The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-10-05
speech of Douglas at Syracuse.

FELLOW CIr1zExs:-TAis 4 lng an
OIL fashioned abolit;oEist called on me,
and made a special request that | would
to-day explain the difference between
squatter sovereignty and popular soyer,
eighty, as applied to the territories Of
the United States. (Cries Of f"Ihats what
we want to hear,"l The term "squatter
nssere.eas was first applied to the in
habitaats Of Oregon, before their Terrific
risl organization, by Mr.. Calhoun, as a
term of reproach and ridicu.e. For many
years the country known as Oregon was IN
dispute between Great Britain and the
United States, and was subjected to terms
of treaty by which there was to be no
occupation by either party. During that
period many British subjects N the en-
pIoyment of the Hudson's Bay Company,
settled in the northern part Of the Terrific
tory. and many Americans under the pro-
tect,on Of the Methodist Missionary Soci
sty, settled ia the southern part of the
territory. Those American settlers IL the
valley. Of Willamette, Oh the south side
Of the Columbia river, applied to Con
gfess to establish Territorial government
for their protection. Congress denied
their request, Cd the ground that SO long
as the treaty with Great Britain, stipulat-
ing that neither party should occupy the
territory, remained il force, it had no right
to give goYernnentt to American citizens
residing there. Thus left without protec-
ton of law; without government, and
without auv means OF defense, the Ameri-
can citizens assembled together and re-
established a government OF their own
choice. That government consisted OF a
legislative department, an executive depart.
ment and judicial department, all elected
by tho people, and all exercising such
powers as the people conferred upon them
For many years the settlers IN Oregon
poverned themselves under this provision
al government, without any recognition or
protection from the government OF the
United States. Under it marriages took
place, Children weIe born, parents died,
and their estates were divided amongst
their heirs, contracts were made, and all
the business Of society was conducted until
after the Joint treaty Of occupation had
ceased.
Mr.. DOUGLAS OREGON BILL.
In 1848. /. as Chairman Of the Com
mittee on Territories in the Senate brought
forward bill 10 organize the Territory OF
Oregon. In that bill incorporated pro,
vision declaring all the acts done under
the provisional government valid and legal
and containing in force the laws that ere
then in existence till the people under the
new Territorial government should change
the same. (CheeEs.) Among those laws,
which the people Of Oregon had thus
adopted for themselves, was one prohibit
ing American slavery in the Territory of
Oregon. cloud cheers.)
Mr.. CALHOUN EICKNAMEs THE sQUArTERs
Mr Calhoun denounced that provision
Of the bill thus recognizing the validity OF
the laws of that provisional government,
and in his objection to it said that the
settlers in Oregon were mere trespassers
that they were squatters upon the pub
lie lands without title and without the
authority Of law that the government
which thcv hat established was squatter
government. and had no other validity
than squattcr sovereignty (Cries OF
"That's validity enough Ny reply to
him was in substance this That every
civilized people on earth were entitled to
a government, that whenever any country
or nation refused to extend the protection
of It's laws to any portion Of It's people
the failure to do SO was z consent that
they might protect themselves until the
government should extend laws TO them.
cloud applause.)
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY RECOGNIZED.
The bill which Congress adopted on my
motion, only recognized the laws passed
by the provisional government of Oregon
until the people Of the organized Territory
should have time to decide for themselves
whether they would ordain them or not
(CheeEs There you ful the origin o.
this term Of squatter soyereignty.n (C-ies
Of Good =" That's sound" &c. &c.
Since that time this olious epithet o.
"squatter sovereignty" has been applied
to very different state Of things.
sQrATrER sovERElGHTY GOVERNMENTS NOW
II ExIsTENCE-
We now have three distinct squatter
sovereignty governments in the United
States territory, in violation Of law and in
defnce Of tie authority Of the United
States goycrnment The first one to
which | will invite your attention is the
settlement now known as Pixies Peak
Uaughter) You all know, for every
newspaper that comes from the far West
brings you the Intelligence, that some
twenty or thirty thousand american citI,
zens have settled around Pixies Peak, and
are engaged in digging gold, laying out
towns, making farms, and establishing
communities BY wha. authority are those
people found IN that country? a voice
=" Squatter soyereignty.") The land up
on which they are settled belongs to the
Indians The Indian little has never been
extinguished, and the laws passed by Con-
gress in r.fegsncc to it, provide that no
white nan sha,i enter that country without
a licsnse Every settler who has gone
there has incurred penalty Of thousand
dollars fine anl six months imprisonment
for entering tie Indian ountry in yiolation
OF the law reserying it to the Indians.
TIE settlers have taken possession Of the
country belonging to the Indians, then, in
violation of law. Thev are LAYING ou,