The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-09-29

Il
any sovereignty inherent in the
people, but simply through charter
from Congress, is equivalent to
saying that the people of a Ter
ritory have no inherent rights Of
sovereignty; aud if that position be
assumed, we ask what become of the
great American principle that govern
ments desire their just powers from the
consent of the governed2 And that in
herent right which separate communi-
ties with distinct local interests have to
govern themselves, in all matters
affecting merely their own community
The charter granted by Congress to
Territory does not create he right of
the people to govern themselves in their
local affairs; it merely acknowledges
and regulates a natural right inherent
n the community to govern themselves
in matters which concern the mem
bers of that community only.
The point urged in Sundays HERALD
was that the general government came
to the assistance of the scattered COM
munilies, and organized temporary
governments, the burdens of which
were to be borne in part by the local
community, and in part by the general
government, that the community thus
protected might the sooner reach that
state when it would be strong enough
to bear the burden-or rather exercise
the rights of Statehood. Why have
these Territorial governments always
been regarded as temporary? Simply
because when they were organized the
government recognized the fact that the
community possessed the inherent right
to control their own affair
that is the grand underlying prin ciple
of our American system of government.
And when the claim of absolute con-
troll over communities inhabiting the |
Territories is set up for the general gov
eminent, it amounts to Reputation of |
that great American principle. which |
gained its first noted triumph in the
success of the American Revolution,
and places the advocates of such au-
thority in the same list which the
Tories Of thu Revolution, who made the
same claims for the British Parliament.
Need we inform the Tribune that to-day
he advocates of that political heresy
Ire despised by the civilized world. and
IS 2ecially By England2
suppose a man-an American citi-
en-in the prospect of lettering his
interests, leaves one
II our sovereign States and
makes his home in the inorganic
erritory of the United States, has he
ost any of the rights guaranteed to him
" virtue of his citizenship Is he any
he less q citizen? Suppose a great
number of such men should assemble
n the Territory, have they lost any of
he inherent rights of citizens? If they
lave not, have they not an inherent
light to manage their own affairs, and
'e supreme in the management of them
o? They may not do any thing con
rary to the Constitution of the United
It ttes, because, as Chief Justice fancy
nee said, the citizen and the national
went into the Territories
ide by side, and we may say for that
eason the action of Congress is
united in the exercise of power
1 the Territories as well as in {
be States by the Constitution; and I
,hatever of power the government is c
xercising over the Territories for
mich there is no warrant in the Con-
titu.on is usurpation pure and simple,
nd ought not to be respected.
That Congress has a voice in saying
hen a new State shall be admitted is
rue. The Constitution provides that :
ne United States shall guarantee to
very State in this Union a Republican I
)rm Of government. But when a com
lunity of citizens of the United States
lhabiting one of the Territories. and
no are capable of bearing the respon-
bilities of Statehood, and present to
ongress a State constitution, republi-
an in its character, will the Tribune ex-
lain by what right Congress can with
old Statehood from that com
lunity2 The Tribune holds that pop
lation has not governed the making of
tatehood. Perhaps not; but popula
on capable of supporting q State gov
and the adoption by the peo-
lie of constitution republican in its
1aracter should govern the admission
States into the Union. The Tribune
aims that population financially able
} bear the expense of State govern
ent is not all that is required in the
ay of prerequisites for admission into
le Union, but the people must be
merican people. Very true. They
ust be attached TO republican prin-
pies, and when community of Am
lean citizens inhsbitiBg q Territory
resent to Congress State constitution
III