The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-06-30
Republican State Ticket.
bred Scottish and Popular Sovereignty.

bred Scottish and Popular Sovereignty.
E~ Friend HEDGES, in his last week S
paper, very respectfully takes exceptions
to some statements made by us in our
article criticising the resolutions passed
at the late Democratic county conven-
ton held in this place, and among other
things, asks us to point out the conflict
which we asserted exists, between the
doctrine of Popular Sovereignty and the
decision of the Supreme Court in the
bred Scott case. In order to make our
article as short as possible, we shall en-
deavor, in as few words as we can, to
accommodate him.
But first, we want to set him right on
one point mentioned at the beginning of
his article. He says that but two town
ships in the county responded to the late
Republican call for a county convention.
Our friend is mistaken. Regularly APP
pointed delegates from four townships
were present in the convention, and one
other township, that we know of, selected
delegates, who failed to arrive in time
Delegates from Liberty and Como town
ships were present, but as the persons
carrying the credentials were not in the
convention at the time of its organza-
ton, no notice could of course be taken
of the representation by the committee
on credentials. Five townships, then,
instead of two, responded to the call,
while citizens of several other townships
were present, and were made delegates
by the voice of the convention.
A word or two upon another point.
The editor, with hands uplifted, and eyes
dilated with surprise, calls upon the gods
TO witness the impudence of the assump-
ton that the Republican party stands, in
reference to slavery, precisely where the
old Democratic party used to stand and
he then goes on and rings the old and
meaningless changes upon abolitionism,
disunion, DC. Now in the same paper
with our article on those resolutions, we
printed a preamble and joint resolution,
passed by the Democratic Legislature of
this State, and we asked our friend TO
please point out the difference between
the ground then taken by the Democrats
of Iowa, and that now occupied by the
Republican party. He has not attempted
to do so, nor can he do so. The positions
are clearly identical, and prove our as
sertion, that the Democratic party has
departed from, and the Republican party
clings to, the old policy Of the govern
ment.
Now to our friends request to exhibit
the inconsistency between bred Scottish
and Popular Sovereignty. Judge TANEY,
in his decision, decided that the terrific
ries were held in trust by Congress, for
the use and benefit of the people of all
the States. He says:
But, as we have before said, it was acquired
by the General Government as the representa-
tive and trustee Of the people of the United
States, and it must therefore be held in that
character for their common and equal benefit /;
for it was the people of the several states acting
through their agent and representative, the Fed
eral Government, who in fact acquired the ter
ritory in question, and the Government holds it
for fhair 1sa until II shall ha tod
with the other States as member of the Uni
on.
AS our territory was acquired by the
people of the several states, and is held
in trust by Congress for their benefit, the
Court also holds that it is the duty Of
Congress TO establish such government
therein as will enable those who acquired
it e. e. the people of the several states
to reap the advantages anticipated from
its acquisition. There is no expression
of a doubt as TO the right of Congress to
establish such a government as 1t pleases.
SO long as there is no Infringement of the
right ofperson ard property Mr.. HEDGES
thinks that Congress has only to take the
first step in the formation of territorial
government He says:
Congress may take the first step in authoriz
ing the formation of Territorial government,
but we hold, can never to aly greater extent
than the constitution, limit the powers of the
Territorial Legislatures, these powers come from
the people who choose the Legislatures, and We
hold. are equally extensive with the powers pos
scssed by the people Of the States.
The editor thinks that the right Of
Legislation comes from the people of the
territories, who elect the territorial legis-
latures. and that this right is co-extensive
with that possessed by the people of the
States. The Court holds, however. that
Congress does possess the right of legis.