Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-12-24
New Series---Vol. III, No. 7.

iree negroes. They provide that no free me-
gro shall be permitted to live in Kansas. |
! suppose they have right to say so If thew
! choose; but IL ! lived there should waat to
vote on that question. We, in Illinois. pre-.
vide that no more shall come there We saw
to the other States, . take care of your own
] free negroes and we will take care Of ours"
But we do not say that the negroes, now
there, shall not be permitted to live in Illinois,
and think the people of Kansas ought to
| have the right to say whether they will allow
them to live there, and if they are not going
to do so, how they are TO dispose of them. So
you may go on with all the different clauses
of the constitution. They may be all right
they may be all wrong. That is question
en- which my opinion is worth nothing The
opinion OF the wise and patriotic Chief Mag
lstrate of the United States is net worth any,
thing as against that of the people Of Kan
sas, for they have right to Judge for them
selves, and neither Presidents nor Senators.
nor House of Representatives, nor any other
pewer outside of Kansas has right to Judge
Tor them. Hence, it is ne justification, in my
mind, tor the violation of great principle of
seitgoyernment to say that the constitution
you are forcing on them is not particularly
obnoxious, or is excellent in its provisions.
Perhaps, Sir, the same thing might be said
of the celebrated Topeka Constitution. do
not recollect its peculiar provisions. j know
one thing: We Democrats, we Nebraska men.
would net even look into it to see what its
provisions were. Why? Because we said it
was made by political party, and not by the
people; that it was made in defiance of the
authority of Congress; that if it was as pure
as the Bible, as holy as the ten command
ments yet we would not touch it until it was
submitted ts and ratified by the people of
Kansas, In pursuance Of the forms of law
Perhaps that Topeka Constitution, but for the
mode OF making it, would have been unex-
ceptlonable. | do net know / do not care.
You have no right to force an unexceptionable
constitution on people. 1t does not mitigate
the evil, it does not diminish the insult it
does not ameliorate the wrong that you are
forcing good thing on them. am not will
ling to be forced to do that which | would do
If l were left free to judge and act for myself
Hence | assert that there is no justification
to be made for this fragrant violation of pop
ular rights IN Kansas, on the plea that the
constitution which they have made is partic-
ularly obnoxious. But, Sir, the President of
the United States is really and sincerely of
the opinion that the slavery clause has been
fairly and impartially submitted to the free
acceptance or rejection ef the people of Kan
sas, and that inasmuch as that was the excl
ting and paramount question, if they get the
right to vote as they please on that subject
they ought to be satisfied; and possibly it
might be better if we would accept it. and
put an end to the question
Let me ask, Sir, is the slavery clause fairly
submitted, SO that the people can vote for or
against II? Suppose | were a citizen of Kan
sas, and should 60 up to the polls and say,
" desire to vote to make Kansas a Slave
State; here is my ballot" They reply to me,
:" Mr. Douglas, Just vote for that constitution
first, If you please." "Oh, no." | answer,
" cannot vote for that constitution consci-
cautiously. | am opposed to the clause by
which you locate certain railroads In such
way as to sacrifice my county and my part Of
the State. | am opposed to that banking sys-
TEN. l am opposed to this kEownothing or
American clause in the constitution about the
qualification for office. / cannot vote for it."
Then they answer, " You shall not vote en-
making it Slave State" | then say, Il
want to make it Free State'' They reply,
''Vote for that constitution first, and then YOU
can vote to make it Free State; otherwise
you cannot" Thus they disqualify every
Free State man who will not vote first for the
constitution; thus they disqualify every Slave
State man who will not first vote for the con-
stltutien. No matter whether or not the vo-
ters state that they cannot censcientieusly vote
for those provisions, they reply, "You cannot
vote for or against slavery here. Take the
constitution as we have made it, take the
elective franchise as we have established il,
take the railroad lines as we have located
them, take the Judiciary system as we have
formed it, take itstllI US we have fixed it to suit
ourselves, and ask questions, bat vote for
it, or you shall not Spte eithsr for Slave or
Free State"
In other words the legal effect of the sched-
MI vb0 for ,F
this constitution may vote for or against sla-
very, as they please; butAall those who are
against this constitution are disfranchised,
and shall not vote ut all. That is the mode
in which the slavery propesitiolSs submitted.
Every man opposed to the constitution is dis
franchised on the slavery clause. How many
are they? They tell you there is majority,
for they say the constitution will Devoted
down instantly by an overwhelming majority.
if you allow negative vote. This shows thai
majority are against it. They disqualal
and disfranchise every man who is againsta
thus referring the slavery clause to minos n
of the people of Kansas, and leaving paf
minority free to vote for or against the sla,
clause, as they choose. Let me ask yosH
that is fair mode of submitting the slayf
clause? Does that mode of submitting NJ
particular clause leave the people perfec1
free to vote for or against slavery as til )
choose? Am free to yste as cheosV
the slavery question if you tell me eball :
vote on it until vote for the MaA esrsaps
law? Am free to vote on the SIS Sap
ton if you tell me that | shall not ,sa 90 mtg
way until / vote for bank Is if flspnA lsppsnA
of election to make your right K. yot g
| enc question depend upon the modein ed
you are going to vote on ssme othar-1 Iri1
which has no connection
1 freedom Of election2 Is thafnd Humbcll
/ darnental principle Of selfgoveFes lost
(which we combined and strug (I
/ body and throughout the connE e sSed
as the rule Of action IN all time t. - If
President of the United States has $50
remarks in his message which, itH 1sy
it would be very appropriate to