The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-19

protected Buford's thieves and Emory's muir
derers, sacked Lawrence, filled all the loath-
some holes in the Territory with Free State
" traitors and, after their outrages had made
Geary the enemy of the rufiaus, it removed
him. II decided the bred Scott case, and L.
galized Slavery everywhere. It has controlled
Mr.. Buchanan's Administration in the main,
circumstances, and of other peoples opinions
It appointed Emory and Clark, red-handed
murderers, to important posts, recognised the
bogus Convention now enactiDg the farce of
making Constitution for Kansas, wrote the
"Silliman letter" and Governor Walkers /" in
structions."
Having secured compliance so far, it is not at
all unreasonable that it should expect compli-
ance to the end, and insist that the Constitu-
ton now being framed in Kansas shall be &C.
cepted without submission to the popular
vote, and that Walker shall be condemned and
removed for rejecting the frauds that gave it
the ascendency in the Kansas Legislature. This
is its present demand, and, if refused, deter
mined hostility is threatened, and will certainly
follow. To this faction are attached all the
leading Democratic Senators from the South,
and at least two of the Cabinet officers. They
will not carry with them the whole Southern
section of the party, but the active, decided,
and dangerous portion of it will be with them
certainly. And 1t will be most torturing thorn
in the side of the Administration.
On the other side, there is the mass mot the
leaders) of the Northern Democracy, who de.
mand that Kansas shall have all that the Ne
braska bill promised, justly and fairly measured
out, and who will not consent that she shall be
burdened with slave Constitution, in spite of
the will of the people. They have approved
Walkers conduct fully, and will act be apt to
back out of the position. They demand, what
Mr.. Buchansn's pledges require him to per-
form, the recognition of the peoples will, and
the settlement of the Kansas controversy in &C.
cordance with it. They therefore insist that
the new Constitution shall be submitted to the
popular vote, and that Walker shall be sus-
tanned. So far, this section has yielded to its
more earnest and importunate associate, and
given the Extremists all thsy asked Now the
notes of resistance to further concessions are
beginning to be sounded. The difference of
views is being frankly admitted and fully dis
cussed. The Cincinnati Enquirer takes the
Kentucky Flag to task, for contending that Con-
gress cannot go behind the Constitution of
new State, and inquire if it be presented by
majority of the People, and asserts very truth
fully that such platform would fall, and crush
the whole party forever. The Richmond En-
quirer opposes the South on the same ground
The Washington States, the central organ of
the ultras, says of the recent Kansas election
Under these circumstances, it is highly
probable that the Constitutional Convention
will send their State Constitution direct to Con-
gress, without submitting it to the people for
ratification. Congress will therefore have be-
fore them at the approaching session two Con-
stitutions-that which is to be formed by the
legal and regular Convention, and the pretend
ed Topeka Constitution, which was the work of
an illegal Convention, representing small ma
jority of the inhabitants of the Territory"
OF the policy here indicated the Cincinnati
Enquirer says:
We regret to see any Democratic paper
taking such ground. 1t is untenable in princi-
pie and policy, and, if insisted on and carried
out, will be disastrous to the country and fatal
to the Democratic party"
The "split" is most evident, and it is, we be-
lieve, irreconcilable.
Now, Mr.. Buchanan is left to choose which
section shall have the Influence of the Admins
tration So far, he has temporizsd and lodged.
as might have been expected of diplomatist,
and an uncandid, undecided man. he has pri.
vately, but severely, condemned Walker to keep
the good will Of the Ultras and he has publicly
declared, in a dispatch to D. E. Sickles, that
he had no intention of removing him, to avert
the Ill will of the Moderates. But trimming
will soon be impossible. The Ultras have had
everything their own way too long to accept half
aid and an extorted approval. They will have
the Administration fully with them, or they will
oppose it.
Mr.. Buchanan must send in Gov. Walkers
name for confirmation by the Senate this win
ter, or he must refuse. Refusing will be an
emphatic condemnation, and equivalent to
removal. Sending it in will be an endorsement.
In either course, he has hostility to encounter.
Which he may choose to do, we need not waste
time in specializing about, for it is no matter
what he does the divisions of the factions on
the settlement of the Kansas difficulty is deep
and iueradicable. If the course Mr.. Buchanan
may take shall drive the Ultras into separate
there will be some strange changes
Of parties before the next Presidential election.
1t is not impossible thatthe division line that now
lies north of the Ohio will travel South, and the
whole North will be united, with the moderate
portion of the South, as the South and portion
Of the North were united in the last election
But. instead of "Slavery extension" +" disun-
ion will be the issue.
Our coDjectures are not frst.class prophe-
cies, certainly; but he must be blind who can
not see in the present attitudes of the wings of
the Democracy the indications of strange move
ments, and great changes in the parties of the
country.