The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-12-17


their right TO submit the Constitution 10 the
people, o. send il to Congress without sub
mission, If il was right in itself aud repubi-
can in form, and the people had fairly Dc
cided the slavery question. II would not be
wise to keep them out Of the Union simply
because the whole Constitution had not been
submitted to them. To do 30 would he in.
consistent with the doctrine Of noDinteryen-
ton. There vas nothing in the past history
OF tho country to justify such csurse. It
would be the duty OF Congress to look at
the question as it came before them, and do
the best they could, looking at the happiness
Of the entire country. lie had long been
under the impression that il would be the
best, both for the country and Kansas. that
the State should be admitted at the first
favorable opportunity, in order to legalizc
the strife. lie would have preferred that
the Constitution had been submitted 10 the
people, but persons outside Of the Territory
have no right interfering with the slavery
question there. lie believed the people Of
Kansas now have AN opportunity to decide
whether 10 have free or slave State lie
could not, however determine his entire
course until they shall make such decision.
lie said the position Of Douglas to-day was
IN utter deroga,ion TO that which he occu-
pied when he voted for Toombs bill which
proposed to make State Constitution and
put It IN operation, without submitting il to
vote OF the people, and this only short
time ago. He could net understand how
Douglas had So readily become sensitive re.
gardng the rights of the people, after hav-
Ing attempted such AN infringement upon
them.
Senator Douglas am certain Senator
Diglcr does not speak for the President. /
know the President has just spoken for him
sel' IN bls message in which he condemns the
convention for not submitting the consttu.
ton 10 the people and refused to recommend
US to receive it, The President il a bold
frank man. AMI il he intended TO give u an
administration measure he would say 50 it
IA not respectful to assume that he will do
what he will not recommend us to DO. Ol
course know the Senator from Pennsylya-
MA did not speak from any authority.
Bigler-l think am safe in saying, and
J think the Senator from Illinois will agree
that the President upholds in his message
the doctrine that tine convention had the
right 10 form constitution AMI submit it
to the people for approval or send it up TO
Congress without approval | think it is
deduciblc from the message that the I'resi.
dent does not hold that because the entire
constitution was not submitted to the people,
Kansas should he kept out of the Union.
Judge DougIas--I infer from the message
that the President does hold that a Conycn-
ton had right 10 form constitution and
send i, here, but that was only the RICH, TO
petition for redress Of grievances under the
federal Constitution and not because the
Legislature had the power to constitute that
legal convention.
Biger-Where did YOU ct that
Judge Douglas rcplled-A gentleman
/ (meanng 1rumbull) Yesterday read from a
speech made by Mr.. buchanan that the h..
gi-laturc had no right to create "A convention
( to supcrcede Territorial government, and 10
attempt It would be u gross usurpation.--
The Democratic party has held that doctrine
ever since aud asserted il year ago by en-
dorsiug his douglas report from commit
lee on Territories. Three hundred thousand
copies wcrc circulated u party documents.
lie himself paid for hundred thousand
copies Of them laugh,cr).
Bjgler entero! his protest aud claimed the
sent tina. Senator pouglas should hold the
rresideu, responsible for principles laid
down twenty years ago under entirely differ
cut circumstances. Il il not half SO long
since Douglas declared the Missouri line was
q sacred compromise. In lsi- he proposed
to extend 1t to the Pacific Ocean vet he
repealed the whole of it,
Mr. Douglas denied the right Of Bigler
10 oicr the statute oil limitations. None
but the authorized attorney OF the party
can thus intcrposc. The Senator has de-
MED NE authority to speak for the President
lie ,anuot file that plea
nouga approved OF the statute OF limi-
tations. He needed one very much himself
He hal never boasi,,i he had never changed
hi, opinions He felt every YEAR little
wiser than the year beior, Has the Pres
dent ever withdrawn tina, opinion in which
be denied the right 10 plead the statute of
limitations against the Cincinnati Conven-
tion! Until the Charleston Convention
meet, he stood now where he stood last year.
because he believed he was right. II was
true that he voted for 'roomb. bill. and wa.
ready To vote for II again by doing so
there would be no quarpl--it would no, DO
to tam, him Tor once voting for a measure
he would not vote for now
Alter further debate the matter was post