Details
JOHNSON, ANDREW, President. Autograph letter signed ("A.Johnson") as Democratic Representative for Tennessee to [Alfred O.P.] Nicholson, a political colleague; Washington, D.C., 18 January 1848. 3 1/4 pages, 4to, 255 x 200mm. (10 x 8 in.), tipped at one edge to larger sheet. In fine condition.
ANDREW JOHNSON DECLARES POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY "THE BEST POSITION FOR THE SOUTH,... IF IT WILL NOT BREAK UP THE UNION"
In this lengthy letter, Democratic Representative Johnson expresses his support for Lewis Cass's concept of popular sovereignty, the principle that "the people of any territory which may hereafter be acquired, [have] the right to regulate [slavery] themselves, under the great general principles of the Constitution," (ed. W. Andrews, 746). Johnson is responding to a well-known letter of Cass to Nicholson, dated 24 December 1847, which is believed to constitute the first formulation of the idea of popular sovereignty [see Andrews, p.746]. "After consultation and some consideration in regard to calling on Genl. [Lewis] Cass for a fuller and further explanation of his views as to the power of the people inhabiting a territory over the institution of slavery... It is the position the great mass of the people will sustain when they properly come to understand it. The position taken by Cass in his letter to you is the one the whole South is committed to, Ala[bama] & S[outh] C[arolina] in exclusion. The resolutions providing for the annexation of Texas to the U.S. ... provide that four new states shall hereafter be formed out [of] Texas to be admitted into the Union with or without Slavery as the people may desire, which commits them to the principle -- If it willnot [sic] break up the Union or endanger the institution of Slavery to concede this power in the formation of four new States South of the Missouri Compromise (for there is a very small portion of territory north of it in Texas) and on the left side of the Riogrande [sic], the South need not apprehend [this]... There are many in the Southern states much mistaken as to the popular feeling among the masses as to the future extension of slavery [as there are many] in the South opposed to the extension of slavery... especially in K[entuck]y and Ten[nessee]... The Slave holder must feel safe with Cass' position, while the great mass of the people will say let us retain the power to say whether Slavery shall exist or not... It seems to me for the South to admit that the federal Government has the power to abollish [sic] slavery where it does not now exist, (that is in the territories) is conceding all that the most ultra Wilmot Proviso man desires -- for if the Government can establish, in slave territory now free, it can abollish it in a territory where it does exist -- If all admit the affirmative of the proposition the negative follows on a matter of course -- Our true position in my opinion, is, to deny all power to the Gen[era]l Government to interfere with the institution of slavery in or out of the states, leaving it exclusively to the people, to determine the nature and character of all institutions that pertains to there [sic] particular locality -- It is the safest position for the South..."
Not in Papers of Andrew Johnson, ed. L.P. Graf and R.W. Haskins, and apparently unpublished.
ANDREW JOHNSON DECLARES POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY "THE BEST POSITION FOR THE SOUTH,... IF IT WILL NOT BREAK UP THE UNION"
In this lengthy letter, Democratic Representative Johnson expresses his support for Lewis Cass's concept of popular sovereignty, the principle that "the people of any territory which may hereafter be acquired, [have] the right to regulate [slavery] themselves, under the great general principles of the Constitution," (ed. W. Andrews, 746). Johnson is responding to a well-known letter of Cass to Nicholson, dated 24 December 1847, which is believed to constitute the first formulation of the idea of popular sovereignty [see Andrews, p.746]. "After consultation and some consideration in regard to calling on Genl. [Lewis] Cass for a fuller and further explanation of his views as to the power of the people inhabiting a territory over the institution of slavery... It is the position the great mass of the people will sustain when they properly come to understand it. The position taken by Cass in his letter to you is the one the whole South is committed to, Ala[bama] & S[outh] C[arolina] in exclusion. The resolutions providing for the annexation of Texas to the U.S. ... provide that four new states shall hereafter be formed out [of] Texas to be admitted into the Union with or without Slavery as the people may desire, which commits them to the principle -- If it willnot [sic] break up the Union or endanger the institution of Slavery to concede this power in the formation of four new States South of the Missouri Compromise (for there is a very small portion of territory north of it in Texas) and on the left side of the Riogrande [sic], the South need not apprehend [this]... There are many in the Southern states much mistaken as to the popular feeling among the masses as to the future extension of slavery [as there are many] in the South opposed to the extension of slavery... especially in K[entuck]y and Ten[nessee]... The Slave holder must feel safe with Cass' position, while the great mass of the people will say let us retain the power to say whether Slavery shall exist or not... It seems to me for the South to admit that the federal Government has the power to abollish [sic] slavery where it does not now exist, (that is in the territories) is conceding all that the most ultra Wilmot Proviso man desires -- for if the Government can establish, in slave territory now free, it can abollish it in a territory where it does exist -- If all admit the affirmative of the proposition the negative follows on a matter of course -- Our true position in my opinion, is, to deny all power to the Gen[era]l Government to interfere with the institution of slavery in or out of the states, leaving it exclusively to the people, to determine the nature and character of all institutions that pertains to there [sic] particular locality -- It is the safest position for the South..."
Not in Papers of Andrew Johnson, ed. L.P. Graf and R.W. Haskins, and apparently unpublished.