Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-05-03
WHOLE NO. 552.



Wherein, then, do differ froin them Simply
| thus. ! propose to apply the remedy now, by nd
mitting the new State with its present population
and present Constitution. My opponents insist
! on postponng the measure until the Territory
! shall be conceded by the usurping Authorities to
contain 90 700 inhabitants and until those author
! itcs shall direct and authorize the people to Of
ganise n new State, under new Constitution. la
other words propose to allow the people of Kan
sas to apply the Constitutional remedy at once.
The President proposes to defer it indefinitely,
and to commit the entire apico ton of it TO the
hands of the Missouri bordercrs. He confcsses tho
! inadequacy Of that course by asking appropriations
Of money to enable him to maintain and preserva
order within the Territory, until the indefinite PEI
Rod when the constitutional remedy shall he appl-
o here is no sufficient for the Delay viii
the president advises lie admits the rightiulness
and necessity Of the remedy. 1t is MS rghtul and
necessary now as it ever will he. 1t is demanded
by the condition and circumstances Of the people
of Kansas now. You cannot justly postpone any
more than you justly deny that right. To
. postpone would be denial. The president will
need no grant of money, or Of armed men, to On
force obedience TO law, when you shall have re-
dressed the wrong Of which the people complain,
Even under Governments less free than our own,
there is no need Of power where justice holds the
helm. When justice is imparally administered.
/ the obedience of the subject or citizen will Go
voluntary, C eoriul, and practically Unlimited
Freedom jus tly due cannot be conceded too soon.
True freedom exists the utmost bounds of civil
liberty are Obtained only where complaints are
freely heard deeply considered, aud speedily re-
dressed. so only can you restore TO Kansas the
perfect freedom which you pledged, and she bas
lost.
! The Constitution does not prescribe % 100, or
any other number Of people, as necessary to
stiLute State. Besides under the present ratio
OF increase, Kansas whose population is
10000, will number 100 600 in few months. The
point made concerning numbers is therefore 2rac-
D., tically unimportant and frivolous. The President
objects that the past proceedings by which the new
State of Kansas was organized, were irregular in
three respects: First, That they were instituted,
/, conducted and peted without previous per;
mission by Congress, or by the local authorities
within the Territory. Secondly, That they were
instituted, conducted and mpleed, by party,
and not by the whole people of Kansas; md.
thirdly, that the new State holds attitude Of
defiance and insubordination towards the Terrific.
rial authorities and the Federal Union. l reply,
first, that if the proceedings in question were ir-
regular and partisnnlke and factions, the exgea-
cies OF The case would at least excuse the faults,
and Congress has unlimited discretion to waive
t them. Secondly, the proceedings were not thus
irregular partisanke and factious, because no act
l. of Congress forbade them--no act of the Terrific.
rial Legislature forbade them, directly or by inph
k tcation-n0r had the Territorial Legislature DOW.
It er either to authorize or to prohibit them. The
)- proceedings were indeed, instituted by party
9, who favored them. But they prosecuted
and consnmated in the customary forms of popu-
ants OF the Territory qualified to vote by the organ.
c law, and to Others and they have in no case
come in-confct, nor does the new State act or
assume to engage in conflict with either the Terri
torial authorities or the government of the Union.
Thirdly, there can be no rregularty where there
t is no law prescribing what shall be regular. Con-
gress has paased no law establishing regulations
for the organization or admission of new States
Precedents in cases, being without foundation in
law are without authority. This is country
whose government is regulated, not by precedents
but by Constitutions. But if precedents were nee.
essary, they are found in the cases of Texas and
I California, each Of which organized and ad-
mittcd, subject to the same alleged irregularities
The majority of the Committee on Territories
in behalf of the President, interpose one further
objection, by tracing this new State organizations
to the influence OF secret, armed political sOcie-
ty. Secrecy and combination, with extra judicial
oahs and armed power, the enginery Of the
Missouri borderers in efectinS the subiagaton of
She people of Kansas, as that machinery is always
employed in the commission Of political crimes
How far it was lawful morally right for the peo-
pie of Kansas to employ she same agencies for the
defense Of their lives and liberties, may be ques-
ton for casusts but certainly is not one for me.
| can freely confess, however, my deep regret that
secret societies for any purpose Whatsoever have
obtained place among political organizations
within the Republic aud it is my hope that the
experience which we have now so distinctly had,
that they can be bnt too easily adapted to unlaw-
! full scdiuns and dangerous enterprises while thew
bring down suspicion and censure on high and no.
BILE causes, when identified with them, may be
; sufficient to induce general discontinuanee Of
them.
VIII the Senate hesitate for an hour between
the alternative before them? The passions OF tho
American people find heathfu exercise in peace.
full colonsatons and the constructions Of railroads
and the building up and multiplying of republican
institutions. The Territory Of Kansas lies across
the path through which railroads must be built.
and along which such institutions must be found
n fla Inta
Iri'y Of our Empire. Shah we suppress enterprises
so benevolent and so healthiul, and fame coun-
try with that fever Of intestine war, which ex-
hausts and consumes not moro the wealth and
strength than the virtue and freedom Of a nstioni
Shall we confess that the proclamation of popular
sovereignty within the Territory Of Kansas was
not merely n failure, but was pre;ease and o
fraud? Or will Senators HOw contend that the
people Of Kansas, destitute as they are of Legis-
lature of their own, of Executive authorities of
their own, Of judicial authorities of their own of
militia of their own, of revenues of their own.
subject to disposal by themselves practically de-
prived as they are of the rights of voting serving
: as urOrs, and of writing printing and speaking,
their own opinions are neeertheess in the enjoy.
G ment aud exercise Of popular sovereignty Shall
we confess before the world after 40 brief trial,
that this great political system of ours is rad,-
: quate either to enable the majority 10 control
through the operation of opinions without force.
or to give security to the citizen against tyranny
t and domestic violence? Are We prepared so soon
i to relinqush our simple and beautiful system OF
+ republican government, and to substitute in their
place the machinery OF usurpation and desp0tismf
The Congress Of the United States ean refuse
D admission TO Kansas only on the ground that il
will not reuquish the hope Of carrying African
slavery into the Territory If you are prepared
to assume that ground. why not do It manfully.
and consistently, and establish slavery there by
direct and explicit act of Congress? But have We
come to that stage of decentralization and degen.
eracy so soon? We, who commenced our political
existence and gained the sympathes of tho world
by procIaiming to other nations that We held
"these truths to be self evident: That oil men
are born equal, and have certain inalienable
rights and that among these rights are life. lib
and tha pursuit NJ hanniness - who In