Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1854-09-01

or, VINO 10 . Df3ncn OF the AeSisfanVe depart
ment, nor Of the Judges who are to interpret the
laws and decide upon the ri hts Of the people.
This is fair specimen of the sovereignty Of the /
people recognized by the new school Democracy,
into which the new light has led friend Elder
The only sovereignty it would give the people is
the privilege Of making slaves. So far, indeed, |
is it from being true that Congress has deter
mined that the locality of a citizen does not i'm
pair his right to life, liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness, the very law guaranteeing this righ' |
in the territories, was repealed by this bill
And we may add to this, that Legislative
Council is TO be elected by tie people; but this
bill declares who Of tie people shall VOC Not
every free white man--read it frecmcn-thou3h
ever SO inte.ligent-though ever well qualified
to exercise the elective franchse--thou3h having
enjoyed that privilege in the States Of the Union,
not even he can vote until he has submitted 10
this provision Of the Nebraska bill. Place upon
1t your own interpretation:
"That the right Of suffrage and Of holding Of
fee shall be exercised only by citizens Of the
United States and those who have declared their
intention to become such, and shall have taken
an oath to support the Constitution Of the United
States, and the provisions IF this act
This is popular sovereignty for you. The cit
izen Of Kansas is free, ali! yes, free to bow his
neck to the yoke his master has made for him
He is free.-the President has gracously APP
pointed a Governor to rule him. Judges to ex-
pound the law for him, a Secretary to record his
acts, and an Attorney to plead his cause, and he
is free to do as he is bid! At an appointed place
and time he may, the condescendins Con-
gress has kindly vouchsafed, vote for members
& no I h., b,lI fb.ir a.
in manner and time as provided in this bill, Oh.
yes, the citizen Of Kansas is free for suitable
time he may vote to establish slavery and bind
his fellow worms in chains, Most heavenly pre-
rogat:ve Of a gracious Democracy. How il loves
the. people--how free it makes Men,i Tie legi>a
ture. too, when elected, may pass certain laws.
but then there are other laws which it shall not
pass, and that Legislature is mercifully permitted
to obey! For instance, it may not non-rcsi-
dents higher than residents. OH yes, citizens of
Nebraska, ye gns-neverthelcss the
will Of majority Of you must be subservient to
the will Of your Executive, who receives his APP
pointment at the hands of the President.
Postmosters allowed to become members Of
the Legislature. These appointed by Mr..
Pierce, or his Catholic head Of the Post Office
Department, Mr. Campbell. Members Of the
first Legislative Assembly may hold or be APP
pointed to Offices which have been created, or
the salary enouments Of which have been
increased, during Meir membership, There seems
to be fine opportunity for bribery and corrup-
ton in these provisions and it is not to be believ
ed that the people, by the exercise of their own
wills, and in the plenitude of that
sovereignty which is so much harped about,
would establish them. But, says Elder, 1T is
not a question Of slavery and liberty at is
not whether slavery will ever be established in
shat territory. exegy intelligent man. yea,
admit that to be impossible" We sincerely
hope that this prediction may prove correct We
hope that this "newly illuminated prophet be-
holds coming events, not by the light OF some
,gnus tatuus, but by the light of true prophecy
But if slavery does not set its blghtin5 footsteps
upon the soil Of Kanses, it will not be for lack OF
effort to establish it there. Ii Free States are
formed out Of this Territory, it will be in spite
Of the efforts Of the friends Of the Nebraska bill
That bill is emphatically pro-slavery measure,
which cannot be denied with shadow Of
reason 1t is so regarded at the South, and was
supported as such by the almost unanimous votes
Of Southern Representatives in Congress And
suppose every northern man. like Mr. Elder ac-
quiesced in and gave hearty support TO the
Douglas bill, could any one have even tie skele-
ton Of belief that Kansas would not come into
the Union as Slave State? What but the IN
dignation of the North at the passage of this
swndling bill, can ever secure that virgin Terri
tory to Freedom? 1t is the outraged North which
would make it free-it is the Administration and
its hrelings which would curse 1t with slavery
But enough upon this point
Mr. Elder seems painfully exercised with re
gard to the variableness of Mr.. Holloway's polit-
cal course Now it lily becomes our neighbor to
make an onslaught upon the antecedents of Mr.
IL in one and the same article in which he frank
" confesses to such an important and diametrlca
change in his own political creed. L is altoSeth
er probable that Mr.. H. did not vote for nor advo
{ cate those principles which entirely ACCORDED
with the wishes and views of the editor of tn
Jeffersonian; and even if he had, there Is no rea
!, son for believing that Mr.. Elder would at thi
time approve Of his course. Some new high
would ere now have dawned upon his dark au
benighted understanding, enabling him TO Sc
! and patriotic, were really weak in principle an
: unsafe and inadequate in practice. 1t is highl
probable that Mr. Holloway's political course
e as satisfactory to his constituents as that of NJ
-