A term applied to the doctrine advocated by Stephen A. Douglas, that the territories should settle the slavery question for themselves; but sometimes used more widely.
1855. Resolved, that we, the Sovereign Squatters of Kansas, do not believe, &c.—Herald of Freedom, Lawrence, Kas., Jan. 27.
1855. In that part of our beautiful State known as ‘Egypt’ [Southern Illinois], many of these ‘wise’ men have exercised their ‘squatter-sovereignty’ for the last forty years, dwelling even now, in habitations as primitive as were those of the partiarchs.—Knick. Mag., xlv. 422 (April).
1856. What they call “squatter sovereignty,” I call “popular sovereignty”; you may call it by whatever name you please; I am in favor of all the sovereignty that there is in the Kansas–Nebraska bill.—Mr. Watkins of Tennessee, in the House of Repr., May 6: Cong. Globe, p. 1126.
1857. I refer to “pre-empting,” known in former times as squatting, from which arose that new term in political parlance, squatter sovereignty.—Letter from Nebraska in the National Intelligencer, July 1 (Bartlett).
1857. Squatter sovereignty in Kansas means military rule and outside interference.—Herald of Freedom, Oct. 10.
1857. Squatter sovereignty is defined to be the entrance of six full-dressed ladies into a large omnibus, and taking exclusive possession of it, while eighteen spare gentlemen are forcibly expelled.—San Francisco Call, April 1.
1859. I do not hold that squatter sovereignty is superior to the Constitution. I hold that no such thing as sovereign power attaches to a territory while a territory.—Mr. Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois in the U.S. Senate, Feb. 23: Cong. Globe, p. 1246.
1859. Ossawattomie sympathy and squatter sovereignty are exponents of the same doctrine, the same intolerant spirit which denies to property in slaves the protection of law.—Richmond Enquirer, Nov. 15, p. 2/1.
1860. [Mr. Douglas] has given to squatter sovereignty all the popularity that it possesses in the South.—Id., May 22, p. 2/2.
1860. Regarding “Squatter Sovereignty” as a nickname invented by the Senator and those with whom he acts, which I have never recognised, I must leave him to define the meaning of his own term.—Speech of Mr. Douglas, May 17.
1860. I know well where the Wilmot proviso and non-intervention squatter sovereignty would lead.—Mr. Iverson of Georgia in the U.S. Senate, Dec.: O. J. Victor, ‘The History … of the Southern Rebellion,’ i. 75.
1884. See FREE-SOILER.
