The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1860-06-06
Speech of Hon. John ]. Crittenden
Az KENTIfcKY
or KENTUCKY.
ON TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
Delivered in the Unifed STATES Senate, on Fri
day. Nay 25th. 1860.

ON TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
Delivered in the Unifed States Senate, on Fri
day. Nay 95th. 1860.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the resoIu
tons submitted By Mr. Davis on the Ist Of March
1850, relative 10 the equality Of The States the right
OF al the citizens emigrstc 10 the Territories with
slave property and denying the power Of Congress Of
TeriionsI Legislature to interfere with this right
Mr.. Critisndcn said
Mr.. President. it is not my purpose To
make a speech. have no prepared speech
nor any preparation for speech. desire
only TO express my views in relation to certain
particular questions that have been presented
with some prominence in the course Of this
long debate and one Of the mos, interesting
and important Of these questions is that
which affects the relation existing between
Of the United States. IL is supposed by
some, as il seems, that those territorial gov
4 IerRments. when organized under the autho-
\ rity nf Congress, have certain independent
powers OF their own, not conferred bnt inhc-
rent in them, as sort OF sovereignty or po.
Iitieal power independent Of any that may
have been conferred by express delegation
Of Congress.
Ny idea upon that subject. Mr.. President,
/ without shadow Of doubt. il that terrific
/ rial government is the mere creature Of Con.
gress, made and fashioned by Congress as il
pleasrs, with what functions il pleases, with
what power il thinks proper 10 confer that
all these powers are liable 20 be resumed at
a.. 4. FL a
and changed at the pleasure Of Congress,
aud according TO its discretion. OF course,
there is no sovereignty or particle Of snve.
reignty in the Territory all is mere dele
CATION of power, and Is in subordination AZ
al times 10 the Congress &C the United
States. I know Of no sovereignty in this
country, no supreme political power. except
that originally vested in the people OF the
United States. They are the natural deposi.
taries, they are the natural owners Of every.
thing like supreme power or sovereignty.
They have, 10 form this Government. dele.
gated a certain portion nl that sovereignty
10 the Congress Of the United States. The
whole, then, Of this sovereignty, exists, as 70
that part not delegated. in the people. A.
to that part which they have delegated. that
" W iOHgfets anu mere " I've uttNusttiuU "
the whole sovereign supreme power Of this
cuuntry. None has been delegated to any
one else. None. certainly, has been delegi.
ted % the territorial governments.
They are. as first stated. the mere crea'
lures of Congress. without any power. any
function, except what Congress, BY the act
establishing that government. has pleased to
grant; and that always held at the arbitra.
ment Of Congress itself. There can be none
other. There is no place IN our written
system of laws for II. The people j. the
original and the natural source Of all this
sovereignty. All remains in them except
what they have granted. They have granted
no portion II Il except to the General Gov.
ernment. Certainly. they have granted none
to the territorial go,ernments. The whole
practical sovereignty Of the country over ITS
Territories is vested in the Congress Of the
united States then; Whist they have granted
70 the Territories belongs 70 The Territories,