The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-12-24

nad Hght TO- eay tnat that ConFentloni
although not an unlawful assemblage, is moi
legal ConVentionto makea Government
and hence we are under no obligation to 60
and express any opinion about it. They had
right to say, il they chese, "We will stay
away until we see the Constitution they
shall frame, the petition they shall send to
Congress; and when they submit it to US for
ratification, we will vote; for it five like it,
or vote. 1t down ifWe:do not like IT," say
they had right to do either; although
thought, and think yet, as good citizens they
ought to have gone and voted; but that was
their own business and none of NINE
Having thus shown tina. the Convention al
LecomptoH, had no power, no authority, "a
form and establish Government, but had
power to draft Ia petition, and that petition
il it embodied the will of the people ol
Kansas, ought to be taken as such an expo
sition of their will, yet, if it did not embody
their will ought to be rejected-having
shown these facts, let me proceed and in!
quire what was the understanding Of the
people Of Kansas when the, ,Fslegates ~ere
elected! l understand from the history oI
the transaction, that the people who voted
for the delegates to the Lecompton Con-
vention and those who refused to vote
both parties understood the territorial act
to mean that they were to be elected only
to itame a, Constitution, and submit it to
the people for their ratification or rejection
say that both parties in that Territory, al
the time of the election of delegates, sc
understood the object Of the Convention
Those who voted for delegates did SO with
the understanding that they had ao power to
make a goveren nent, but frame one for cub
miSsion, and those who stayed away did SO
with the same understanding. Now for the
evidence. The President OF the United
States tells us, in his message, that he had
unequivoeally expressed his opinions, in the
form of instructions to Governor Walker,
assuming that the Constitution was to be
submitted to the people for ratification
When we look into Gov. Walkers letter
of acceptance Of the Office Of Governor, we
find that he stated expressly that he accep-
ted it with the understanding that the Presi-
dent and his whole Cabinet concurred with
him that the Constitution, when formed, was
to be submitted to the people for ratifica-
ton. Then look into the instructions given
by the President of the United States, thro'
General Cass, the Secretary of State, to
Governor Walker, and you there find that
the Governor is instructed to use the military
power to protect the polls when the Consti.
tuition shall be submitted to the people of
Kansas for their free acceptance ;or rejec.
tion. Trace the history little further, and
you will find that Gov. Walker wentto Kan.
sas and proclaimed, in his inaugural, and in
his speeches at Topeka and elsewhere, that
is was distinct understanding, not only oil
himself, but of those higher in power than
himself-meaning the President and his
Cabinet-that the Constitution was. TO- sbe
submitted to the people. for their. free e >
ceptauee or rejection, and that he would use
all the power at his command TO defeat it,
acc ptance by Congress, il it were not thus
submitted to the vote of the people. Mr.
President, / am, not going to stop and inquire
how far the Nebraska bill, which said the
people should be left perfectly free to form
their Constitution for themselves, authorized
the President or the Cabinet, or Governo
Walker, or any other territorial officer, Il
interfere and tell the Convention of Kansa
whether they should or should not submit
the question to the people. am not goinI
to stop to inquire how far they were author
izee to do that, it being my opinion that tn
spirit of the Nebraska bill required it TO b
done. 1t is sufficient for my purpose thu
the spirit of the Nebraska bill required H. t
be done. 1t is sufficient for my purpose thG
the Administration of the Federal Govern
ment unanimously, that the gafdlm gafdlmipistratio
of the Territorial Government, in all il
parts, unanimously understood the territori,
law under which. the Convention was as
sembled to meeaf that the Constitution to
formed by that Convention uhould be sub
mitted to the people for ratification or rejec
ton, and il not confirmed bya majority
the people, should be null and void. withol
coming to Congress for approval. Not on
did the National Government and Il
Territorial Government so understand Il
law at the time, but as already state
the people of-the Territory go understood
AS further evidence on that point, q lars
number, if not the majority, ,;of the sdelegaf'
were instructed in the nominating Convel
tions to submit the Constitution to the pei
ple for ratification. | know that the dels
gates from Douglas county. eight in numbs
Mr.. Calhoun, President ofuthe Convention
being among them, we're not only instructe
thus to submit the question, but they signe
and published, while they were candidates,
written pledge that they would submit u
the people for their acceptance or rejection
! I know thst men high in authority, and
the eosfdence Of the Territorial and Ma
j ,ional Government, canyassed every part
\ kansas during the election of delegate
aud each one of them pledged hlmaelftO Y
people that no snap Judgment, was tQps u
i taken; thai, the Constitution waa solbe. saE