Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-06-15

~ The Charlotte Bulletin, in some remarks on
the subject of squatter sovereignty, incorrectly as
sumes that the Southern delegates to the Cincinnati
Convention in 1856, were "caught mapping" and
were committed on that occasion to doctrine re-
pugnant to the Southern people. The Bulletin cop
les portion of the platform, but omts one of the
resolutions, which we give as follows:
"Resolred That We recognize the right of the
people of all the territories including Kansas and
Nebraska, acting through the legally and fairly ex
pressed will of majority of actual residents and
whenever the number of their inhabitants iustifes
it. to form Constitution, with or without domestic
slavery and be admitted into the Union upon terms
of perfect equality with the other States"
Is there any squatter sovereignty in that Mr.. Bull
letin? We think not. 1t is what we call popular
soueregnty in contradistnction to Congressional in
reference. 1t is one of the most important planks
in the platform, and yet you neglected to present it
to your readers. We hold that this resolution was
sufficient at Cincinnati and that it should be, as we
believe it will be, sufficient at Charleston in 1860
1t announces in the panest terms, the right Of the
people of Territory in Convention assembled, to
say whether they will or will not have domestic sla
very; but the right to hold Convention and to de-
eide upon the question of slavery is denied until the
number of inhabitants justies t-that is until the
population is sufficient to entite them to member
of Congress. In the meantime by the clearest and
most inevitable implication, the rights of slavehold-
ers must be protected; for how could Convention
decide justly or fairly the question Of slavery, if
shareholders had been deferred from entering been
driven from the Territory by unfriendy legislation?
The right to decide finally in Convention presuppo-
ses the right to hold the property referred to up to
the time of the decision otherwise the right to de-
termine for or against the institution would be
mockery. But how is this protection to be secured?
Up to this time no action has been TAKEN even by
the black Republican Legislature of Kansas, against
the rights of Shareholders We do not think it prob
able that any such action o be deliberately taken
by the Legislature of any Territory; but if it should
be- the STAKEHOLDER must rely upon the Courts Of the
United States, the supreme bench Of which has re-
Gently declared that slaves property, and as such
are entitled to protection. The President will of
course, carry out the decision of the Court whenev
er case shall arise; and in doing this he may freely
use the whole army of the United States, il neces-
sary. Judge Douglas is pledged, as his recent
sneech in the Senate will show, to sustain the Pres
ident in executing the decision Of the Court
We think the Bulletin will find itself mistaken as
to the result of tho Charleston Convention. That
there will be excitement in that body we do not
doubt but we have no serious fears that it will d.
vide and break up in confusion. The national Dem
ocratc party carries the ark of the Constitution and
the Union on its shoulders, and the weight Of the
precious treasure only steades the frame Of the pro-
gressfive giant. The national Democracy WiU not