The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-12-08
NEW PHASE OF THE KANSAS
QUESTION. .
WASHINGTON, Nov. 81, 1857.

| present itself, is one for the consideration
J and the decision of Congress exclusively
| aud to the wisdom and patriotism of tina
body it may be safely committed. What
ever may be the ultimate judgment of Con
gress, whether they approve of the consti
tuition, when submitted, or rejecting it, pro-
! coed to authorize the call of a Convention
for the formation, in the usual mode, of q
State constitution, preparatory to the ad-
mission of Kansas as State, it may be
confidently believed that the American peo-
pie, and even the people of Kansas, will
submit to that decision.
The objections which the free State party
may make to the action of Convention are
entitled to be, and will of course be, duly
considered by Congress. They are mainly
as follows That the Convention represent
ed minority of the legal voters, in conse-
| quence of an imperfect census and appor-
tionment that the people have been de-
prived of the right claimed under the or
ganic law constituting the Territory, to
| adupt such domestic institutions as they
may choose, by the course Of the COnven-
| ton, in submitting to them only one article,
/ instead of the whole, of the consultation 4;
that the constitution, independently of the
article submitted. recognizes the perpetual
right of property in slaves now i'll the Ter
ritory; that it inhibitS any alteration of
the instrument, in any respect, until after
the year 1861; and that the power to re-
| ceive and canvass the votes upon the con-
| stitution is vested in the Convention and
, its officers and appoimtees, instead of the
/ Governor of the Territory.
! There being, then, objection to the action
! of the Convention, they have determined
50 i: is said. to withhold any recognition oil
! the same, and, therefore, to decline voting
at the constitutional election appointed fol
the 2Ist of December. 1t will follow that
! he constitution as framed, with the slavery
article. will be submitted to Congress early
in the ensuing spring. At the same time
the free State party will present their OBJ
! icctinns to the same, in the form of a re-
monstrance from some public assembly oil
other organized body.
Those objections are not entitled to sc
much weight as might be at first glance sup
posed and it may be doubted whether any
of them are sufficiently grave to overcome
the pressing argument of the necessity o.
! admitting Kansas as State without delay
and thus taking the whole question, sc
long agitntcd. out of Congress, and leaving
it State affair.
The objections may all be answered-fol
instance: The Convention represented @
minority. because the free State party fac
! tiously refused to vote for the Legislature
which called the Convention. The only
! question as to domestic institutions" was
the slavery question, and that is submitted
to the people. The right of property in
slaves now in the Territory is a vested
right, and cannot be justly violated. As ia
! amendments of the constitution, the seized
ule presents no real difficulty. There is no
! American law or popular principle at the
bottom of that, which will regulate it. Thus
all but the last objection is disposed of, and
this is the weakest of all for the transfer
to the Convention of the power to receive
and canvass the votes upon the constitu-
tional election is in conformity with uniform
/ prccedents. Moreover as the free State
men refuse to vote at the election, it will
be of no consequence to them under whose
supervision it shall be conducted Wash,
! ingtOn States.