St. Cloud visiter [sic]. [volume] (St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1857-1858, 1857-12-24
The pesiasntt'a MesRage. s.i
We lave. but inst read this dark,

The day in which that document
was read before Congress was The
| darkest that has ever yet visited our
land. The call Of the citizens Of
Charleston, for British projections
during the revolution, and Hull's
sosrender' are national glories com
pared to CHS state document. Those
were the cowarlices and treasous OF
individuals, out this is to bear 10 the old
monaschi-s Of the world. the startling
news, that rhe highest authority Of
the worlds boasted Republic has de-
hheratelY come to the conclusion that
it is not sale to let the inhabitants Of
territory say whether they will or
viii nct, accept certain instrument,
rs TIC fundamental law By which they
, are to be governed! Tell it not in
Gath, pub'1sh it got III Askelon, lest
the daughters of the Philistines re-
joicc. Well may the old dynasties
Of kings make merry when the Chief
Magistrate Of tie only important Re-
public ON earth, admits, in his official
capacity, that there arc exceptions to
the general rHle, which asserts the
right OF Il people to make their own
laws.
: strange exception this is, or rather
it is strange bundle Of exceptions.
Kansas may not have a choice about
any Of her institutions except slavery.
hhont It they can 40 as they p]eas
except make exceptions to it, They
may vote 1Jout slavery, but not
against it. All the other States may
chose or refuse whatever Institutions
suits their fancy except slavery, and
they have no constitutional right to
, exclude this from their soil.
The reason why the people Of Kan
! sas should not vote OH The general
provisions rc their Constitution Is,
tnat the other St3tes have generally
agreed about matters aud things, and
what answers for other folks will do
vcry wei! for the folks in Kansas.~~~
Then the reason why neither they
4sor III" poop Of any other State
have q right to prohibit slavery IS
because the Constitution has cstab-
lishcd it every where.
Hear the moor old man. aud '4t no
political enemy rejoice, for the dis
grace is rational.
This t'on,en'irn proceeded % franc
Constitution for Kansas, and finally adj
ionruod on the ii, day Of November .-.
But little difficulty OCCURRED n the Con-
ven%ion, except Oh the su'ject OF slavery
Jnc truth is that 'he gcnoral provisions Of.
our State tohsti1hi .>ns are so SIMILAR
att! |, | nay ado ST. escel'cnt-- that tbs d.
iarence between then. is not es .nlial.--~-
Under the earlier practice Of the Govern
rent, no Constitution frames! by the Con.
ventioo Of Territory prep srato'y to its
admission into the Union as q State had
been submitted to the people. trust how
ever, The example, set b, the last Congress-,
requiring that the Constitution OF Mime
sofa " should be suhi:rt 10 tils approval
ami ratification Of the pcopi, Of the pro
posed St.to.~ may be followed on future
occasions. took it for granted that HE
Convention Of kanaa4 would act in &C.
c3rdancc with this example founded as it
is, on correct principles; and heEce 'ny in
s;ructions to Governor Walker, in favor Of
submitting the Constitution to the people,
were expressed in general ana unqualified
terms,
IN he kansas-\ ei,ra>ka act, however,
this requirement as applicable to the Whole
Constitution had not been inserted, and
the Convention were no; bound ly its
terms 10 submit any other portion oil the
instrument to All election, except that
which relates 10 the domestic institution
Of Slavery. This will be rendered clear
by simple reference to its Iang"age.-
Twas 81 not 70 legis?ate Slavery into any
Territory or State, nor to exclude t there
from bat 20 leave The people thereof per-
f.ctly free to form and regulate their do
mestc institutions in their own way,' Ac-
co:tling to the plaiu construction Of the
sentence the words :'domes:ic lnstitu-
tons" have direct. as they have an APP
proprate reference to slavery. Domes-
tic institutions" are limited 10 the family.
L.: l., 81 md 81 Il