Year: 1860

0SoaII ER SONEREIGNTY.n
III, ~ rs too frequently the case that writers and


paHeis 10 whom habit has familiarized the use of
tI phrases or expressions, take il for granted


'neir readers or hearers equally famliarined
mI mi'h such expressions and with their meaning
1ne phrase which forms the caption of this article
VIII illustrate our meaning


Fohticlans talk fuently about "Souatter Sover-
ee'shtE accusing this man or that man Of being in
iaVor OF "Squatter Sovereignty" and therefore
wrong and not to he trusted


W nat IS 'Squatter Sovereignty 2" is a question
that mad we asked of us few DAYS ago bv quite an
intellSent person, who had failed to get the run of
the thing. We will endeavor to explain as clearly
as u we can what we suppose people mean when they
talk about "Squatter Sovereignty" Whether the
designation is correct one or not is more than we
intend now to discuss;


We presume that most people know that large
portion OF the territory of the United States lies be-
yond the limits of any organized State, and that OF
course, the settlers there must depend upon the
constitution and laws of the Union for government
and protection. Most of these ouaying settlers are


squatterS," having probably gone in advance of
the land survey and the and-Ofice, and "squatter"
upon the lands they occupy-their occupation Civ
Ing them pre-emptiOn," pre-emptive right
that Is the first chance to purchase in preference
to all others.


When, in any section these settlers become suffi-
GENTLY numerous to require more definite organi-
zatlon 1t Is usual to pass bill giving them terri
torlal government, such government vesting in the
actual settlers certain powers far from being nee
essary for the regulation of their own local affairs
but these powers far from sovereign, since the
executive and judicial departments are filled by ap-
pointment of the Federal Executive. These terrific
rial governments erected for the protection of
the persons and property Of citizens of any and all
the States of the Union coming to settle on the pub
lie domain-not certainly for the purpose of render
ing either more precarious. The principle has been
adpoted and ayowed that the people of any of these
territories, when having the requisite population
form State, may apply for admission into the
Union, with or without slavery as a majority of the
actual residents may determine.


1t is contended by the great body of the Demo-
Gratis that the power of deciding this question
questions of similar character only be eXercis-
cd by State preliminary to applying for ad-
mission State and that this admission alone can
give validity to the State Constitution.


By some persons, Judge Douglas among the rest,
it is contended that the settlers when organized by
the grant to them of territorial government may at
any time during their territorial age either by
unfriendly legislation the neglect of necessary
protection, decide this question in advance of the
formation of State Constitution thus claiming for
a.mere territory sovereignty which belongs only
to State This claim of sovereignty for the first
handful of settlers squatters the public domain,
is what has been rather derisivey styled Squatter
Sovereignty"- Journal