Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-07-13
EBENsBIRG, Pa, WEDNESDAY, JULY l3, 1859

Government of the United States. excluding
the preteusions Of Squstter or Territorial leg
isative sovereignty, or Popular Sovereignty
when used as a convertible term with these,
as being alike untenable in fact, and prepos-
ferrous in logic.
But it mnst be borne in mind that the Fed
eral Government caanot act ia Territory
a despot, or arbitrary ruler end here IS the
difference beticeen our doctrine and that of
Tire H12naot-I I'roUisottes. 1t must govern in
Territory in the sense Of the Constitution,
from which it derives lis life anu it. every
function. d it is bound to respect, with
strict iaiD1ss.al;sy, the rights aud interests of
ali parties concerned, these parties being the
States aud people Of the States respectively.
Now the Government of Territory is not
natural aud indefeasible bat derivAtive from
the Congress otherwise, the few thousand
inhabitants of a Territory, after its aoquisi-
ton by purchase, or indemnity for war
expenses perhaps, would have the right to
set themselves up as a foreign State. if they
so liked, and to deny the jurisdiction of the
United States. But Congress, when estab-
fishing Government In Territory, cannot
impart to ii authority to DO. by feeble Terri
torial CnactnentS, what Congress itself can
not undertake to perform under the Constitu-
ton, and can never venture to undertake,
except in fragrant usurpstion of powers not
delegated, but reserved to the States.
We are opposed, however, to the int.oduc
ton of any provision particularly protecting
slave, or any ether kind Of property, into aa
act organizing Territorial Government
But if Territory attempt notification, or
rebellion, in the shape of resistance to acts of
Congress, or to judicial decisions in their
Il. a L.
any other legitimate acts done in and by vir
tue of the Constitutional authority of the Uni
ted States over the same, then the Federal
Government should at once interpose and put
it down, not so much for the sake of slave, or
any other kind of property, even of the
personal rights of citizens that may be there
by invaded, though constituting sufficient
reason for the movement, as looking to the
aecessity Of its O1cn preservation. But before
the happening Of any such act of notification
or rebellion, aud at the time Of organizing a
Territorial Government, the presuInptions are
all in favor of legal and peaceful course of
political conduct on the part of the inhabi-
tauts of a Territory; arhereos the doctrine Of
Congressional Intervention acOuid assume the
reverse In fue, we are disposed to maintain
OF, this queston. and at ali times, tie fdnda-
mental principle of the equality Of tie States.
We are distinctly opposed to any compulsory
relinquishmout, in the name OF squatter SOW
ereignty, of the rights of the State of Penn
| sylvania, as one of the sovereign proprietors
of all the public domain or Territorial prop
| erty of the United States, and we still occu-
Ply, without any change OF opinion, the ground
held by the following resolution of the Gin
cinnatl Convention of 1856, to wit:
! "Reso{ced, That we recognize the right OF
| the people of all the Territories, including g
Kansas and Nebraska, acting through the
! legally and fairly expressed viii of majority
| of actual residents, and whenever the number
| of their inhabitants justifes it, to form con-
sttuton with or without domestic slavery.
and be admitted into the Union upon terms
of perfect equality with the other States"
This resolution distinctly represents the
marked difference between the revolutionary
efforts of the first squatters in new Terrific
ry to abolish Negro Slavery or to prevcn, the
introduction of Slave property into the Ter
ritory, by the incompetent agency of a Ter
ritorial Legislature. and the constitutional
and quiet exercise of the rights of Sovereign
ty, by the people of territory IN the forma
ton of a State Constitution with or withou
domestic Slavery, as they may determine.
La the meantime, the citizens Of each anC
each other under the Constitution, take their
various kinds OF property with them into th'
Territory. and while ia Territorial condi
ton they and their property are all equally
protected by the Constitution of the UniteC
States and the Dred Scott decision. We thu
stand on the sure foundation of the Constitu
ton and the Law, which sternly and justl
deny the arbitrary po1oer otf one set Of settler
to confscate the property Of another set. W
thus avoid, too, those contests between set
tiers, by which the people are kept 10 q con
slant state OF commotion aud turbulence, will
murder, rapne, bufnings and all kinds c
violent acts, throughout their entire Terrific
rial existence, and to the prejudice of thei
best interest, and Of the peace and harmon
of the States OF tie Union.
A little more than two years ago Pennsyl
vania had the proud satisfaction to witnes
the elevation Of her most distin guished States
man to the Presidency. This illustrious cit
, izen, her choice and that of the country fo
the first Office of the Republic, was electe
after a doubtful and dangerous contest, as th
! candidate of the National Democracy of til
Union over the nominee of a sectional move
; ment suddenly suddenly springing into II
calamitous existence on a single fanatic;
, idea, avowediy confined in its operations
> one moisty of the Confederacy. aud in i
reckless disregard of the Constitution seemin
9 to indicate, as its proxinate design, the tot
: ruin Of the country. Having sustained hin
| self, during the period which has elapse
, since he entered on the duties of the Pres
e dency, against the most extraordinary opp
? sition that any Chief Magistrate ever Y
encountered snd survived, the Administratic
} of James Buchanan stands now above Il
: impotert reach Of its enemies. strongly e
! trenched in the confidence and respect Of Il
! conservative masses of the nation Induct
f into his great Office as the chosen represent
Q tive of law, of union. and of the true primo
: pies Of the Government, he has, in his of