Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-03-23
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY ILLUS
TRATED.


The kind Of popular sovereignty which Mr..
Douglas says he put into the kansas-Nebras-
ka bill, has received pretty full illustration in
both Of the Territories. Kansas has afforded
the latest instance. The following bill was
adopted by both branches Of the Legislature
"seo. !. That Slavery or involuntary servtude, ex-
cept for the punishment Of crime, whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted is and shall be forever
prohibited in this Territory
Sec. q This Act shall take effect and be in force
hom and after It's passage"
There can be no doubt that this measure is
in accordance with the overwhelming popular
sentiment Of Kansas, and being adopted by
the peoples legitimate representatives, it
seems to fulfill the provision Of the organic
act that the people shall be left perfectly
free to form and regulate their domestic in
sttutions in their own way" Still, when il
went up before the Governor, who is a Fed
eral appointee, and in no other respect is a
citizen Of Kansas. that official cndeavored to
crush the will Of Kansas by intorposing his
veto. And he would have completely sue
ceeded, except for the Republican strength in
the Legislature, which repassed the bill over
the Governors resistance. Democrats alone
voted in the negative but it gives us Plea
sure TO state that in the Assembly, six out Of
favor Of the final passage Of the bill.
In Nebraska, the result was the reverse. A
bill similar 10 that in Kansas was adopted by
both branches Of the Legislature. and was
vetoed by Coy Black Here the provisions
Of the Kansas-Nebraska bill operated to sus-
tain the Federal official and to defeat the
popular sentiment Of the Territory, for the
number Of Gov. Blacks partisan friends in
eluf to all ftpr
thirds vote against the veto. Nebraska,
therefore, remains, as Mr.. Buchanan said of
Kansas, as much a slave State as Georgia or
South Carolna--or as the Territory of New
Mexico, whose Legislature and Executive
agreed in the adoption of barbarous slave
code Mr.. Douglas now tells us that he is
content with the action both Of New Mexico
and Kansas, believing that both should have
the right Of forming their own institutions.
But he does not tell US what he thinks of
Gov. Medarys effort to thwart the will Of
Kansas, and of Gov. Blacks actual success in
preventing the people Of Nebraska from
forming and regulating their domestic insti-
tutions in their own way.
By mere chance, therefore, one Of our Ter
ritories has become Romnally free. We say
nominally, because majority of those pres
cnt members Of Congress who voted for the
Kansas n ebraska bill, now hold that the ac-
tion of the Kansas Legislature, abolishing
slavery in the Territory, is practically null and
void. The organic act, in their opinion, is
conclusive against any such action. They
know Of no popular sovereignty which mill
tates with the great principle Of protection
to slave property in the Territories and ac-
cordingly all the Democratic Senators, except
Mr.. Douglas and one other, have expressly
resolved that "when the Territorial Lcgisla-
ture shall have failed, or refused to pass such
laws as arc necessary for that purpose, it will
then become the duty Of Congress to inter-
pose and pass such laws as will afford the
necessary protection such at present is the
authoritative Interpretation put upon the Kan
sas-Nebraska bill by the leaders Of the Dem
ocratc party now in power. BY this stand
ard, the action of Kansas is not only nuga-
atory, but both Kansas and Nebraska having
become delinquent. by failing to pass laws for
the protection Of slavery, it becomes the duty
Of Congress to interpose with an effective
slave code, like that voluntarily adopted in
New Mexico Thus it will be seen, by the
aid Of these concurrent commentaries afforded
in the Territories and at Washington, that
the amount of popular sovereignty guaranteed
in the Kansas Nebraska bill, particularly on
the subject Of slavery, has been growing
small by degrees and lamentably less, until
now the very pretense Of the thing has van
ished altogether r.--Boston journal.