New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-11
XXXVITH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
SENATE. :. .WAsHrEeroS, Jan. 10, 1860.

SENATE. .WAsHISeroS Jan. 10, 1860.
The attendance WAS full.
Several memorials and petitions presented.
Mr.. JOHNSON Dem, Ark presented petition in
favor of the Homestead bill.
Mr.. Pugh's resolution coming up, MIR. GREEN
(Dem., Mo- spoke upon the proposition to give the
election of Territorial officers to the people, designating
it as revolutionary in character. Tie doctrine of Pop
uar Sovereignty be said, was fraught with danger
from beginning 10 end. When the advocates of Popu-
lar Sovereignty were pressed, they said they did not
Popular Sovereignty, but Territorial Sovereignty
He Green regretted that the subject had been
introduced to estrnge those who ought to be united
against common foe who was striking al the insttu-
ODs of the South and endangerng the existence of the
Government. They should have first put the ship of
state on a smooth sea, ard then they could have
settled minor points of difference among them.
selves. But the subject had been brought
forward by the Senator from Illinois douglas, in
essay after essay, and by the Senator from Ohio
Pugh), in labored speech, and the question had to
be met. Up to the close of the last session Mr..
Douglas did not contend for the Sovereignty of a
Territorial Legislature, nor did he do 80 In his Free
port speech when he was hard pressed by his able adj
versary, bnt in his Harpers Magazine article he had
claimed the same power for Territory as possessed
by sovereign State Mr.. Green then proceeded to
show that the acts of Territory are subject to the
supervision of Congress- and consequently that pos
sessed sovereignty, but derived all its powers from
Congress. He went into history of the Legislature
on t6e subject reviewed the bred Scott decision and
quoted from the former speeches OF Dir. Douglas, 10
show the inconsistency OF his present position In 1870
it was candidly admitted by the Democrats that
there wss difference of opinion between
the sections but all agreed to abide by the decision OF
the Supreme Court. He wished, therefore, these
issues Squatter Sovereignty hushed up ana the
bred Scott decision accepted as the final settlement, so
that an sQitated question could be removed Som Con-
gress He continued his argument to show that Ter
rtOry had sovereignty and that Congress nid me
power to institute Territorial Governments and revise
their acts He read extracts to show that the Senator
from Ohio and Illinois Pugh and Douglasl had ad-
mitted the power of Congress over the Territories.
His speech was close legal argument to sust an MS
poeiton In the of bis remarks he SAID tbat ne
eleyed the Senator from Ohio had ssiid that the lirs
application of the principle Of Popular Sovereignty
was in the case of California ~
Mr.. PUGH-The Senator is mistaken. The action
of the Thirteen Colonies the first assertion OF the
principle. ,.:..r
Mr.. GREEN.-Thats revolution TO when am
onnosed under this Government. Ii Is the lnroduc.
ton of the same kind of revolution as
upon Bunkers Hill, which, glorious as II was, was
ravotion in the ewes of the world lie then took the
Ground that the right to hold slaves property was
rational and the prohibition Of Slavery local. Save
nv was general when this Government was formed,
and had been prohibited since by the acts OF Local Le
oslatIres The right TO hold slaves on board ,hted
States ship was acknowledged TO be perfect ana CON-
ne,e on the principle that the vessel Is part OF ne
public domain and the same principle slavery Is e
titled TO protection in the Territories when are part
of the actual domain. He would ask no more prolec.
tion for Slavery than for any other property Ii the
Territories could not be trusted, ne was In ia'oi VI
Ievoking all their powers. NJ o.o,,,
The subject was postponed without hr; Uieeh :
concluding his remarks until tomorrow, ana tne o1ha
went into Executive Session, after wnicn tue oouy
adjourned,