The Carrollton sun. (City of Carrollton, Parish of Jefferson, La.) 185?-1???, 1860-07-25

anu autentlVe PeruSal, as IL dehneS tn
proper meaning of term, often sheer
ingly applied, yet little understood by
a majority of the public
The South-squatter Sovereignty
senator Douglas.
"Audi ct aLteram aoarten,."
The South is, we believe, in a false
position on the subject of Squatter Sow
ereignty. We sheer at the term, but a
sheer does not settle question. We
do not achieve logical victory when
we invent a nickname. We only
amuse, and perhaps, deceive the pep1lQ;
Squatter Sovereignty is, in fact, ho L
ing else but Popular Sovereignty
right of a-people, great or small
govern themselves. The right "a ka1a
which we have invariably maintain =
which we have. more than once
up arms to establish which, ia 06r
country, is prevailing and has always
prevailed. Therefore, we say, tia
South is in false position. She ~
not only kicking against the prick IS
but against pricks of her own mo-
approved and cherished manufacturers
The Sovereignty which we cali Squ
ter, has always ruled in North AmaS
1t has perpetually asserted itself
all supervising control, and with 81
invariably. Take our own State
example. Her history is a history
the continued triumph of Squatter SoX
ereignty over extraneous authority. LID
the first half century of her existenceS
Squatter Sovereignty uniformly opposed
the proprietary government. 1t drove
one Governor, landgrave and brother
of proprietor, out of the colony. In
l719, it destroyed the government of
the proprietors altogether, and reduced
their Governor, Johnson, to the ranks
of private life. 1t had hardly placed
itself nominally under new rule before
it began a new quarrel. It grumbled,
protested, and finally overthrow the new
ruler. 1t broke up the regal, as it had
broken up the proprietary government
And so it has been in ali parts of our
country. Squatter Sovereignty is the
only Sovereignty recognized as the
source of political power.
During all this time plausible argu-
ments have never been wanting against
the exercise of the squatter power. The |
proprietors urged them. The Royal |
government attempted to enforce them.
Both these parties insisted On the obi
cations of order and law, and constitu-
;ional authority, and sacred rights, and
essential principles, just as we in the
South are doing now. Our Southern
eaders occupy the position and pursue
he line of argument held by the pro-
'rietors in 1913, and by Lord North in
VA. But the authority of parent or
RAJ ,e,, l.
ser when claimed by the Federal Gov
than when claimed by the
lords Proprietors or by the Court of
IT. James. Indeed, not half so strong.
they asserted principle universally l.
ecelved among them, and in which I
hey believed. We insist on what we 8
annot believe, and have always repu- s
lated and overthrown. If the Federal t
government undertakes to prevent the |
eople of Territory from ruling them t
elves, it undertakes what all preceding t
uthorlbes have failed to accomplish. {
hey acted in conformity with their G
ecelved maxims; the Federal Govern t
tent is proceeding in the teeth of the "
ractlce and theory which gave it birth.
'e may marshal against Territory |,
ingenious reasons, but what b
'e specious arguments arrayed against T
'complished facts. When we oppose fl
Ierritory's resolution to rule itself, W
g oppose what we also have done al
lady and approved. Can we hope to G,
lcceed d
The distinction which we attempt to =,
'aw between the right of people to =,
'vern themselves, when a State and y
hen Territery is too fimsy to resist ~ y
straw. History ignores it. The pee- u
will laugh at a casuistry which "a d:
avs so broad line between the State %
to-day and the Territory of yester- u
y. To-day the people have all power; sc
sterday they haH none. There is no =,
ference in numbers, wealth or inte1li I'll
nee; but one day they are in leading
'ings, the next they are autocrats. ne
he arguments why they should be in III
ding strings are very plausible and &c
5enious, but not more SO at this time III
IN of yore, when they were bands of
x in heated furnace. They are cob 1t
BIS now, that will be swept away in
Nro l, l1ylN i, /, !. Al.