The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-05-01

Buchanan and others in connection with it.
We will re- state the circumstances of the
Michigan question. Michigan had been
erected into State in pursuance OF Con-
gressional action, but had not been admitted
into the Union. because the convention which
formed her constitution would not accept of
the terms prescribed by Congress with res
pect TO boundaries. A portion Of the peo-
Il pie then spontaneously called convention
which adopted . constitution and accepted
OF the terms prescribed. At that conyen-
ton no body attended but those who were
IN favor of the movement, as no one else
took part in the proceedings which author
lied it, and the whole number of
votes cast at the outside election which
called it, was far short Of the ma
jority of the people in the Territory.
The election was held and the conven-
ton sat outside and in defiance of the
regular Territorial authority. Their pro-
ceedings and application for admission were
presented to Congress, and in the House on
the 18th of January, 1886, motion to re-
ject their application was put and defeated,
Franklin Pierce voting with the maiority.-
1t was then moved to receive their paper 'sas
the voluntary act Of private individuals. p
This was adopted, but Franklin Pierce voted
in the negative, holding to the rightfulness
Of receiving their memorial as public doc,
umcnt. On the question whether the con-
vention held in pursuance of an authorizing
law, or this spontaneous convention, should
be recognized as representing the People Of
Michigan, Franklin Pierce voted in favor of
When the question reached the Senate,
committee was appointed which sent out cir
culars TO inquire which convention mos. tru
~ represented the opinion the People of the
regular convention did that, and on the
strength of that opinion, without reference
to the legal forms in the case, declared its |
acts entitled TO credit, and recommended the |
admission of Michigan to the Union on its /
motion, and with its constitution. The mo-
ton prevailed. In the House, the action of I
the Senate was affirmed, and the admission |
of the State completed, Franklin Pierce |
voting in its favor.
Now we see that in both Of these instances
the principles involved were the same, and
the action of Mr.. Pierce with reference to |
both was consistent and identical. One case
m
The other was official, and of course becomes
/ precedent in our Legislative and political
history. 1t is in point at the present time,
md every one can see in the principles in
olyed in the Michigan and Kansas questions,
perfect identity, and scarcely less perfect
in the leading circumstances
But in both the record Of Mr.. Pierce is the
ame, while to both he stands directly op- I
'osed IN the principles he has enumerated in /
us Kansas messages, and in the policy he has /
pursued with reference TO that Territory.
Now what is the explanation of this incon- I
'istency2 Was he playing the demagogue
when he assumed his former positions, or
was he lacking in political information and
Judgment then, or is he toadying to the
slave-power, choaking his conscience and
helying his honest convictions in the noble
cause of extending chattel slavery, now? Per
haps it is unsafe to Judge peremptorily. He
always was Shiny, slippery demagogue, and
possibly his latter convictions are the honest
ones, while the former were only ga good
E.. ~
least he was always consistent in his dema-
goguery, and the error was on the side Of
popular rights, INDUCED in while he was
counting the popular favor, by which he was
striving to achieve power and fame, and now,
under the greater incentive of clutching by
his own force the Presidency. which acct
dentally fell upon him before, it is fair to
presume, In contradiction to an unbroken
record, that the latter act was the gross one;
that he has deliberately turned his back on
his whole life, with his own hand written
''demagoguery and falsehood'' over every
page Of his history: and what for? That he
may stand we'll with Shareholders and OPP
pressors of their race; men who hold human
beings in bondage, and curl their lips with
scorn at the suggestion of inherent human
rights has sold himself in this way to be
their base and shameless tool, lcvelng the
dignity and prostrating the Office of Presi-
dent of Il mighty nation in the effort to ex-
tend and perpetuate their tyrannical power
over the bodies and souls Of men whom our
Declaration says are possessed Of ''the in-
alienable rights of life, liberty, and the pur-
suit Of happiness" solely that he may be
their tool fora few brief years longer, and
earn an additional need of ignoble fame.