Nebraska advertiser., 1860-01-26
OF Tennessee.

governor Blacks Veto Message
What is Popular SOVerelgHJ?-
Who are the PeOple2 And what
Rights have they while in a Ter
ritOFial Existence?
Last week we brought our article up to
the adoption of the Missouri Compromise.
We propose now, first to show what was
the recognized power Of Congress over the
Territories at that time, and up to the
adoption of the Compromise measures of
1850 aid lS54-the Kansas-N N braska
Act. We conccde that all parties, North,
South, East and West, admitted that Con-
gress possessed, or rather exercised the
power to legislate upon the subject of
slavery in the Territories at that time
The consequence was that ultra southern
men and ultra northern men were alike
~clanorous for slave protecting and slave
prohibiting codes; and a still additional
consequence was that, adark and porten-
tous cloud, pregnant with d%isunion, as at
the present, hung over the country. 1t be-
came patriots of whatever political creed,
or hailing from what section Of the coun-
try they might, to devise some means by
which the threatening storm might be
averted, and peace and harmony restor.
ed. So far as the principle involved was
concerned. there was no difference then,
as now, between the ultra northern and
The ultra southern men; both claiming
for Congress the exclusive right aud pow
er TO control the affairs of the Terrific
ries, especially on the slavery question.
AS being better authority than any OPT
Mons we might express, and as express
sIve of our oWn views in the fullest sense,
we here extract literally from a recent
article from the pen of Hon. REvERDY
. JOHNSON, U. S. Attorney-G General under
President Taylor, a southern man,
and acknowledged by all parties 10 be
one of the ablest lawyers in the Union.
In speaking of the consideration of the
Kansas-N Nebraska Bill by Congress, he
says:
O.. 1.-The consultations 10 both branches of
Congress were warm and exciting. The
advocates of restriction and It's opponents
alike displayed great ability. From day
TO day, in the Senate particularly, propo-
sitions were offered, presenting in various
forms the views of each. The friends of
State equality, from the States where sla-
very did not exist, as well as Southern
Senators, and who were equally DESTROYS
Of freeing Southern States from this
badge of degrading authority, implying
disgrace, because imputing injustice and
wrong, zealously labored to effect their
object; and this, in the opinion of almost
every southern member, would be effect
ed by the last amendments suggested by
the Committee on Territories, of which
Judge Douglas was chairman, in their re-
port of the 4th Of January; 1854. After
stating what they supposed were the
principles established by the measures of
1885, and how these had served to allay
agitation, and restore peace and harmony
to an 'irritated and distracted people, >
they said: In the judgment of your COM
mittee, those measures were intended to
have far more comprehensive and en-
during effect than the mere adjustment of
the difficulties arising out of the recent
acquisition of Mexican territory. They
were designed TO establish certain great
principles, which would not only furnish
adequate remedies for existing evils, but,
In all time TO come, avoid the perils of a
similar agitation, by Withdrawing the
question of slavery from the halls of Con-
gress and the political arena, and COM
uniting it to the arbitramento of those who
were Immediately interested in, and
alone responsible for, Its consequences
With view of conforming their action to
the settled policy of the government,
sanctioned by the approving voice of the
American people, your committee have
deemed it their duty to incorporate and
perpetuate In their territorial bill, the
principle and spirit of those measures
and the amendment which was recon-
mended and adopted to accomplish this
object, with aproviso offered by Mr.. Bad
ger, was in these worls:-'That the
Constitution and all laws of the United
States, which are not locally inapplicable
shall have the same force and effect with
in the said Territory as elsewhere within
the United States, except the eighth Sec
zion of the act preparatory to the admis-
sion of Missouri into the Union, approved
March 9th, 1920, which being inconsis-
tent with the principle OF on-intervention
by Congress, with slavery in the States
and Territories, as recognized by the le-
gislation of 1850, commonly called the
Compromise measures, is hereby declar.
ed imperative and void, II being the true
intent and meaning of this act, not to
legislRte slavery into any Territory, nor
TO exclude It therefrom, but TO leave the
people thereof perfectly free 10 form and
regulate their domestic institutions in their
own-way, subject only to the Constitution
Of the United States, provided that moth.
ing herein contained shall be construed tc
revive or put in force any law or regula-
lion which NAV have existed DriOr 10 The