Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-09-07
squatter Sovereignty nI--AbolitiOnIsm-
a In 1 m

pride 10 the victory achieved through Mr.. JEFF
ferson in the year 1900, there is no difficulty
in deciding upon his line of duty in the pend
ing Presidential contest. From principle he
can entertain no other sentiment with respect
to Squatter.Sovereigntyism, Abolitionism and
know-Nothingism, than That Of unqualified
abhorrencc. lie can discover nothing in either,
however closely he may investigate, that is
not in direct antagonism to the genius Of our
governing system-in palpable conflict with
the provisions Of the Constitution.
Formally recognized Squattcr-SoTereignty-
ISM would utterly preclude the admission into
toe Union Of another slave State. New Eng
land Aid Societies. under its operations, would
speedily and eIectually secure the control Of
any new territorial government which may
hereafter be established, even where the
element was not unfrendy to the pros
porous existence Of the institution Of the
South. Such territory there is, already in
the embraces Of the Union, which. at day
not remote may ask fol admission as u sovc-
reign State " States. Shall suuattcr sovereign
tyisn he made us formidable as to place it up
on the side Of the non-slaveholding States =
Can Southern citizens reconcile it to their con-
sciences to contribute to such result by mag
nifying the importance Of its arowcd chain
pion 1t aims at nothing less than the end
contemplated by the Wilnot Proyiso, and is
lust as hostile to the interests Of the savehold-
ing States, as was that disgraceful proposition.
1t is indeed, more so, because It affects terrific
ry which was acquired as STARE territory near
ly half century before the annexation Of
Texas. Let the fact be disguised as it may, it
sympathizes, in its inevitable tendencies, with
making itself the willing instru-
mcnt Of that unscrupulous party which engen-
dered the irrepressible conflict aiding and
abctting the Lincolnites and Sewardites, to all
intents and purposes. Viewing it in this light
as il assuredly should he viewed, the candida
cy Of Mr. Douglas is quite as Objectionable to
the true friends Of constitutional union as was
that of Mr.. Van Buren in ls4S. Was there
Southern voice raised, or Southern pen WELD
cd in support Of Martin Van Buren,: As true
as he was to the Democracy for years. and as
faithfully as he had previously served his coun-
try in the first Office within its gift and Others
he was loathed by every disciple Of the JefIer-
sonian school as the most arrant of traitors
and justly so.
But for the differentiation Of Squatter Soyc-
rcigntyism with know-Nothingism, the latter
for militant objects, would never have attempted
to raise its head again in several Of the slave
holding States. In Louisiana, know-Nothing-
ism was virtually dead, and was only resnr.
rectcd by the strength which it promised to it.
self from divisions in the Democratic ranks
In kentucky, Cuomhs, in a letter to Prentice,
which We published about two weeks ago, &C.
knowlcdgcs that Squatter Sovereisntysm ena-
blcd him to redeem the State from Democracy.
That they are cooperating harmoniously, North
and South, cannot be questioned: For practl-
cal attainmcnts, adverse to the bone and sinew
of the Steadlast supporters Of the political te-
nets which secured the ascendency in the inau-
guraton of Mr. Jefferson in 1901, they arc in
active coalition. There is not 4 leading Squat
ter Sovereignty man anywhere, rs far as our
knowledge extends, who would not prefer the
election of Bell to that Of Breckenridge, nor a
leading Know. Nothing man who would not
prefer the election of Douglas 10 that Of Breck.
inridgc! This circumstance, alone, is sufficient
10 excite the fears of every Democrat who has
been decoycd into the support of Squatter
Sovereigntysm that he has been hopelessly be.
trayed-inst rs thousands were decoyed into
the Known Nothing lodges in 1854 and 1865 and
betrayed.
The three isnls which head this article are
like all the other snls which have been arrayed
against the true Democratic creed since 1913,
and if the Union shall be preserved, destined
to as ingloric us renown. THERE'S but one course
for trnc.hcarted patriots to pursne-that course
which has reflected so much merited lnstyye
upon the name of Virginia-and this is to re-
solutcy array themselves against all new-fan-
ged doctrines, from whatever source emana-
ting, and walk steadily in the footsteps OF their
illustrious fathers For three score years the
old mother of Presidents has never faltered in
her onward course Of devotion to constitutional
principle We shall be much mistaken, not
wthstanding the Vaccinations of adroit politl-
clans, if she wavers now in the faithtul dis
charge Of her duty. We cannot believe that
Squalter Sovereignty is potent enough Wltnin
her limits to turn her over TO rcsnrrected Know
Nothingism.
We especially commend 10 our readers the
following manly article from the Lynchourg
"Republican." We know the editor to be
warm admrer Of Senator Douglas, and would
advise every Douglas man in Virginia to sub
scribe for his paper:
"ouce more TO the breach dear friends, once more.
TuE IMPENDING CRIsIs-Thc editor of this
puper is sick in his room, and cannot enter ac-
lively upon the canvass for 4 few days. but he
deems il his duty to snatch the present mo-
mcnt to make brief appeal to the Democracy
OF this important section Of Virginia to rally
at once and with zeal and dctcrlnation wor-
thy Of the crisis, to the Flag of breckenridge
and Lane. The two Democratic Conventions
have met and adjourned, and left the party
hopclcssly divided. Never since the present d.
vision Of parties has anything like similar state
Of things existed in onr midst, and imposes up
on every Democrat duties Of most delicate
and solemn character to perform. We hope
every member of the party will be equal to the
OCCASION.
To cry over split milk is whim, barely ex-