The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-10-17
From the Ohio Statesman.
How the Great Principle was
a Originally Applied.

4 -" 2 =
mates from the people. The word De-
mocracy itself implies the government of
the people. The Federal Constitution
was made, as the preamble purports, by
the people to promote their mutual well
fare, and to secure to themselves and their
descendants the blessings of liberty. 1t
was the work of the whole people for the
government of the whole. But when it
was formed, the people were divided into
distinct and separate communities, with
separate and independent gevernments..
These communities, or States, on form
| ing the Federal Constitution or Compact,
only parted with SO much of their origi-
nal sovereignty as became necessary to
give effect and validity to the bond of
Union They all acknowledged the Con
stitution as the supreme law in all mat
ters that concerned the general welfare,
and for which that instrument had made
provision; but, in respect to their peculiar
Stale institutions and domestic policy,
they preserved their original sovereignty,
subject only to the Constitution of the
United States, t
! Thus the exercise Of the great princi-
pie, the right of Self Government in the
whole people, established the Federal
Constitution for the government of the
Union as whole. But the same right
of self.governmcnt was reserved to the
States out of which the Union was form
ed, subject only to that Constitution.
Neither the Government for which the
Federal Constitution provided, nor the
State governments, were absolute; the
former was limited by the powers reserv-
ed to the State or the people, and the lat
ter were controlled by the grants to the
former.
Such was; in brief, the general princi-
pie upon which our system of Confed-
Grated Democratic Republic was original
ly organized The same principle was
applied, with some notifications, in the
organization of Territories. The same
right of elf.government, in regard to
their domestic affairs and internal policy,
was admitted to be in the people of the
Territories, as ir she people of the States.
subject also to the Constitution of the
ULit-d States.
! The two principal points of difference
between q State and an organized Terri
tory we're these: ~
First. That Il e former had Consti
tuition of its own formed by its own peo
| IL A. lad ,,1a Of q
Constitution, an organic act framed BY
the Congress or Federal Legislature.
/ Second. That while the people of the
States were represented in both branche:
of the Congress, by members entitled te
vote, the people of the Territories had nc
such representation
i But the people of an organized Terri
tory had local Legislature. anS were
4 regarded, in oil that related to their do
mestic policy, as sovereign as the people
4 of State! In our curly legislation, III,
! der the articles of Confederation, when
ever any regulation was attempted to b.
made by Congress in the domestic affair
of an organized Territory, it was stated
not to be an arbitrary law, to be enforced
| 10y pains and penalties, but to be in tn
, nature of q compact or agreement be
, tween the people of the States and tn
people OF the Territory, to which the lat
ter were regarded as being party as wei
! as the former m
: Tn the absence of any such compact Q
agreement, the people of a Territory wer
r left perfectly free to form and regulat
5 their domestic institutions in their owl
y1way, slavery included, subject only to tn
III Constitution of the United States. Blu
q where o compact existed, the people Q
! the Territory being regarded as volun
tary party to it. it did not take away thei
. sovereignty, but. on the contrary, was a
3 admission aud an acknowledgment of tha
sovereignty. ~ hG ,s1 a.
a In the famous "Plan of Government 70
f 1.-THE Western Territory" reported by MI
b Jefferson, in 1874. to the ,IXth Cont
D mental Congress, the sovereignty, and tn
r right Of the people in an organized Tel
iatrito:y to regulate their own affairs an
e e9Plocal institutions, without interference O
' the part of Congress, is as clearly set fort
# as it is in the Kansas N ebraska act. !
e Territorial Legislature was provided fo
3 which had authority to adopt for the GOV
n ernment Of the Territory the Constitu
g tion and Laws of any of the States, sui
|. lject to alteration, not by Congress. but b
tany subsequent Territorial Legislature.
! tits plain, therefore, that the Demo
d cratic party, In vindicating the right
B. lSelf.Government tor the Territories, {
! we'll as for the States, are following in tt
= footsteps of Jefferson and the early fail
4 ers and founders of the Union, which en-
'r braces both States and Territories.
I'll Was John Brown a Republican?
a. So late as two years ago, ON the 18th day
ls October, 1858, the New York Tribune said:
isl cola John Brown of Ossawatomie, and min
ir teen-twentieths of his co-defenders of freedo
10 in Kansas, we're and are Republicans, and e,
le ioratsd N uder the mpulse of Repu blican ide