East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-09-29

the Senate Committee ON Territories Is equally dis
inet and rather more emphatic against his new doc
trinc
This committee In their reports have always held
that Territory l. not sovereign power; that the
sovereignty of Territory Is IN aboyance suspended
in the United States IN trust for the people when
they become State that the United States triis-
tees, cannot be dvested OF the sovereignty nor the
Territory be invested with the right 10 assume and
exercise IT, without the consent Of Congress If the
proposition be true that power alone can institute gov
ernmcnts, and That the sovereignty Of Territory Is
IN allegiance suspended in the United States in trust
/ for the people when they become State aud that
the sovereignty cannot be Invested from the hands OF
the trustee without the assent of Congress il follows
as an inevitable consequence that the Kansas Legs
ture did not and could not confer upon the Leconp-
/ ton Convention the sovereign power Of ordaning
Constitution for the people Of Kansas in place Of the
organic act passed by Congress"
] The days are past and gone when Mr. Douglas led
the fiery assaults Of the Opposition In the a., compton
controversy. Then IL was is object 10 prove that n
territorial legislature, far from being omnpoten
was pOwerlcss even 70 authorize an election of dele
gates 10 consider about their own affairs IL was
serted that convention chosen under a territorial
law could make and ordain mo- constitution which
would be legally binding Then a territorial govern
ment was 70 be despised and spit upon, when it
invited people 10 come forward and vote ones
ton of the most vital Importance to their own inter
ests. But now all things have become new. The Lo-
compton dispute has gone glimmcring down tho
dream of things that were and Mr. Douglas produces
| another issue, brand.new from the mint. The old
opinions are not worth rush TO its present position
II must be sustained by opposite principles and
sonng totally different The Legislature OF Kansas
was not sovereign when il authorized Convention of
the people TO assemble and decide what sort of Com
sttuton they would have but when il strikes at their
rights of property it becomes not only sovereign,
but sovereign without limitation OF power We
have idea that Mr. Douglas perfectly sincere
as he also when he took the other side. The inn
pulses engcndcred by the heat othe controversy have
driven him at different times In opposite directions. We
do not charge IL against him n crime but II is true
that these views of his, inconsistent they with
one another, always happen to accord with the inter
ests of the Opposition always give TO the enemies Of
! the Constitution a certain amount of aid and COM
fort, and always add little to the rnncorous and
malignant hatred with which the Abolitonists regard
the Government q their country.
Yes the Lecompton issue which Mr. Douglas made
upon the Administration two years ago is DONE and
the principles which were then opposed are
abandoned. We are no longer required to fight for
the awuness ola Territorial election held under ter
ritorial authority. But another issue is thrust upon
us to disturb the harmony and threaten the integ-
rty Of the party" a few words more, (perhaps of
tedious rcpetton) by way of showing what that new
issue is, or probably will be, and we done
We insist that an cmigrant going into Federal
Territory retains his title 10 the property which he
took with him until there is prohibition enacted
by lawful authority. Mr. Douglas cannot deny this
/
whclming reasons which support it.
IL is an agreed point among all Democrats that
Congress cannot interfere with the rights Of property
in the Territories
IL is also acknowledged that tho people Of n now
State, either in their Constitution in of their
Legislature, may make tho negroes within il free
hold them in n state of scryitude.
| But We believe more. We belicvc-in submitting
to the law decided by the Supreme Court, which
declares that Territorial Legislature cannot, any
more than Congress interfere with the rights of prop
crty in Territory-that the settlers of Territory
arc bound to wait until the sovereign power is con-
fcrred upon them, with proper limitations before they
attempt 10 exercise the most dangerous of all its unc-
tons Mr.. Douglas denies this and there is the now
issue.
Why should such an issue be made at such n Tins
What is there now TO any friend Of peace for
attempting to stir up the bitter waters of strife q
There is actual difficulty about this subject in any
Territory. There is no question upon it pending be-
fore Congress or the country We called upon to
make contest, at unnecessary and hopeless,
with the judicial authority Of the nation We object
to il. We will not obey Mr.. Douglas when he COM
mands us TO assault the Supreme Court of the United
States We believe the Court to lie right, and Mr..
Douglas wrong