The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-29

ohcefS OF the requested attenu IN
l. TOUCEY,
Secretary of the Navy.
NAVY DEPARTMENT, July 49, 1857.
KANSAS AND THE SOUTHERN DEMOCRACY.
The attention of the reader is directed to an arti
Gle on the position of the southern democracy which
appears in a late number of the Columbus Georgia.
Times and Sentinel, and which we have transferred
to our columns this morning The Times is of the
opinion that the action of the late Georgia conven-
ton in reference to Governor Walker and the adj
ministration has been misrepresented; and We
therefore, publish its views and statements the
readily because it is due to those who defend the
action of that convention that their position,
planned by themselves, should go before the coun-
try The able editor of the Times and Sentinel was
president of the convention and is presumed to be
familiar with the motives and reasons which induced
its action. The readers of the Union need state
ment from us to show wherein we differ from the
tice we now publish but there are points in it
| about which we feel bound to say few words.
We permit one to go ahead of us in admiration
of the southern democracy. With them we have
fought through evil and good reports in adversely
and prosperity we have stood firmly by their colors,
mourning in their defeats and sharing in their tri
umphs; and so have the true and ever-faithfnl ma
tional democracy Of the North 1t has been, and we
trust ever will be- the pride and boast of the demo-
cratic party that its principles as broad the
Enion and as national as the constitution. 1t has
carried the country triumphanty through all the
dangers which have threatened its peace and hnr-
mony and stands to-day, it has stood, the
watchfn and faithful guardian of the constitutional
rights of all classes of citizens and all sections of the
country. The small cloud that threatening few
weeks since to gather on our southern horizon will
pass away The evidence of this fact comes to us
daily from every quarter, and we find confirmation Of
it in the and spirit of Georgia contemporary
though not able fully to agree with him in all his
conclusions.
1t certainly was not our purpose to msrepresent
our Georgia friends, do feel that we are just
ly obnoxious to the charge of having done so. The
opposition at the South the course of Gov Walker
in Kansas grew out of his strong advocacy of the
policy Of submitting the constitution, when formed
| to the people for ratification. Upon that issue we
have expressed ourselves in the most unequivoca
language. Entertaining no doubt that the people of
Kansas--that is, the qualified voters-as we have
heretofore explained--shoud have the opportunity
of passing Judgment upon the work of their dele
gates in convention, have defended that policy
| with zeal and earnestness. We have believed and
still believe that such the part of the
convention will afford the most satisfactory evil
dence that the constitution. when, formed, will
| properly reflect the will Of the people of Kan
| sas. We have not and do not now say that it
| -. ~, n. ~
| furnished, but repeat that it is the most salts
factory mode, and we know of none other that would
answer so well in its place. When Kansas asks for
admission into the Union it is both the right and
duty of Congress know that the constitution pre-
sentcd by her has received the sanction Of her
pie. Upon this point there cannot be a doubt 1t is
inquiry which has arisen in the case Of Che ams-
sion of every new State into the Union. In some in
stances the action of the constitutional convention
has been held sufficient whilst in others the ratica-
ton by the people at the polls has been rcsorted to-
There is much in the peculiar circumstances of each
to render the and the other the more
| or less necessary and proper.
! Our Georgia contemporary insists that these are
| questions for the decision of the convention; that
| it is the province of the conventon--speaking the
sovereign voice Of the people-to provide for the
ratification of the constitution and to prescribe the
| qualification of voters. Against this doctrine we
have not uttered one word of dissent We recog-
Mise in its fullest extent the powers of convention
assembled under such circumstances, and shall bo
prepared to vndicate it's action far as that action
is conformable to the requirements of the constitu-
ton and the organic law Of the Territory. We have
doubt that the convention will realize the truth
that in presenting it's constitution for the admission
of Kansas into the Union il should he accompanied
with satisfactory evidence that it speaks the voice
Of the bona ide citizens Of Kansas in all its provs
ions, and they win see to II that the opponents to