New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-08
MIR. BUCHANAN ON KANSAS.

MIR. BUCHANAN ON KANSAS.
The following article from The Washington
Union of Tuesday is understood to have the oilciaI
sanction of the President aud is therefore i'm
portant as showing his probable course in reference
to Gov. Walker:
GOV. WALKER AND THE SOUTH.
We have witnessed with unfeigned regret the sPlrit
j.; which nearly the whole Southern press has received
and treated the inaugural address Of Gov alker OF
Kansas. From the Know-Nothng opposition press
we had little else to expect but 1t Is ratheI more
serious to see that the Democratic presses are py no
means unanimous in the view they take OF his con-
duct 1t is still more important fact that two Demo
crst;c state Conventions-One in Georgia and one IN
Mssssphsye taken strong eacePCdHa re 10 Tbe
Georgia Convention goes further, and conciudes us
censuIe by expressing the belief that he WIZ De re-
moved Ii is natural enough that this state OF things
should afford good deal Of macs S"n,bprn Know
No,hipgs- They hunt in couples, and have common
political interest in pulling down the only party which
defends the Constitution at all points. =,
will take in dealing with this whole kansas affair Is
very plain one. His path is so clearly marked out by
principle that statesman with the thonsandth part VI
his sagaci;y could not fail to see 1t. lnat ne ~9u.u
wifuy tut aside from what he knows to be his duty
il Islander on his character which we think ms worst
enemy is not base enought to utter ne WIZ NOT lor
felt the high place to which his past NE en,sies MN IN
the principles which carried him into ONCE Inc
American people were never safer than they are az
this moment in relying on the wisdom ana lh'egry Vi
their Chief Magistrate.
The Georgia re solutions assa Gov. Walker on two
noints: l. lie advocated the submission of the Com
stitution to direct vote of the people, ana :. ne
furnished arguments in favor of making Kansas Free
state. On both these points we have some opinions
which we propose 70 record now and here.
We do not under.tand our Georgia friends to find
fault with the general doctrine that the people OF
Kansas have the power to decide the question Vi
Slavery for themselves by inserting in their Consttu-
tion whatever provision on that subject they thnX
proper. This is proposition which no man can deny
and call himself Democrat or t snd OF i tbS Oa,v
in the canvass Of 1856, it had been IN many con-
test before that. 1t was embodied in the compromise
measures of 1850; it was made part OF the kansas-
cipnati platform; the candidates of the party were
pedged to it. the speakers and writers OF the party
pleaded for it, and it was unanimously adopted oy the
masses of the party at the polls. Beside oil th the
land by demonstrating that the power OF deciding upon
the subject of Slavery does not exist anywhere ele
Even if we had not these overwhelming authorizes
to back us-if it were proper to reargue upon 1rgna
nincipes a question that has been settled by Con
aress asseDted to by the people, and sanctioned oy
the solemn judgment of the highest Judicial tri6un,.
in the world-still we think it would require but little
djalectic skill to show the justice and necessity OF 1t
so 1laiply that no one could deny it who has sense
enough TO know his right hand from his left.
The contrary doctrine is the exclusive property OF
our Northern Anti Slavery opponents Ii Kansas shall
come 10 Congress and ask for admission with Constr
s,tent with Il fundamental law of the Union, and
approved by her own people, all sound men Will say
admit her. The Abolltionists alone would throw her
Constitution back into her face if its provisions on the
would say to her people: You have made Consti-
tuition which suits your own wants and wishes, out
1--WE have other views, and we are your masters.
"You must disregard your own opinions and conform
wholly TO ours" Those who sincerely believe that
Congress ought to speak thus have no reason for 1t
but the insane hatred and prejudice against southern
men with which they are saturated from the crown to
the the. r
Will Mr. Buchanan in any event take the Ao O;n
his power and influence against his own sense OF right
and duty and against justice reason the law and the
Constitution Would he lend his brow to the shame
with which such an act must blacken II Tor ever
Would he " sell the mighty space OF bis large honors
for anything that his weak and impotent enemies
have 10 offer 2 No; the Democracy OF the whole
country North and South, have been true to him. and
he will be true to them.
We repeat that the Constitution of Kansas must
come from the people eff Kansas. Other power 70
make such instrument there is not under Heaven.
But the Georgia convention, without denying this
great principle seems to think that the Constitution
of Kansas ought not to be submitted to direct vote
Of the people an their primary capacity. We admit
that this is not in all qua 1t is fair
presumption tf there be circumstance to repel it,
that convention of delegates chosen by the people
will act n.accordance with the will of their Constit-
vents When, therefore, there is no serious dispute
upon the Constitution, either in the convention or
among the people, the power of the delegates alone
NAV put il in operation. But such is not tho in
Kansas. The most violent struggle this country ever
saw upon the most important issue which the consttu-
ton is to dete ne has been going ON there for
raj years, between parties so evenly balanced that
both claim the majority, and hostile to one another
that numerous lives have been lost IN the contest:
Under these circumstances there can be no such thing
as ascertanipg clearly and without doubt the wiz oil
the people in any way except by their ewn direct ex
preston of it at the polls, A Constitution not SUD-
ected to that test matter what contains never
be acknowledged by its opponents to be anything ouI
a fraud plausible color might be given 70 ms as
sertion by the argument that the members OF the con
yention could have DO motive for refusing 10 submit
IN, In work 10 their constituents except conscious
ness that the majority would condemn 1t. we confess
that we should find some difficulty in answering this.
What other motive could they have
We do most devoutly believe that, unless the Con.
stitution of Kansas be submitted to direct vote OF
the people the unhappy controversy which has here
tofore "a ged in that Territory will be prolonged Tor an
indefinite time to come We are equally well con-