Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-04-06
Squatter Sovereignty.

quires of us: "Why is it that you have not given
an opinion about DorCLAs's internal doctrine Of
squatter sovereignty II ,hat thing is to be tolora-
tod, all constitutional landmarks might rs we'll be
ublitcrated."
A word or two in response. Many weeks ago,
this paper did denounce the opinions of the Illinois
Senator, upon this very point, rs "heretical."
Since that time, we had been induced to think
that those opinions wcru by no moans 80 extreme
Us newspaper reporters had represented them and
We were inclined to modify our judgment of that
stateslnans political soundness accordingly. THUS
impressed we penned this brief paragraph in our
issue of the End March:
"By the way, tho "Little Giant is narrowing
down his notion Of squattor sovereignty to a worry
small point. 1to declares thut slaves are proper
ty: and that slave holders have perfect right to
take them into any territory while it romans
territory: and, furthermore, that no territorial
Legislature haa right to inhibit slavery or to leg
islatc against it, for thatany such legislation would
be unconstitutional. lie declares though, that it
is entitled to no more special protection than any
ohor species of property. Now, II this implies
that there is un,lcr the organic act elsewhere,
any general protection of all kinds of property
slavery include,l) the Illinois Senator'S political
mai -feasancc is not so heretica rs was supposed.
Dy developments which do not admit of doubt,
it now appears that Mr.. DOUGLAS was not misun-
dcrsood us to the extent of his opinions on the
subject of popular sovereignty. In other words,
his Southern friends and would -bc-supportcrs havo
failcd to give any such cooring to his doctrine as
I,n - - c., nL,f;o
When Mr.. DOUGLAS says that the people can
drive slavery from territory by unfricndly logis-
lation, injurious enactmens, &C., and that Congress
cannot intervene to prevent them, wo hold that he
n most dangerous puint. Tho doctrine ofGon-in-
terrcntion, rs established by the Kansas Nebraska
Act had directly in view this vitul question Of
slavery, and was understood to he nh agreement
that all citizens of tho United States with my and
all kinds Of property, should enter tho territories
with equal rights and remain there with equal
rights until such time rs the people, emerging into
life Us State SovrciSnty, should be recognized by
Congress as the proper power to decide for itsolf
this and all other questions Of domestic polity
al ground, any authority of equal power with that
| of the Federal Govornmcnt,-any authority, in
fact, which is not the mcrc creature Of the Federal
government and amcnable to its CONTROL in all
cascs of unconstitutional legislation. Then and
then alone, does tho authority exist any "hcrc to
lcgislate for or against African Slavery. If such
be not tho doctrine Of non.intervention, then have
many of us at tho South sadly miscaculated the
progress of sound principles as held forth by tho
Democracy Of tho Union.
But Others do not 60 quito to the DoraLAs e1-
tremc of squattor sovereignty. They maintain that
the territorial government has no power to lcsslate
against slavery, by acts directly prohibitory; and
Vet, that it can withhold protective legislation to
such an extent as will cIectually exclude or ban
ish shareholders from the occupancy Of the terri
tories with their peculiar kind of labor. 1t is
matter of deep regret to observe that even n few
Southern journals arc looking upon this position
with sums degree Of liberation. How is it possible
,ha. they can do so? Whacrcrt be of goverHmen-
| tai influence TINT initiates against slavery in the
territories whether the action Or the noi-action of
| The territorial authnrics, whether the cnmity or
the neglect Of the territorial official. {, 10 equal
m.lirc to ALL it alike voatvr uf Southern rights
and in con,rarcntun Of constitutional Justice. The
South ask. no special projection for tbs property
uf her citizens in tho terIilorrt-that is. no fur
thor protection thnn is vouchsAiad TO every other
kind of property asains. injuries and trespasscs
Al: I.,nt 4 oor
under tho broad ogis Of the Constitution, and thnt
son Of here who would yield this claim for a mo-
| mcnt i. surely deluded by some strange infatua-
ton. We neither need nor ask that any new
regulations OF laws be instituted by tho territorial
governments for tho safety Of our slaves But wo
domaud that our property in them shall stand
securely unier the protection of tho Courts and
the officers of the Courts. We insist upon our
right to as prompt redress in the territories as VIC
can obtain in the District Of Cuumbia. We fur
ther insist that any obstacle thrown in the way Of
this redress by the territorial lesisature,-ay
more. that any omission Of theirs by which this ro
.iress may be impaired, demands the intervention OF
ConCros, in our behalf; if an obstacle, it il IN
unconstitutional act which Congress is bound to
reversc if m omission, it is an unconstitutional
refusal of justice which Congress is bound to rcme
ly. Admit that our appeal to the Courts will DO
sufficient in such cases. and Congress may res; i'll
peace. But il it Lc not sn, then Congress must
intervene to make it 80. If this 10 inconsistent
with tho boasted discovery Of non-intervcution,
then down forever with the stupid delusion. Sure
ly the South will stand u, one man upon IN issue
involving so clear principle rs this. Surely our
Southern delegations in Congress Will be required
br the Yepple of the Southern States 10 hold fast
the faith OIL this vital point With n tcnacity that
shall know no hinching Let tho Democracy be
blown to the four winds if this concession j. to be
The condition of it, preservation II this shall prove
10 lie the turning point nf that l'arty's existence.
then is il time th:.i il. rakS I've dissolved AMI some
nthcr urha:umc he lifted for political sal
raiinE.
But VIC hup. yet for better things. Wc trust
that the .nld guard" of tho Constitution is not to
he tcmoralixrd and destroyed by any such ju'lical
blindness We trust that the mere ambition Of
party SUCCESS will not be suffered thus to stain its
| time -huuored banner. Rather let it "clng to the
pillars Of the temple of liberties aud if it must
fall, let (the party) perish amidst the ruins"
perishing thus is better than victory on other
terms, because, perishinS tl'us, it may arise
again into yet brighter anu more glorious being
But, conqurring with false ccors. its victory will
terminate in the loss Of honor, and then will it
1" fall, Ike LrclrgR never to rise again" Wc al'-
peal then to the party to steer clear uf this abomi-
nabls DorGLAs hrrcsy. If it will not, We unite
with those who urge The South to come together
ut once and breast tho storm that gathers around
and above US.
Joe Undden's Trick.
Joz WAS belatcd in Augusta tho other night.
Returning to Hamburg, the bridse-kcepcr refused
to get up and 10. him through the gate. What to
do now, WAS JoEs perplcIity. But he was not
long troubled. Seeing an cnsino convenient on
the South Carolina Railroad track just above the
city bridge he took possession, wntcrsd her, fired