Weekly Trinity journal., 1860-04-14
COMMUNICATED.
Senator Green's speech Reviewed.


Missouri, and as TIE subject matter therein treat
ed is of importance, alike to the welfare Of the
Democratic party as to the rights of all, would
fain ask the privilege of your columns for brief
notice of some of the extraordinary position rs
assumed by that speech. 1t purports to be a
consideration of the doctrine Of Popular Sover
eighty, and appears in pamphlet form under the
caption " Territorial Policy" | would premise
that the gentleman is a somewhat prominent
supporter of the present Administration, and oc-
cupies, believe, the position which Mr.. Douglas
so long and faithfully held as chairman of the
Committee on Territories, and would observe
that the speech, although delivered like most of
the speeches with which the country is now food
ed bears evident marks Of careful revision. 1t
was delivered in the u. S. Senate by Mr.. james
S. Green, of Missouri, and is of significant i'm
portance, inasmuch it expresses the now as
sumed position Of the party on the question Of
Popular Sovereignty The Administration branch
Of the Democracy all take the same view, and
| Mr.. Green speaks by authority and as one having
authority. His speech, being carefully prepared
| in pamphlet form, will be received as worthy of
more attention, inasmuch as it is the deliberately
! formed opinion Of the gentleman, and not un-
! guardedy expressed Bnt the positions assumed,
with all due Difference TO the gentleman's opin-
ion, are untenabe. The gentleman is as unfor-
tunate in his statement Of facts as be is erroneous
in his conclusions. There is, however, an air of
apparent ingenuousness about it calculated to
mslead. The manner of treatment Of his sub
ject differs from many of his colleagues, for being
argumeniative and Of a reasoning style, with less
| Of the ad cGptandUm, commonly seen in speeches
Of members of Congress. If we are to conclude
that the views enunciated by Mr.. Green are to
prevail as the settled policy of the Democratic
party, as a democrat all | have to say is, the
party has departed from its ancient faith, and
carries with it and on it the dangerous poison Of
It's inevitable dissolution. / design only to call
attention to some Of the salient points, and do
not purpose review in detail Of the entire ar
gument 1t is sufficient for us to know that the
principle of Popular Sovereignty is denied in
toto. This is now the ground Of those claiming,
par eacel!taCe, to represent the democracy of the
country. Mr.. Green says -" Popular Sover
| eighty is q mere tcb-pbrase, used in case
whore sovereignty in any OF its phases is repu-
dated. They call it Popular Sovereignty, and
yet the whole power they claim as being an
attribute of sovereignty is to be exercised, not
by the people, but by the government Congress
creates" The gentleman loses sight Of the fact
that the people in the exercise OF their sover-
eighty by tacit and well understood principle
I.e 4 I II
ritory prefer, as more direct way of expressing
their wishes, to allow their representative to act,
they are none the less in the exercise of their
power it is only in fact and in accordance like
wise with democratic principles, enforcing a
power which they themselves possess and are in
the exercise Of through their accredited agents
Instead Of directly voting themselves, they tao
lily or expressly permit The exercise of an nhe-
rent right by their agents. and the act Of the
agent ID the act of the principal. They are in
the exercise Of sovereignty through their agents.
The gentleman arguing further, says 80 No
government created and limited by Congress, or
Napoleon, or by Alexander of Russia, can be
called a Popular Sovereignty, in the sense at
toched to that phrase by the people of this coun-
try, especially so when the right to repeal the
grant and annihilate the government at pleasure
is retained by the creating power. Such SOW
ereignty-a sovereignty held al the will and
pleasure of another power-is the direct opposite
of that Popular Sovereignty, upon which the
/ Federal and State governments rest for support
and control" 1t is evident from the foregoing
extract that the writer has not distinguished be-
tween the principle of Popular Sovereignty and
the Congressional territorial government The
principle is the inherent right of the people to
legislate and act for themselves as they may best
deem ft, The gentleman is unfortunate in his
comparisons. Napoleon or Alexander of Russia,
in the exercise of absolute power do many things;
they create governments, if the gentleman pleas
es, but that government would possess the attri-
bues of despotism there would still exist,
however, the principle of Popular Sovereignty
lying dormant with the people, and would be
exercised if they but knew their power The
people of territory in free government, know
ing their rights, claim the exercise of those
rights. Congress can create territorial govern
ment, and annihilate it at pleasure but cannot
create or annihilate the principle not dependent
foundation-the fundamental inherent right ex.
listing in the people. The principle is one thing,
and the government created as the gentleman
speaks of, is quite another.
The gentleman's premises are incorrect and as
a consequence his deductions are erroneous The
sovereignty is not held by Congress, or at the
will and power of another, but exists inherently
in the people, whence all political power ema-
mates, and is very different thing from the gov
ernmcnt created by Congress. And when in the
exercise of this right which sometimes lies dor
mant and unseen--ior it is difficult to see a
, principle-when they do exercise it, may they
not exercise it directly en- nasse by vote OF the
: people, or through their accredited agents in
either OF which ways they are in the exercise Of
this power 1t will take the gentleman some time
to get that idea into his calculations, but it is
submitted as tenable position susceptible OF
being argued out TO logical conclusion.
, The gentleman says, this dogma" Ga dogma
by the by, is defined to be an established princi.
/ nj \ ~ first fIu tut