, 1859-05-06

II Il essential to the intelligent discussion OF
any question thut the precise slsniiicatiou of
accurately defined. aud the hopeless confusion
ii ideas exhibi. ed in the efIisFions Of many Of
our contemporaries upon tho leading political
toric OF the day furnishes conspicuous illus
tration Of this automatic truth We will not do
our opponents the Injustice Of assuming thai
this confusion Of the phrascs VIC have prefxed
10 our article is the result Of lack Of discrinli-
Popular Sovereignty" rightly understood.
must necessarily prove as popular Us that Of
"Squntter Sovereignty" is odious trom lis un-
cnnstitutionality, the Of tile two phrases in
di:crimlnatrlr argues rather al udroitnrs., ,tae-
iil enou:h 10 these whose principles will nut
bear ANALYSIS.
lsut is Here any foundation for assuming the
conyertibil,v If these terms: And is i, tnir 10
charge that one is MI advocate ii '':Squat,es
Sovereignty because he has given in bis atl-
hrsion to tho doctrine Of .Popuiar Suyerciruty!''
We think not. Popular Sovereignty and Squat.
ter Sovereignty are doctrines not only distinct,
but antagonistic; and the distinction is SO clear,
the antaYonisn, so palpab!r. Tint lie who runs
Mr. buchanan. i'll lis letter Of acceptance and
in his inaugural Address, hns furnished the
clearest possible definition Of Popular Sore
reigh'y. In his letter It acceptance he Saws:
- The people Of Territory, like those of a
State. shall decide for themselves whether
ssaverr shall ur shal! not exist in their limits"
AMI in hia Inaugural be saws: * difference Of
"oplnon bus ufisep a 10 tue point Of time
"whcn the people Of Territory shall decide
this question for themselves. This Is, happily,
" OF but little practical importance.
Though il has ever been mr individual opinion
that, under the Nebraska kansas act, the ap-
"propriate period will be when the number If
nct'a! residents i'll the Territory shall justify
fTs&f fftrFu finn ,{n rct fy..$t
It's admission n State into the Enion" This
IS Popular Sovereignty IN The Territories. 1t
recognizes the exercise by Territorial Lc.sla-
ture cf every power consistent viii! the rro-
visions Of tho Constitution. but it does not r.
coEnizc the exercise Of any power Inconsistent
with tue lights Of the people Of the States, in
whom resides tile ultimate sovereig gnty over, as
tory Of the United SlataA.
Squatter Sovereignty on the contrary, recoc-
nizes tue right Of those men twhateyer NAV be
the1r nuMberl Who may have squattcd on the
public doHa:n in advance Of the public survrys,
and without the ownership Of one acre Of the
soil. to elect Legislature which sI4al' under
take I" prohibit Slavery within Territory, and
thus practically deprive nearly half of the part
ners Ill this confcderacy "f States of the right Of
enlgrating with their property tn any portion
Of their vast and extended domain III other
words. this Squaticr Sovereignty confcrs on the
first settlers oil j Territory absolute and un!im-
tied mower over the property-rig ghts Of al future
Immigrants.
lssi> understanding the matter, NC proclaim,
unhesitatingr. that, While re shall ever adyo.
ca;e Popular Sovereignty, VIC will wage an efrr-
nal war IN Squatter Sovereignty. While the
one doctrine is just. constitutional, and in con
tor'nlty with the spirit Of our institutions; the
other ~ unjust, unconstitutional, and in viola.
t!on OF the equality Of the States. Thu. one is
II q IT tt,a hnk%
is tl'c doctrine Of The disorga,lizers md bulttr.
who seek 10 divide and destroy the Democratic
party, and with it tile Eniou.
1t Wat IN pursuing OF this train of thought nc
were led into all expression which has been
perverted to mean the very opposite Of our in.
tcniIons. We said, few DAYS ago: The pri,..
ctl'ies emblazoned on the Democratic banner
81 Territorial Legislatures. either to establish Or
. prohibit Slavery in the Territories, and the
u protection af slave property therein, as lonr
- a. the Territorial condition shall ren,ain, bv
:" the Judiciary, under the Constitution Of the
United States" The plain meaning Of this is,
tha' congress cannot, and therefore should not,
attempt fo establish or prohibit Slavery in auy
Territory, and that tic Territorial Legislature.
deriving a!l its powers Of legislation from Con-
tress, Cannot, and should not, attempt to cstub-
l'sh or prulibi, slavery in the Territories. hut
since the Constitution Of the United States
protects al Of its people in the enjoyment cf ali
|he'r rights Of property, whenever they may be
"una ~ TERRITORY common In all the Statcs,
protection to that property is Il du.r Of tlose /
Invested with tEe power Of local legislation and |
t is tie duty Of the judiciary to set aside any
.nfr"ndiy legislation whic!i is calcutu.cd to
ttatr:y or impair any right Of property. We
consider these selferident propositions. Bui
Is sad in some quarters. that the people of
he Northern States will not sustain this inter-
q n linn rff fho e
Dry. II this be true swh'rA set r.H n<rtr It.
'4t', the people Of the Northern States arc
cads to sgt aside the Cnnstitutnn DESTROY tho
quality OF the States. and present to their
'tethrcn Of the Sufth the alternative Of sub1nis.
lon IL dlstionnr, or the yindication Of tlsir
'Eh,* nYcr tile rnins Of the constitutional Union
'Alch they 5aTe 50 long cherished rs a priceless
erisage And it may b. assumed as certain
hut no people. trained to self.gosernmcnt, and
alulng liberty atort all other things. will con-
nne 10 consider Themselves bound by com.
net when perverted by mere numerical mu-
'r'ty oi their partners iuto MI instrument of
ppresson and wrong
We stand By the Cincinnati Ila,form-alltruc
Democrats willard that proclnn,s pon-inter-
renee By Congress with Slavery in the Statc..
the Territories, or in the district Of columbia
sF stand hy the bred Scott decision of the
npreme Court, which secures to the people ot
he States the right to cn,iEratc 10. aud remain
!, any Ierr'tor5 Of tue United States with the
ropcrts they. may bare hcld in any Of the
tates. W, therefore, a,< fcrr+d to say. ne Con-
it"tion tn1ibitstA< ~tr<rofttrritorr!l.yitlatur.t
rom .dholishf"y property ia ~ldr.<; and the same
5odNifio" aprfttt 10 :At PEorLE cf Trritory
~ ny come 70 fo,1. consti!afion preparatory
1,G TO trust the people Of Territory 10 nro,cct
q the people in the enjoyment Of all their
'gt'ts; and when unfrieudl< Legislation is at
c!m,,Pted. II such attempt is ever mpde. nc arc