St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1857-12-10
From Washington.

llc aCtiOH VI the SOnSLltutlOHal Coll
vention in not referring the whole
Constitution to a vote of the people
The two distinguished gentlemen can
not harmonic their views, and as
Walker refuses to resign, Of course he
must be removed.
The Governors opposition to thu
Constitution is not founded on thu
slavery clause, which is only partially
submitted, but on the refusal t.
permit the people to vote against as
well as for the Constitution. He re
CARDS this as violation of the Fede'
raj Constitution, of the Nebraska Bill,
of popular sovereignty and the rights
of selfgovernment. He declares he
cannot acquiesce in the action of the
Convention without violating every
pledge he ever gave, and sacrificing
his honest convictions-m making him.
self infamous.
On the other hand, the President in
sists that, as the Constitutional Con-
vention was authorized by Congress,
he is bound to sustain it's action, what
ever it may be. Walker insists that
the application Of this doctrine of the
President, sustaining the refusal to
submit the entire Constitution to the
popular vote, is a complete asser-
ton of the right of Congress to force
any constitution on the Territory, in.
stead of leaving the people to decide
for themselves.
| There is reason to fear that the sign.
ers of the Constitution will be driven
from the Territory by the incensed
citizens, and that State Government
can never be set in operation under
the Constitution unless by the federal
armies. When resistance is offered,
the Government will necessarily call
on the Governor of the Territory to
exercise force to put it down. This
Walker cannot and will not do, nor
will he resign.
The Cabinet unanimously unite with
the President in favor of sustaining
the action of the Constitutional Con
vention. 1t is said that the door to a
reconciliation with Gov. Walkers po-
sition is closed and bitter contest
between Northern and Southern Dem
ocrats is unavoidable.
Senator Douglas sustains Walker,
and takes bold ground for his defence,
holding that the refusal to submit the
Kansas Constitution to the people is a
base reputation of the doctrine Of
popular sovereignty. a majority Of
the Northern Demoratic papers take
side with Walker and Douglas. The
Republicans think they see in this a
deep laid scheme on the part of Doug
las to reach the Presidential chair
The state of things in Washington
is subject of much complaint, and
people are afraid to venture out at
night. The new ordinance lately pas
sed by the city authorities against
carrying concealed weapons is evad.
ed, and the rowdies parade the streets
with muskets and rifles, which not
being concealed weapons circum
vent the salutary restraint of the law
Is not this delightful state of affairs
for the capital of civilized country
A difficulty occurred at the Whit,
House in Washington, in the presence
of the President, which would indi
cate that rowdyism and violence arc
not confined to the streets of that
city. A lawyer, named Sherwood
was denouncing in violent terms the
Secretary of the Treasury. Mr.. Black,
the Acknowledgement, took him by
the shoulder and forbade him to talk
SO in the presence of the President,
upon which Sherwood assaulted him.
While they clinched, the President
left the room.
The same week, VIM. Smith, a resi-
dent of Washington, was attacked on
Pennsylvania Avenue-first stunned
with billy-and robbed. Not con-
tent with this, the scoundrels cut off
one of his ears.
1t is said that the President will
send into the Senate the name of
Nathaniel Clifford, of Maine, formerly
U. S. Attorney General, for the vacan-
cy on the Supreme Court Bench, caus-
ed by the resignation of Judge Curtis,
of Boston.
During one of the late street fights
which have become SO common in
Washington city, pistol ball was
fired through one of the windows off
the British minister's residenca