Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-07-18

L
} The first question that arises in relation to
the admission Of Kansas is, does she present
republican form Of government, for that we
are bound to guaranty Taking our own
Constitution os model, in what particular ls
the Topeka constitution deficient? What
State, At the beginning, can point to anything
relative betters In my poor Judgment It
will bear any scrutiny and gentlemen will
do vol to examine and to pause ere they re-
sist or disown IL.
The bdI ofughts is fll and ample. Tual
by Jury, the writ of hIbe1s corpus, freedom
Of speech and Of the press, freedom from
slavery or involuntary sefgitudc except for
crime, are all secured. The powers of gov
ernment are an properly distributed and sep
uratcd. The elective franchise is carefully
guarded. Education is provided for Re.
hgious freedom is secured, and sound moral
ity is not exposed 90 outrage.
II can hardly be presumed, that any one
here will object 10 the Kansas constitution
on the ground that t iacks anything OF repub-
lcanism. Madison himself, with all lhe BEN
ehts he has acquired 30 another life, would
hail 1t as the genuine offspring Of republican
1 sm My only fear is, that the real objection
WIZ ne, Under whatsoever proteXts disgUi-ud,
that there is something too much Of ihis P"
that It is the repu5licansm Of the early
gods Of our country the Creai giants, and
therefore TO be rcpudiaed aud snecred at by
the latter and lesser giants.
The next question that naturally suggests
itself is whether the population is sufficient
10 force and intelligence to allow them to as.
slime the iog1 uvuis Of States. That NUM-
bers Sufficient % secure strength, wealth, and
ff rr.rA f
civilization, should be required, IS readily
conceded Bot that large numbers have any
pre-emneut advantages over more moderate
numbers, $ not demonstrated by any facts 10
our history 10 would be difficult TO show
wherein Connecticut ls not as well governed
az New York or wherein the legislative, lu-
dicial, and executive character Of Delaware
is inferior TO that of Virginia, or other more
populous States Even our little town dem
ocracies wi. hardly suffer 10 any fair COM
pa5ison with their arlstocrauc nelgh1ors -
the more popuIous cities; and examples OF
gross misgogernmenl, ] fear, occur quite as
often 10 the latter as the former.
There is no fixed amount Of population de-
manded by the Constitution, usage, or by
sound policy, fr the admission of new States.
Congress has the wlols jurisdiction over the
mltier, and must take into consideration the
( circumstances, and decide each case on ils
merits Seven States have been admitted
/ with a white population less, or not more,
/ than it may be fairly supposed is now 10
| Kansas, aud none have failed, fatered, or
complained. There Is no reason 10 suppose
our people have degeneraled, or that they are
to-day iess capable of sefgogenment than
f they we're twenty, thirty, or sixty years ago.
futy thousand people IN Kansas have a right
| to be reckonsd equal to that number IN Ar
kansss or Fiorda, in any stage Of their his
+ tory No one INDUCES a suspicion that the
people Of Kansas are wanting 10 intelligence.
und their acts encourage no attacks OF that
nature. Nor Is u pretended that this young
and hardy people are unable TO support
themselves aud their own rulers, unless the
bugands Of the United States marshal, and
/ the mob Of the bogus sheriff, have eaten up
and destroyed their substances. We have
I n1 reason To suppose that the people Of Kan
sas oveTrate their resources or ability to car
/ ry on a State goycrnment-a compliment not
due 10 General Pierce-and such a change
will be more economical for Us, and far more
satisfactory 10 them There IS not doubt
ilat uIe nnabtln'a e kaHsas would uati
[ with acclamatlon the passage Of an set
which would breathe life INTO their State con-
sttuuon, and grant them admission into the
Union and as iIitle doubt that they would
sustain theu position with safety and honor
Co themselves and us
The right of Kansas 10 admission into the
Union by virtue of the treaty of cesslon with
France Is clear; aud, # there were no such
supulatiun our own Constitution, aud lnW-
rable usage. has become the paramount law,
and points out no other course. But ln this
csso inhabitants were invited emigranls were
incted, 10 go 10 Kansas by special law, %
form and regulate their Institutions in theft
own way.n Their work was to bo a finahty
und that work is before rs. Congress may
have been very uuwlse--tolowlng the lead
ersmn ofa northern man inhamed with pres.
iAeullal ambtlon-to have passed an act OF
this sort think It was bu. the fact stands
on, on the statute book, aud al who voted
for, AS well as all who sustain the act, ar,
bound ~ honor % accept It's consequences
Congress- placed Itself on the fence IN
state of sbne cation shlrked the question, anl
said It would not legislute slavery into, or ou
Of the Territory. The psope were To b,
-quatiur suvereIgus, aud make the highes
law. Well, Kansas comes at your wOrI, hk
panas from the brain OF JoYe, full grown
and fully armed Shall she be repulsed, an
taught That Congress viii hlggle, petuiog
and preyarcate about the meaning of lls ow
acts Shall the verdict of the jury seecte
hy Congress be SET aside on the ground thl
they had no right 10 decide the very lssu
ior which they were empanneiedy An,
cir, Tor whut purpose; FIRST merely to ii
crease the chances now or hereafter, of II
fcror northern ssplrants to the Presldenc!
This vas; field OF discomfort Is TO be kel
open for this, and for . second and mas
purnose-wmch is to make Kansas a ba
. anee weight on the side of slavery.
Looking forward to the event which
northern President is bringing all his enc
gies TO co1sumate, and suppresslng all Il
hottest instincts inherited from the land OF h
. birth IN order to justify, the annual mcssag
, declares;
"Ifthe 6ionif uf the Constitution ara tohave ouol
rrsrugslu, its enemies could not pfescat more a
reptahlu Issue thlu iial oI state Whu'e constitute
2 clearly em1faces tcpu.hen Torn "i go'tW he'
, being cHtluitd from rho Union because ITS domts
Institutions may not go all iospecis, cumpoH WIN {
ideas ut whut be- wee aud oKpodianl entertained
some o,h.i State"
, This indentical issue is now presente
, only "the horse is of another color" I
the icords thou shalt be condemned. Who
1t that will exclude Kansas frse State
whose constitution clearly embraces a repu
, IicaH form Of Government, because It's d
% mcsuc institutions may not Ia all respect
compurt with the ideas OF what is wise al
d, expedlent IN some other state " And Dav
= SAID 10 Nathan, Us the Lord liyith the ma
= that hath done this thing shall surely dle.n
, Objection Is made that we should deli
/ action until wa have more reliable inform
ton, and until the Kansas committee sh'
D have made their 'epirt; and that we shou
} not rely upon mere newspaper reports.
, we were, indeed, compelled to rely sole
% upon the newspapers, II Is not probable ~
- should be led Tar aslfay on the facts The
{ is no class Of men whose prosperity so great
. depends upon their beng scrupulously a.
Y curate IN their general statomen OF fac
v aud occurrences as tho makers Of newsp
pers, and uoue more truthful and reiiabI
s An error or humbug eau last but a sing
II day aud Is then exposed and kicked out
a. .II rroad snrIptV