The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-08-28

als ter solemn obgauon when outrage stalks abroad
In the noonday sun aud when rmness required would
you have them TO lawless camorf Win you have
realized the motto "Ier LegeS silent ~ Or will you
give them credit for fearless execution of the laws?
der these Topeka constituton-Iakers took oath 10
support your constitution Where the of Kansas
that have sent to us petitions for redress of grievances
or even for the adoption of their handiwork this Topeka
constitution conceived in inquty, and with rebellion
| stamped upon its very brow
For aught that appears they men in buckram-in
Kansas to-day gone tomorrow and if you inaugurae
their government will not you have issue search
rant to lind them their famous bantling2 Sir ii the
casion were not most solemn one this whole proceeding
known as the Topeka transaction should be
complete farce with scarcely enough of the daatis
persona 10 furnish characters After the dsnouenst is
over II the world is not upset by it, doubt it would af
ford incidents for a aughable comedy. The Topeka
constitutional conventionhe members thereof sitting in
the open air on Logs and stumps without ceremony
in revolutionary robes some in utter dsshab debating
the affairs OF State and settling the destinies of that infant
sovereignty-may Heaven forever forend us from such
miserable uumpery and hoy-dedoy bufoonery! IL the
President Chief Justice Lecompe has anscended the
limits of his official duties with criminal intent to oppress
the most obscure citizen why boldly and true pa
trios bring up your impeachmentsf Why snar at tbem
when you have the right to make out your bills of indict
ment submit If is right fair manly to assault Of
fetal authority and attempt to bring it into dsrepute,
when you have ample remedy by putting them their
trial giving them the power of vndicaton and thS you
decline2
have said that believe the President has fearessly dis
charged his duty and the country will esteem it, hap
pen 10 know Judge Lecompe He is, doubt not fear
his high duties faithfully and promptly satisfied,
in his responsible station he will meet all its requirements
as the exgences of the occasion may deserve He not
the to be badgered browbeaten. He is a sound
lawyer and take IT. will carry himself in his honorable
position to defy any wegrounded charge of breach Of
duty 1t is abominabe to endeavor tarnsh his official
standing by partisan allegation dare say similar
testimonials be borne to all the territorial judges
and ocers They have been nominated by the President
and have undergone the ordeal Of the Senate which is
sufficient guarantee to the country TO meet any surs that
it is said, that faith has been broken by the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise in the passage of the Nebraska
act That so-calleds compromise was but law on the
statuebook, enacted by Congress and repealed by
another. You talk of compromises in law, when
you are dregarding whole series of compromises in the
original eonstitution-he very compact of government
Where in the Missouri law is the covenant that should
be repeaabe The North has regarded since
its passage, and before its repeal When Florida ad-
United, did not the North oppose her admission This
long after the passage of the Missouri Compromise
The may be said the of the North as to
the admission of Arkansas No. Sir it is useless to talk
of compromises except they in keeping with the
suton and observed by all parties They are mere cob
| webs
1t said that upon one occasion in the of Aex
ander, surnamed the Great, Thessalian robber was
brought before him upon charge of plundering on the
high being asked by Alexander by what authority
he played the freebooter his reply by the sane right
Alexander conquers worlds but because you overrun
whole coun tries you renowned great conqueror,
but because command small shaop am called rob
ber. Alexander dazzed by his boldnessthe ThessaliaD
obber outawed because of the modesty of his exploits
These Topeka men, because forsooh, they are consu-
makers and proclamae themselves as hghsouled pa
trots bewilder by their audacity: when brought
down their proper level puny voaors of the peace
of the community they TO command our admiration
have not seen an authentic copy Of Judge Lecomptes
charge the grand jury and therefore cannot whether
he is right alleged in charging them with "hgh trea
but should be inclined think that their fnsy
proceedings could hardly be dgnfed treason actual or
constructive
ii be that the grand uryconsderng that they had
conederated with this great Emgant Aid Society neor
porated by the State Of Massachusetts and well supplied
with Sharpes rifles and assumed dominion and conquest
thought they should be measured by their aspirations
dare say they will feel compmented by such digni
fed allegation than to have been simply accused as mere
dsurbers OF the peace II they should be spared from the
clutches OF Judge Lecompe and live TO help to make
other constitution they well consider themselves lucky
1t seems to have been settled in the days of our revolution
that although revolutions might be resorted to- they
10 be recommended for light causes and only when all
other means of redress had failed and oppression became
ntoera6e As long as there was any other legal remedy
at hand it must be resorted But ii have i'm
proved upon that and revolutions may be got nowadays
occasion may require. "A tempest in teapot" Where
has there been ntoeabe oppression in Kansas and where
have all the remedies been resorted TO
Congress has not bean petoned for redress by these
Topeka constitution and revolution mongers The legality
of the proceedings of the Kansas legislature may be tried
before the The much-abused Kansas Nebraska
in the twenty seventh section provides appeal from the
in Kansas from Judge Lecomptes you please TO
the Supreme Court You can test the frauds that you say
have disturbed you by bringing the whole subject before
the Supreme Court OF the United Sates Ths you do
under the kaLeas corpus proceeding recognised by the
said section If then there has been fraud outrage vo-
lence and the legislature itself unauthorized and its
whole proceedings void why is not the legal and orderly
method and the only satisfactory one except the ballot
box resorted In place Of revolution anarchy and blood
shed BY pursuing this mode order and regularity in al
ourproceeding observed Because this has been
done am right In assuming that the founders Of the To-
peka constitution are clearly in the wrong and upon their
own heads with their coadutos does ali the responsibility
rest commend them to the sage and comprehensive
position Of the distinguished gentleman from Indiana,
Mr.. Dunn whose remarks this branch of the subject
are patriotic, hgh-toned, and impressive.
Sir II is true that living in age Of the world
far distant from that rendered ilustrous by the gallant
and daring decide OF nobe ancestry The interval has
we are yet living under the old constitution 1t
handed to by Its founders unchanged In any par
uculsr affecting its general structure and trust
petent TO any emergency. 1t is In keeping The
government Is not selfmoving machine II be reg
ulaed by the high considerations and admnigtstvd
with that mutual forbearance, which characterized it's
ho There s nothing sow seriously to disturb us unless
We mean to magnify difficulties
The slavery question gave orathers trouble
laying the foundations OF the government but IL wisely
adjusted In spirit Of mutual compromise and concession
II we meet our difficulties the high and patriotic
viii shine In political armament The pulpit may be
desecrated the illusions of literature perverted benevo-
lenee turned from its natural channel the Bible ignored
its divinity tramped in the dsst IL was once before
when II was dragged through the Of Paris tied
the tell Of Gn tho age Of reasonhe higher lawbe
ing boldly and shameessy proclaimed These start
ling Developments but they have their limits and 1t is
be hoped that there is still sufficient common and
common decenoy and rudimental patriotism left keep
the country moving in her high destiny Mountebanks
necessary evils IN every community, II would In
confederscy the South may always be relied upon