The semi-weekly mountain Democrat., 1860-09-22
County Central CommIttee.
Webster ON squatter Sovereignty.

Webster ON Squatter Sovereignty.
In the discussion Of the compromise
measures of 1852, Daniel Webster, the
"Great Expounder Of the Constitution, "
said:
"Thc argument is, that by possibility
it may become necessary to pass laws re-
spccting slavery, If slavery shall ever
exist there. Now l suppose that the
amendment proper to be introduced, for
the purpose which has been signiied by
the gentlemen who have spoken, would be
to strike out those words, and to say that
the territorial legislature shall have no au-
thority for passing any law for establish
ing or excluding slavery in the territory.
It appears to me that this is the upshOt Of
the whole matter. That is very proper,
because I take It that the meaning Of the
whole is that this question shall be left to
the people Of the State to decide after it
becomes a sovereignty by admission into
the Union on tho same footing with the
original states. Itmay then be question
for the people themselves to decide, be.
cause l take it to be clear that it is mu.
nicipal question. It Is a question for the
decision Of the people in their State SOW
ereignty, and there may be propricty-
there certainly is no impropriety-in ex-
cluding the exercise Of any power In the
territorial government for the establish
ment or exclusion Of slavery.
at has been advanced that these peo-
pie, while Territory, have . right to do
anything and everything that belongs to
the rights of man. cannot conceive that
they have.
1--WE have always gone upon the ground
that these Territorial Governments we're
in state of pupilage, under the protec-
ton or patronage Of the General Govern
ment The Territorial Legislature has q
Constitution prescribed by Congress-
They have no power not given by that
Congress. They must act within the lim-
its Of the Constitution granted them by
Congress, or else their acts become void.
The people under the territorial govern
ment are not q sovereignty they do not
constitute . sovereignty, and do not pos
sess any Of the rights incident to sOver-
eighty. They arc If you so please to de-
nominate it, in state Of inchoate govern
ment and sovereignty. II we will con.
slider this question upon the ground Oi
our practice during the last half century
l think We will find one way Of dispOsing
oft. II is our duty to provide for the
people Of the Territory government to
keep the peace, to secure their property ;
to assign to them subordinate Legislative
authority; to assign to them subordin-
ate judicial authority, to see that the pro-
lection Of their persons and the security
of their property are all regularly pro-
vided for; and to maintain them in that
state until they grow into sufficient i'm
portance, in point Of population, to be ad-
mitted into the Union as State upon the
same footing with the original States. II
seems to me that that is all our duty.
shall most readily concur in anything
which tends to the performance Of that
duty. But I cannot 60 into any general
discussion about the rights Of the people
while Under the territorial government,
and do moro than they are permitted 70
do by that constitution which creates q
government over them"