Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-01-13

Subsequent events have confirmed me in
these sentiments. The deplorabe disputes in
the first session Of the present Congress, =
the popular excitement resulting from those
disputes, together with other proceedings in
nature o,el and alarming, would all have
been averted, had the people been secured in
" the unqualified right" to vote upon their
domestic Institutions regret to be compelled
to say, that, under various pretences, this
sacred Franchise has been virtually withheld
from them When they refused to accept the
Lecompton Constitution, made for them by
delegates representing the minority, they were
explicitly denied the privilege of making their
own Constitution, unless upon condition not
previously exacted If they accepted the
Lecompton Constitution, they entered the
sisterh0od of states at once, with population
less than one half of the existing ratio of Con-
gressional representation /; but, if they refused
that Constitution, they would not be admitted
into the Union, with the Constitution of their
choice, until they were ready to show, 10y a
formal census, that they had attained popula-
tion equal to that ratio. The results have be
come historical
The last expressive vote Of the people Of
Kansas against the act of Congress, commonly
known as the English BILL has for a time ar
rested Congressional intervention. Peace has
resulted alone from the votes of the people, not
from the suggestion of outside influences. Bat
during the angry feelings which this contro-
verSy has aroused, the theory has been started,
and insisted upon, that it Will henceforward
he the duty of Congress to protect slavery in
the territories, if the people of the territories
shall fail to do so. The warrant for this ex-
traordinary assumption is alleged to exist in
the decision of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States, in the case of Dred Scott. Enter
tanning, as | do, profound reverence for the
decisions of that august tribunal, and standing
ready to obey them, whenever they are enunc-
ated | have yet to be convinced that any such
construction can be fairly given to their action
in the case referred to. Such a doctrine, no
matter how sanctioned, or supported, will
shake the pillars of our constitutional fabric.
1t would compel every territory to elevate pro
perty in slaves above every other description
of property-and to establish a slave code in
its early municipal regulations or else it would
convert the Congress into theatre of crmina-
tion and confusion, aud fill the whole country
with strife Aud all this, without securing a
single advantage to the north, or protecting a
single right Of The south
Regarding myself as fully committed to the
doctrine Of popular sovereignty in its broadeSt
sense can never subscribe TO the theory Of
Congressional Intervention, as understood and
supported by the opponents of this doctrine
By popular sovereignty, mean no violation
of the rights of the states-no assault upon
the institutions of the south-no appeal to
sectional prejudceS. On the contrary, | re
gard the doctrine as the embodiment Of the
popular will in states and Territories, as the
conservator Of the rights and the equality of
states and peOpe-and as the only means by
which YeXed and dangerous agitation will bc
satisfactorily and perpetualIy settled"
A theory equally heretical has been advanc-
ed in another portion of the Union. 1t has
been held that this government, divided into
free and slave states, as it was framed by our
Revolutionary Fathers, cannot endure-that
all must become free, or all become slave
When such doctrine shall be enforced, the
Constitution will have beea subverted-state
sovereignty prostrated-S rights Disregard
ed, and the liberty of the people destroyed. -
1t should meet an indignant rebUkc from every
lover Of his country, and the blood-boueht right
of the people and tie states to sei-govcrnmcnt
Under the various amendments to the Con.
stitution Of Pennsylvania, the influence of the
Executive has been greatly reduced by the
transfer of patronage from the Governor to
the people This is an accordance with the
principles of self government, but it must be ac
knOwledged that in relieving the Executive
from many serious responsibilities, it has dimin-
ished his ability to maintain the rights of the
state against Federal and other encrO OachmentS
and has thrown a greater share of responsible
ty upon the people The extensive patronage
of the Federal Government, and the large
salaries paid to its officers in comparison with
those OF the state, present constant induce
ments to our citizens to overlook the state in
the pursuit of more lucrative empoyments under
the Uuited states 1t is, therefore, the more
necessary that the PEOPLE should guard the
sovereignty of the state with increasing watch
fulness. The Constitution of the United states
contains the great fundamental principle which
should govern its construction on every question
respecting the extent of the federal power
" The powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by
it to the states, are reserved to the states re-
spectvely, or t. the people"
1t is on this broad platform that every claim
Of federal power not granted by the Constitu
tion, should be sterny resisted. The tendency
to Capitalization is so great, and the overshad
owing influence of patronage aud power so Sc
ductiVe, that liberty cannot long be preserved
without the exercise of sleepess vi9ilaGce in
enforcing strict construction of the federal
compact The doctrine of State rights is the
doctrine of true liberty. Popular sovereignty
is the lif blood of our free Institutions, and the
palladium of our safety. Every patriotic it,
ducement to sustain those great principles
should be fearessly held out to our citizens,
and every authorized assumption of power
should be resisted with uuceasng energy and
by all constitutional meaCs