
In discussing this question in its present
phase, as heretore, it is only necessary TO
adhere to the principles enuncated in the
organic act Of Congress, ofMay 1854. That
act expressly declares that
"The people of Kanzas shall be perfectly
free to form and regulate their domestic in.
stitutions in their own way
The platform adopted by the Democratic
Convention of Cincinnati, also declares:
"That we recognize the right of the peo-
pie of all the territories, including Kanzas
and Nebraska, acting through the legally
and faily expressed will of the majority Of
actual residents, whenever the number Of
their inhabitants justities it, to form con-
stitution, with or without domestic slavery.
and he admitted into the Union upon terms
Of perfect equality with the other States"
This doctrine was heartily endorsed by
Mr. Buchanan, who used the following Ian
guage in his inaugural address:
''It is the imperative and indispensable
duty of the United States to secure to every
resident inhabitant the free and independent
expression of his opinion by his vote. This
sacred right of each individual must be pre-
served This being accomplished, nothing
can be fairer than to leave the people of
territory free from all foreign interference
to decide their own destiny for themselves.
subject only to the Constitution of the Uni
ted States. The whole territorial question
being thus settled upon the principle of
popular sovereignty-a principle ancient as
free government itself everything of a
practical nature has been decided, and no
other question remains for adjustment
Gov Walkers letter to the President ac-
cepting the appointment of Governor of
Kanzas, contained the following:
81 understand that you and all your cab
met, cordially concur in the opiuion ex-
pressed by me, that the actual, bona fide
residents of the territory of Kanzas, by
fair and regular vote, unaffected by fraud
or violence, must be permitted in adopting
their State Constitution, to decide for them.
selves what shall be their social institutions.
These were the doctrines upon which the
Democracy have acted and which they de-
clared should govern the territories. Kan.
zas has formed constitution which its Con
vention has seen proper not to submit to the
qualified electors of the Territory. with the
exception of the single clause relative to the
adoption of slavery. la discussing this ac-
tion of the Kanzas Convention, the recent
Annual message of the President, says:
II trust, however, the example set by the
last Congress. requiring that'tbe consttu.
tion of Mnnescta 'should be subject to the
approval and ratification Of the people of the
proposed State" may be followed on future
occasions | took it for granted that the
Convention of KanZas would act in accord
ance with this example, founded, as it is, on
correct principles and hence my instruc-
tions to Governor Walker in favor of sub
mitting the constitution to the people, were
expressed in general and unqualified terms T."
The question now to be determined by
Congress is whether'the principles ofsquat
ter sovereignty shall be applied to the ques-
ton of slavery alone' or whether that is.
sue shall be submitted with other questions
of governmental policy under those princ-
ples' No sane person will contend that
they were 'enunciated and upheld by the
Democracy for the purpose of settling an
isolated question; but because they were
just and correct in their bearing. Under
them, the people of the territories could
form their own social and political in
stitutions, and give them full force and ef
feet by the irresistible will Of the majority.
Whether the Slavery clause shall be re-
jected or not. it is not reasonable tosup.
pose that Democratic Congress will thus
restrict the practical operation of the prin-
ciples embraced in the Kanzas- Nebraska
Act, and forcea constitution upon KaDZas
that has not received the sanction of its
citizens, and that they have not The power
to change or modify for period of seven
years The principles Of squatter sover-
eighty have broader, higher, and more
important construction than that given
them by the constitutional convention OF
Kanzas, and cannot be thus lightly dis
missed. The doctrine that the Kanzas con-
vention could decline to Gubmit the consti'
tuition TO the people for their adoption or no
lection, cannot be entertained by those who
believe that the sovereignty rests in the
people Can the delegote thus bind the
hn Disfa hind