Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-01-27
"POpular Sovereignty"

The phrase popular Sovereignty" has
acquired specific application in the par
tisan nomenclature Of the day, and is under
stood to refer exclusively to the assumed
right of self-government on the part of the
people of the Territories. 1t is of Demo-
cratic coinage, and the first issues bore the
imprint of the venerable Secretary of State.
We quoted at length, five or six weeks
| ago, from the famous Nicholson letter" OF
| General Cass, the 6rst announcement of the
doctrine from any responsible source; and
we at the same time explained the cIrcum.
stances which drew it forth. 1t was q sue
cessful bid for a Presidential nomin alton,
but not a successful bid for the Presidency
| Prior to the PRONUNCIATION of this doctrine
of Congressional abnegation, the "Demo-
cracy." in common with the Wings and
Free-Soilers, held in the innocency of the ir
hearts to the cid landmaI ks of Jefferson,
| who was the author of the Ordinance OF
1887.
The Nicholson letter appeared in Decem-
ber, ls47. 1t was the first authoritative
promulga,ion Of the doctrine of Populsr
Sovereignty. 1t argued to show that the
people of the Territories have the same
| right to regulate their domestic affairs which
| is possess ed by those of the States. 1t
claimed for the Territories the right to I'D
nit or exclude Slavery at their pleasure -
The South even then was not entirely salts
fed with this doctrine; and Mr.. Calhoun in
particular never for 4 moment gave in to it.
From the first, he insisted on the position
now maintained by Mr.. Buchanan, that the
shareholders have the right to take their
they remain in the Territorial condition,
and that neither Congress nor the Terri
torul Legislatures have the right to exclude
| the institulion--that the right OF the slave
holder follows him into the Territory, and
that he no more loses his right to his slave
by taking him into Territory of the Union
! than he loses his right 10 the horse he rides
Such were Mr.. Calhoun's positions. He
was then regarded as an ultraist, even by
the majority of the South; but to day his
views are universally accepted in that sec.
ton, and have been proclaimed by Presi.
dent Buchanan as the inlallible platfoi III o.
the party.
In lS4S, however, the Southern Demo
cracy, though not entirely approving the
Popular Sovereignty doctrines of Genera
Csss. accepted him as their candidate fol
the Presidency, but failed to sustain hu
with vigor, and the stakeholder. Geuera
Taylor, Why in fact, though no-party
man in profession, was elected. II was
evident that the South would not cordially
sustain man who stood upon the platform
of Sauatter Sovereignty, and the party
gradually reoeded from it until it has becom,
only less heretical than tho Wiimot Pro
Il viso.
The majority of the Democratic party o
the North in 1867 stood out against Pop
ular Sovereignty. They insisted, with tn,
! Wings and Liberty party. that Congress
> possesses the right of excluding Slavery
, from the Territories, and should exercise it
r Those who persisted in this time-honore'
Jeflersonian view Of public duty in the pre-
| misses, were Gu, off from the Democrat,
4 fold as heretics and schismatics; and tn
4 Southern wing Of the party became NOR