The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-11-25
THE NEW PHASE OF KANSAS
arIs1.- AFFAIRS.

three years past that we have become almost
with the name. But there seems to
be an infaIuation in those connected with that
Territory, which drives them on, blindfolded.
Reason and moderation, good sense, justice,
and the. disposition TO do as they would be
done by, have been discarded, it would appear;
from her soil, and in their place passion, rage,
and hatred, envy, malice, injustice, the right
Of might, and all other bad feelings, bad mo-
tives, and bad actions substituted
That very large portion Of the people Of
the United States, at the North, we are war
ranted in saying, full four-ifths, condemned
the repeal OF the Missouri Compromise and
the passage of the Kansas ebraska Act is a
fact too we'll known to need proof; that the
Northern Democracy have been, to a great
degree reconciled to that act or induced to give
up opposition to it, is also well known. But
what was it that induced them to cease their
opposition, and to stand up in support Of the
Cincinnati nomination. 1t was the assurance,
and the very plausible position taken, that
this act established popular sovereignty J"
alias ".squatter sovereignty" in that Terri
tory; that it gave to the people of Kansas the
executive right to manage their own affairs in
their own way, which induced the Democracy
to sustain it. Mr.. Buchanan, in his letter ac-
cepting the nomination for President, referring
to the act says, it /" has simply declared that
the people of Territory, like those Of a
State, shall decide for themselves whether
slavery shall or shall not exist within their
limits The Democracy were made to believe
this, and that the people of Kansas would, in
the fullest manner, and without restraint or
shackle, have the right, and be permitted of
course to exercise it, to make just such con-
stitution as to them should seem best. The
idea inculcated by the leaders Of the party,
and imbibed by the rank and file was, that
the seiH Of the majority Of the people Of Han-
sas should control its destinies that when
ever a constitution should be framed, it
should-not one article or two articles Of it.
but the pholc Of 1t, be submitted to the peo-
ple for their ratification or rejection. This
idea and nothing but this reconciled the North
ern Democracy to the Kansas Nebraska Act,
and kept them from leaving their party. 'a'
1t is well known that large majority Of the
people of Kansas are opposed to permitting
slavery to exist in the Territory. This fact
needs no proof, it is admitted by all. 1t is
known too that majority Of the convention
which has lately framed a constitution, was in
favor of establishing slavery; that conse-
quently, they did not fairly represent the peo-
pie. But the strongest assurances were given
that whatever constitution they should form,
should be snbmitted-not part of it, but the
whole--to the people for their approval or re-
lection and it was this assurance that induced
them to permit the convention to proceed.
For giving this assurance, Governor Walker
was severely blamed by large portion of the
Southern Democracy, but was defended by the
Union, the Richmond Enquirer, and other
leading papers, and sustained by the Presi
| dent and his Cabinet.
In the instructions given to Mr.. Walker by
the President, on proceeding to Kansas, is the
following language:
"When such constitution Zone formed by
convention elected for that purposel shall
be cubmitted to the people, they must be
protected in the exercise of the right Of
voting for or against that instrument; and
the fair expression Of the popular ,oiH must
not be interrupted by fraud or violence. +"
Nor, of course, must it be precented by fraud,
or trick, or maneuvre, or chicanery.
/. l.
Following the letter and spirit of these in
Structions from tho President, Governor Wal
ker said in his Inaugural Address to the peo-
pie of Kansas, 81 repeat then, as my clear
conviction, that unless the convention submit
the constitution to the vote Of all the actual
resident settlers Of Kansas, and the election
be fairly ar justly conducted, the constitu.
ton wiH be, and ought TO be rejected by CON.
gress." ...
In his speech at Topeka, the Governor said
THAT constitution 1.-THE one to be formed by
the conventional they will or they will not sub
NIT to the vote of the majority Of the then
actual resident settlers Of Kansas. If they dc
not thus submit it, ] will join you, fellow-citi'
zens, in lawful opposition to their course
[Cries of "good," and cheers. And cannot
doubt, gentlemen, that one higher than !, the
Chief Magistrate Of the Union, will join you
in opposition.
But, gentlemen, for myself, cannot doubt
that that convention wiH submit such an in
strument mot one section Of i'll a. they may
frame for the adoption or rejection Of the
whole people Of Kansas, to all who now are or
then may be actual bona fde resident settlers
of the Territory Of Kansas.
do not entertain doubt but that that conven-
ton will submit TO the whole Of the then bona
fide settlers Of Kansas the determination for
Themselves, by an actual majority Of the whole
people, whether they shalladopt or reject that
constitution If they reject it there is an end
Of that convention"
We see by this language Of Governor Wal
ker to the people Of Kansas, that he not only
pledged himself to them that the constitution
to be formed should be submitted to them, en-
tire, for their approval or rejection, but he
also pledged the Chief Magistrate Of the Union
to the same and that If not thus submitted
TO them, both he and that Chief Magistrate
would join them in lawful opposition to it.