Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-10-18
How the Great Principle was
Originally Applied.


The Democratic party was founded up
on the grinciple that ali power emanates
from the people. The word Democracy
itself implies the government Of the peo.
pie. The Federal Constitution was made
as the preamble purports, by the people
to promote their mutual welfare, 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 sep
arate communities, with separate and in
dependent governments.
These communities, or States, on form
ing the Federal Constitution or Compact,
only parted with so much of their origin
al sovereignty as became necessary to give
effect and validity to the bond of Union.
They all acknowledged the Constitution
as the supreme law in all matters that
concerned the general welfare, and for
which that instrument had made provis-
ion; but in respect to their peculiar State
institutions and domestic policy, they pre-
served their original sovereignty, subject
only to the Constitution Of the United
States.
Thus the exercise ofthe great principle,
the right of self-government in the whole
people, established the Federal Constitu-
ton for the government of the Union as a
whole. Bnt the same right of self-gov-
ernment was reserved to the States ont Of
which the Union was formed, subject on
ly to that Constitution.
Neither the Government for which the
Federal Constitution provided, nor the
State governments, were absolute; the for
mer was limited by the powers reserved
to the States or the people, and the latter
were controlled by the grants to the for
mer.
Such was, in brief, the general princi-
pie upon which our system of Confed-
Grated Democratic Republic was originally
organized. The same principle was ap-
piled, with some notifications, in the or
ggniz alton of Territories. The same right
OF self-government, in regard to their do
inestic affairs and internal policy, was ad-
;uitted to be in the people of the Terrific
ries, as in the people Of the States, subject
also to the Constitution of the United
| States.
The two principle points of difference
between a State and an organized Terri
tory were these:
First. That the former had Consti-
tuition of its own formed by its own peo-
pie, while the latter had. in place of
Constitution, an organic act framed by
Congress or Federal Legislature.
Second. That while the people of the
States were represented in both branches
of the Congress, by members entitled to
vote, the people of the Territories had no
such representation.
But the people of an organized Terrific
ry had local Legislature, and were re-
garded, in all that related to their domes-
tic policy, as sovereign as the people of
State! In our early legislation. under
the articles of Confederation, whenever
any regulation was attempted to be made
by Congress in the domestic affairs of an
organized Territory, it was stated not to
be an arbitrary law, to be enforced by
pains and penalties, but to be in the ma
ture of a compact or agreement between
the people of the States and the people
of the Territory, to which the latter were
regarded as being a party as well as the
former.
In the absence of any such compact or
agreement, the people Of Territory were
left perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own
way, slavery included, subject only to the
Constitution of the United States. But
where compact existed, the people of the
Territory being regarded as voluntary
party to it, it did not take away their
sovereignty, but, on the contrary, was an
admission and an acknowledgement of that
sovereignty.
In the famous "Plan of Government
for the Western Territory reported by
Mr.. Jefferson, in 1884, to the lNth Con-
tinental Congress, the sovereignty, and
the right of the people in an organized
Territory to regulate their own affairs and
local institutions, without interference on
the part of Congress, is as clearly set
forth as it is in the Kansas Nebraska act. !
A territorial Legislature was provided for
which had authority to adopt for the gov
ernment of the Territory the Constitution
and Laws of any of the States, subject to
alteration, not by Congress, but by any
subsequent Territorial Legislation.
1t is plain, therefore, that the Democrat
ic party, in vindicating the right of Self
Government for the Territories, as well
as for the States, are following in the
footsteps of Jefferson and the early faith
ers and founders of the Union, which EN-
braces both States and Territories
Statesman.
The Louisiana Sugar Planter, of the
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