The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-07
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY IN UTAH.

Territorial sovereignty was the principle
on which STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS and the
overwhelming majority of the Democrats
of the north stood in 1854 at the time of
the organization of Kansas snd Nebraska.
The slavery propagandists of the time ridi-
culed this. and gave it the name of squat
ter sovereignty" DoUGLAs Democrats
claimed that the people of the new terrific
ries had the right to determine for them
selves that slavery should not become an
Institution of the incipient states. To be
sure 1t was charged by their northern OPP
ponents that they, the DOUGLAS Democrats,
desired to open up the territories to slavery.
but the tire-eaters of the south
knew better. Their claim was that
the constitution coerced slavery
everywhere, by the clause on which
the fugitive slave law was founded The
south denied the right of the people of
kansas and Nebraska to vote on this oues-
ton, whilst the DOUGLAS Democrats main
tanned they should have right to vote on
all questions affecting their local govern
ment This was the rise of the ''irrepress-
ible conflict which brought on the great
war.
The principle of home rule is the founda-
ton OF republican government. All rights
not expressly delegated to Congress are
reserved to the people. Surely it is not
meant that territory of quarter of a
million souls, peaceable, obedient to the
laws, engaged in the commerce and indus
tries Of civiiization-a territory sustain
ing churches of al denominations, and
numerous institutions of learning-thas
is under the humauizing influences of a
free press and all the adiuncts and facili-
ties of enlightenment-that is in hourly
communication with all parts of the coun-
try and of the world-surely it is not in
tended TO keep these people in the bondage
of mere satrapy. Why should Utah be
so bound and humiliated? To crafty a
feeling which, if at one time was an honest,
determined opposition to prevailing social
and religious customs, has hardened into
a malicious and prosecuting spirit that has
no practical aim or purpose! To deny new
Corners that sense of permanency that
comes OF stable government, and to re-
quire them to wait until the grass grows
over the graves of those whose malice
and spitefulness seem to survive every
thing but death? To compel the new
Immigration TO take part in quarels they
feel no interest in! To retard that great
tide of population ready to come hithel
when the territory shall have put on the
garments of self-government! In the
name of all that is sensible, why should
the Utah of to-day be such an insignificant
dependency, fit only for the finger o.
scorn to point its reproachful finger at!
In the pioneer days of Kansas an(
Nebraska the Repu blican papers and pull
pits of the north urged the rapid coloniz
alton of those territories, to make then
free states. Utah, with resources richel
and more varied, with a climate unpar
alleled for salubrlty, with ever!
attraction of freshness and mul
titudes of things desirable, cordially in
vltes the people of all politics, of all reli
gions, of all shades of opinion to come hers
and settle. 1t cannot be many years be
) fore the citizens will be admitted to tn.
enjoyment Of the same rights that ar
vouchsafed to the same number of citizen
t Of the states. The movement for partia
home rule voluntarily postpones for an in
definite period the application for state
: hood. This meets and completely answer
any affirmation, however unreasonable
that the movement is to restore any forr
= of polygamy, and thus reserves all pretex
: for denying the peoples rights to loca
self-government 1t asks that the citizen
of the territory be permitted to show thei
: allegiance and good faith to the gener;
= government and their obedience to the law
Of Congress, without the Intervention {
an anomalous, unrepublican satrapy, con
? posed of non-residents, whose very exis
s ence in Office presupposes hostility to th
people. The proposed act does not chang
the relations of the territory to the ger
o eral government in respect to the feder
It courts and officers thereof, nor can it lnte
fere with the prosecution of offenst
against the laws of Congress. If the il
e habitants are found to be incapable
e managing their own affairs, if they pro,
If unfaithful to their pledges, if they demea
h themselves unworthily, then they may |
remanded to complete subordination. 81
if the test prove satisfactory, abroad
II well as at home, after sufficient trial.
: will not be OUT of order to discuss the que
ton Of admission to the Union.