WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1854
530
squatters? They may pass a law to-day and repeal it to-morrow, and the next day they may pass another law, and so on successively from day to day, and from year to year, they may pass and repeal laws. The Territories have no power to pass organic laws until the attributes of sovereignty are about to attach, or have actually attached to them. That is what I call non-intervention. That is what I call sovereignty and self-government. This is the great principle which it is said is involved in the bill which we have passed; and now we are receiving the response to it. I hope we may never have any more responses of this description. I pray Heaven that we may never have another such protest in this body. But for the necessity or cause, which originated in this body, this memorial would never have been laid upon your table. This is but the effect; the cause was anterior to it. If we wish to avert calamitous effects, we should prevent pernicious causes. 1 Cong1·essional Globe (1853-1854), 1st Sess., 33d Cong., pp. 618, 622 (Appendix), 854. Crane, Life and Select Lite1·a1-y Remains of Scl-m Houston, 417-423; C. Edwards Lester, Authentic Memoirs, 294-302.
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