The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-12-31

down by five TO one il you had submitted
il? What does that fact provey Does il
not show undeniably that an overwhelming
majority Of the people Of Kansas are unal
terably opposed to that constitution? Will
YOU force il on them against their will,
simply because they would have voted il
down il YOU had consulted them IL you
will, are you going TO force 1t upon them
under the plea of leaving them perfectly free
10 form and regulate their domestic In
situations in their own way Is that the
mode in which am called upon TO carry
out the principle OF self-goyernment and
popular sovereignty in the Ierritories-to
force a constitution on the people against
their will, in opposition TO their protest,
with knowledge of the fact. and then to
assign. "a a reason for my tyranny, that
they would be so obstinate and 80 perverse rs
70 vote down the constitution il had given
them an opportunity to be consulted about
II? Sir deny your right or mine to in
quire OF these people what their objections to
the constitution are. They have right 10
Judge for themselves whether they like or
dislike il. 1t is no answer to tell me that
the constitution is good one and unobjec
tonabIe Ii is not satisfactory TO me to
have the President say in his message that
the constitution is an admirable one, like all
the constitutions Of the new States that
have been recently formed.
Whether good or bad. whether obnoxious
or not. il none Of my business and none Of
yours 1t is their business and not ours.
care not what they have in their CoDstiiu-
ton. so that il suits them and does not yio-
/" !att the Consultation Of the tnii,sI States
and the fundamental principles OF liberty
upon which our institutions rest. am not
going to argue the question whether the
banking system established in that Const-
tuition is wise or unwse 1t says there shall
he no monopoics, but there shall he one
bank Of discount in the State, with two
branches. All have TO say on that point
is. il they want banking system, let them
have it il they do not want it, let them
prohibit it. Ii they want bank with two
branches, lie it 50 ; if they want twenty,
il is none OF my business and 1t matters not
70 me whether one shall he on the north side
and the other on the south side Of the kaw
river, or where they shall be. While have
no right 10 expect to be consulted on that
point, do hold that the people of Kansas
have the right to he consulted and to decide
il. and you have no rightful authority to de
prive them Of that privilege. Ii is no just
;ication. in my mind TO say that the prov
sions for the eligibility for the Offices Of
Governor and Lieutenant Governor require
twenty years citizenship in the United
States. II men think that no person should
vote or hold Office until he has been here
twenty years, they have a right 10 think So
and il majority Of the people Of Kansas
think that no foreigner should vote or hold
Office unless he has lived there twenty years,
il is their right to say So and have no
right TO interfere with them it IL their bus
mess, no, mine but if lived there should
not he willing to have that provision in the
Constitution without being heard upon the
subject, and allowed TO record my protest
against il.
have nothing to say about their system
Of taxation, in which they have gone far
back and resortel to the old exploded sys.
TEN that We tried in Illinois, but abandoned
because We did not like it. If they wish to
try it and get tired OF it and abandon il, be
il 90; but if were citizen Of Kansas.
would profit by the experience Of Illinois on
that subject, and defeat il if could. Yet
have 10 objection 10 their having il If
they want il it is their business not mine
80 il is in regard TO the free negroes. They
provide that no free negro shall be permit.
led to live in Kansas. ! suppose they have
right TO say 40 il they choose but if
lived there | should want TO vote on tina,
question. We in Illinois, provide that no
more shall come there. We say TO the 9th
or States, take care Of your own free ne
groes and We will take care Of ours But
We do not say that the negroes now there
shall not be- PERMITTED TO live in Illinois, and
think the people Of Kansas ought 10 have
the right TO say whether they will allow
them 10 live there, and il they are not going
20 do 50, how they are 10 dispose Of them
70 You may 90 on with oil the difficult claus
e. OF the constitution. They may he all
right they may he all wrong That is
question on which my opinion IL worth moth
ing. The opinion Of the wise and patriotic
Chief Magistrate Of the United states is
not worth anything against that Of the p'o-
pie OF Kansas for they have right to
Judge for themselves, and neither Presidents
nor Senators, nor House OF Representatives.
nor any other power outside Of kansas ha-
a right 10 Judge for them Hence, i, isno
Justification. in my mind. for the violation Of
a great principle Of sefgovcnment to -ay
That the constitution you are forcing on
them is not particularly obnoxious. " Is ex-
c,4lent in ia provision.
Perhaps. III. the same thing might b.
said Of the celebrated Topeka Constitution,
! do not rscoliect il. peculiar provisions.
kD0w ole thing. We Democrats. W. Ne
brasha men, would not even look into il 10
sc what It's provisions we're. Why Be-
caus We said it We. madc by political
party and no, BY the people tia, !; sss
made II defiance 81 tie authority Of Con
gres- that Il It was az pure n the Bible,
a. holy a. tue ten commandments. ye, We
woai not touch il until i. wa submitted 20
ami ratified b. the Iy-,rle az E,nsas in