Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-09-14
For the Tindtcator

For the Tndicator.
Mr.. EDITOR Your very generous offer
Of portion of your columns to the friends
Of Breckenridge and Lane is duly apprecia-
ted by that poi ton of the Democratic party.
and they will take pleasure in availing them
selves of it, from time to time, during the
remainder of tho canvass. 1t is right and
proper that your paper. established by the
united exertons of the whole party, should
continue to be the organ of the whole, al
though an unfortunate. but I cannot help
hoping temporary disagreement, has lately
arisen among us. Yes, sir. I do feel con-
6deot expectation that the disagreement will
be az brief as was the captivity of many of
onr brethren in 1855, when they lay en-
chained for a while in the dungeons of know
nothingism, and that when those patriotic
Democrats who are now separated from the
GREAT mass of their Southern brethren shall
have reflected that the only possible effect
Of that separation will be to give this dear
old State of Virginia to their old and bitter
enenies-the Wings; when they shall re-
member that the departed heroes of thou
sand victories over that many coloured and
many named monster of Federalism, now
look down from their blessed abodes and
urge them to union and new victory, they
will, vet cease their strifes and vote at the
rolls in next November as one man, ANNA
ted by one spirit-thc spirit of love for their
country and hatred for Federalism. The
great question in this canvass between the
two wings of the Democratic party in Eir-
ginia is squatter Sovereignty. Mr. Doug
LAS contends that the territories have the
smherem right of legislation, to protect or
TO prohibit slavery, as they please, and that
ia spite Of any decision of the Supreme
CeRrt Ga the abstract right Of men to 60
there With their slaves, the territories have
the mower to nullify such decision by un-
friendly legislation I know, my dear sir,
you are Douglas man, and hope the au
thority Of Douglas man will have weight
with you. Being anxioas to convince YOU
and in doing SO, to use arguments which
YOU cannot consider personally unkipd or
offensive, herewith send you, for publlca-
ton. an ably written and powerful editorial
on the subject Of squatter Sovereignty,
which appeared in the Staunton Viudicator
whi!e you, believe, were its sole acting
editor in 1856. With your leave, will,
from time, communicate "more of the same
sort" The argument seems to me unan-
swerabie, to prove that squatter Sovereign
ty is dangerous and an aboininable here
sy, striking at the foundation of our insti-
buttons and at the equality of the states !;
that it is no abstraction, but monster
clothed in flesh and blood, to be resisted to
the last extremity. Read, [ pray you, and
give the people an opportunity of reading
before it is too late.
A STATES RsGnrs DEMOCRAT
gFrom the Stanton Vindicator of July 9Th, 1856.
squaster Sovereignty.
The opposition press are harping Upon
The aooted question Of ''Squatter So eregn
ty" and are endeavoIing by all that's good
and bad. to convict MIR. Buchanan Of favor
Jug this imagined bag bear We contend
there is no such thing as ''Squatfer Sover-
eighty" There is no sovereignty but that
of the people of State. The inhabitants
of d Territory are not invested, SO long as
under territorial government, with any pow
o. save that conferred by Congress. Con
gress has nc right to legi,late upon the sub-
ject vi slavery, aud hence cannot confer that
power upon the Inhabitants of a territory.
The Aissoufi Compromise was unconsti-
rational because it was legislation for the
purpose of restricting slavery The Ne
bsaska Bill. repeating the Missouri Compro-
mise, was restoration of the rights of ehch
section Of the Union, as stipulated for in the
Constitution. It only carries out the true
latent and spirit of the Federal compact,
recognizing the equality of the States, and
the common interests and rights of the PEG.
pie Of all the States.
Congress not having the right to legslate
upon the subject of slavery to the detriment
OF such property, of course Congress could
not empower the inhabitants of territory
to !egsiate upon that which ii could not it.
self iegislate. Tbs power Of the inhabitants
Of territory are dertuutiue not Inherent
Congress confers them, hence there is no
sovereignty whilst the inhabitants are in
4. pupilage State. Just here the doctrine of
Squatter Sovereignty falls-it has nothing
to stand upon. 1t is creature of the i'm
agination nothing more Whenever the
Inhabitants Of the territory have complied
with the laws regulating the admission Of
States. Whenever they have acquired the
essential features as prescribed by law, re-
quisite to become sovereign peopze-theD
and not until then have they the power over
their domestic instu inns.
In the act of passing from a state pupil
age to the dignity aud prominence of the
people of a State, then they may exercise
the privilege of a Sovereign State and saw
whether they will have Constitution with
slavery, OR Constitution excluding slavery.
Hence We contend that the much agitated