Ransom and Smoky, however, were unarmed; but the squatter who ran his hand over Smoky's pockets encountered a small cylinder, which he held up to the public gaze.

Smoky would have drawn as true a bead upon a squatter disputing title to his land.

"What d'ye say, boys?" "I say he's lyin'," observed a squatter, whom Thomas Ransom had discovered ear-marking an unbranded calf.

If this part of the country were well supplied with water it would form splendid stations for the squatter; but from its level character and geological structure, permanent surface-water is very scarce, and where it does exist it is surrounded by scrubby country, which renders it almost unavailable.

" If Douglas did not answer Lincoln's question he would jeopardize his election as Senator; if he did answer he would offend the South, for his doctrine of "squatter sovereignty" conflicted not only with the interests of slavery, but with his defence of the Dred-Scott decision,a fact which Lincoln was not slow to point out.

In another quarterTocoa notoriously lawless squatter had expressed his intention of shooting the Government official.

The site of the new church, an address from the inhabitants to the Governor, inspection of roads, examination of disputed claims, squatter questions, enclosure questions, and so forth, would occupy some hours in hard work.

The exception was George Bourne, the second in command, an old squatter who had seen and suffered many a long drought, and whose services proved to be of great value.

The furniture in the rooms that look upon Pennsylvania Avenue is as fresh as the dogma of Squatter Sovereignty; that in all other rooms dates back to the Ordinance of '87.

Two years later, Douglas, then in the Senate, once more sought to test the Squatter Sovereignty idea regarding the new western lands, but once more a cold silence met his attempts.

I discovered that the lady and gentleman were a neighbouring squatter and a new governess he was taking home.

I am sitting on a squatter's chair and writing on a table in the veranda, and the road goes right by the flower-garden.

Miss Beecham was busy at her work-table; I was ensconced on a mat on the floor reading a book; Harold was stretched in a squatter's chair some distance away.

Several jackeroos, a neighbouring squatter, and a couple of bicycle tourists turned up at Five-Bob that evening, and we had a jovial night.

The Utah question, grave though it was, was forgotten in the excitement concerning Kansas, or remembered only by the Republican party, as enabling them to stigmatize more pungently the political theories of the Illinois Senator, by coupling polygamy and slavery, "twin relics of barbarism," in the resolution of their Philadelphia Platform against Squatter Sovereignty.

The squatter, who often at great risk locates himself in a remote spot, and renders such essential service to the mother country by finding new lands, yea new homes, for the surplus population, merits much greater encouragement than he receives, particularly in instances similar to that of Mr. Henty, whose station at Portland was, for years, hundreds of miles removed from other occupied parts.

This gentleman's case makes it clear at once that something ought to be done for the squatter.

But the greatest hardship sustained by the squatter is the Special Survey system, according to which, anyone desirous to become a purchaser to the extent of twenty thousand acres may choose his land where he pleases.

A party clubs together and finds out spots, that have been improved by squatters, with a view of purchasing them when able; many of these are often included in one special survey block: and even if the squatter is able to purchase the rich and hardly-won small patch he occupies, the special survey party, generally a knot of jobbers, have the preference.

This is apparently for the benefit of the crown, twenty thousand pounds being thus added to the revenue under the pound per acre system; but it is certainly not advantageous to the country, as the large purchasers seldom buy for occupation, but for sale; and the smallholder, the squatter, is driven from the land in distress.

My own opinion is, that the squatter ought to be allowed to purchase the land he occupies by private contract from government; or that an allowance should be made him, equivalent to his improvements.)

[Sidenote: "Squatter sovereignty."]

He was in favor of "squatter sovereignty," that is, allowing the people of each territory to have slavery or not as they chose.

He was nominated by Democrats who did not believe in "squatter sovereignty," and by a new party which called itself the Free Soil party.

What is meant by "squatter sovereignty"?