The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-04-29

their domestic institutions: that erc sholl

tlnctions, TO trammel or embarfaSS tncm, anu
that their right of sclf-government should be
as full and complete, as the Constitution and
laws of the land allow. 1t was a plea OF
popular sovereignty that was made use Of 70
palliate and justify the wrong; it was regard
for the rights of the people, and desire to
free them from restraint, that men professed
and urged as their motives for passing the
Nebraska bill. Now, fthcse professions were
sincere, there is peculiar fitness and force in
the appeal which the residents of Kansas make
to them. You, gentlemen, who are the
who should regard with favor the appeal Of
these settlers; they went there on your inv-
tation; they went there, relying upon your
assertion, that they would be sovereigns in
the land of their adoption, and how have
their just expectations been metz They find
that the pitiful remnant of sovereignty they
possessed under that bill has been "crushed
out"-their rights usurpcd by invaders; and
the territorial government designed, as they.
supposed, for their protection, is made an in
strumcnt Of oppression in the hands OF stran-
gers; and now, having been forced to form an
organization that shall be effectual for.tbe
purposes of good government-having gvse6f-
ted to elections and conventions as expressions
of their will, they ask you, who were so loud
in your exp: essions of regard for their rights
to evincc your sincerity by rcdressing their
wrongs and recognizing their claims to protec-
ton. Yea, gentlemen, your professions have
been put to the test. You denounced us,
who opposed the violation Of our fathers CON-
pact as enemies of genuine Democracy, as
unwilling to concede to the residents Of a
Territory their just rights, while you assum-
ed for yourselves the proud position of cham
pions in behalf Of their privilege to govern
themselves. Now the cup has been returned
to your own lps--why do you not drink p
Now the question assumes a practical form,
and what is your responsei
Why, the Executive of this Union has sent
to the country and to the residents Of Kansas
his answer. He has given us his construction
of the doctrine Of popular sovereignty. He
was the approyer and indorser Of the act
organizing the Territory, and he was, from
his position, the guardian and protector of its
citizens; yet, under his administration, that
Territory has been invaded by armed hands Of
strangers, its elections made q mockery, its
ballot-boxes outraged, its legislative power
uaurped, and the form and sembance of law
given to barbarous and unconstitutional edicts
and no word of remonstrance falls from his
lips; and, when tho Governor Of that Terri
tory interposes in behalf Of its citizens, he
strikes him down ard substitutes man who
proclaims, in advance, his sympathy with the
designs and purposes of the invaders. The
President has no syllable of condemnation to
utter, until the time arrives when the citizens
of Kansas assemble together peaceably and
form a State constitution-as under the cir
cumstauces was alike their right and their
duty-and then he makes it the occasion of
special message to Congress- in which he re-
fers to their proceedings after this fashion:
In extonn1ion of those illegal acts, it IL alleged
that the States of California, Michigan; and Others
wcae selcorcanizrd and as such, were admitted
into the Union without previous enabling oct OF
Congress. II is true that while, in majority of
cases nprevious act of Congress has been passed 10
authorize the Territory 10 present itself State,
and that this is deemed tho most regular course vet
snch an act has not been hold to. be Indispensable.
and. In some cuscs, the Territory has proceeded
without il, and has nevertheless been admitted into
the Union OF State. IL lies with Congress to author
Ire beforehand, or 20 confirm afterwards in its discre
tion but in no instances hns a State been admitted
npon the application ofpersols acting against author
ties dny constituted by ct of Congress In every
case II Is the people OF the Territory, not party
among them, who have the power to form a consti-
tuition. aud ask for admission as State. No prin-
ciple Of public law, practice precedent under
the Constitution Of the United Staaes, no rule of
reason, right, or common sense, confers any such
power as that now claimed by more party in the
Territory. In fact, what has been done isof revou.
tionary character. IL is avowedly in motive and
in aimas respects the local law fthe Territory II
will become reasonable nsnrrectnn i-it reach the
length organized resistance by force the funda
mental any other Federal law and to the authori-
ty ofthe General Government"
Now, Mr.. Chairman, l Ipass by the unfair
assumption of the Executive, that the rulers
of that Territory are "auttorities duly consti
tuted By act Of Congress-" neither shall
stop to comment on the injustice of stigmati-
zing the free State constitution, as the work
Of a 'mere party among tie people Of tie
Territory" as il that party was an insight
iicant minority; but shall, before take my
scat, show, from the ofiicisl records, that if
the application to which the President refers
is san application Of persons acting against
authorities duly constituted by act of Con
gress," then there have been applications Of
that kind before to-day, and such applications
have been regarded and rceoguizcd; and
States have been admitted oil such applica-
tions, and the President himself has voted TO
admit State applying under the same
circumstances that he now dcnonnccs aq
being of Revolutionary character" I will
also endcavor to show that the recollection of
his Excelency is at fault, when he INSERTS
that there is ''no precedent or practice under
the Constitution comforting such power las
that now claimed; for, il read history Alright
he himself helped TO make such precedent
in this very Hall; and his own votes are on
the record, condemning the very positions
and arguments Of his inessagc-votes that arc
in direct conflict with what he is now pleased
TO designate as the rules sof reason, right,
and common sense.n' na..i 'e e 4ie
But, leaving for the present the record Of
the Executive, let US inquire what is tho res
ponse from tb" Congress Of the United States
to these appeals from the residents Of Kan
sas? Let us come higher home, and ascertain
the tsition that gentlemen occupy upon this
floor in reference to the grievances complain