Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1857-12-02
Kansas and her Constitution.

Kansas and her Constitution.
Unquestionably the only subject in Kansas af-
ia'rs IN which the people of the whole country are
concerned, is that of slavery Wetake it for grant
ed that the new Constitution is republican, and that
is in all respects the question of slavery except
eo, such Constitution the people of the Terrific
ry desire The late Convention legally and proper
~ elected and assembled, adopted Constitution,
and directed that it should be submitted to the peo
pie at the polls on the 21st day of next month and
assuming that the Constitution so adopted would
meet the approval of all parties provision made
for taking the sense of the people question
only, that of slavery-those in favor of slavery to
vote Constitution and slaOsry," and those opposed
to slavery to vote Consultation and no slaoery"
The Constitution will, therefore, certainly be ap-
proved by the people, whether the slavery clause
should be accepted rejected. State officers will
be elected on the first Monday in January, and the
Legislature of the State will assemble within thirty
days from the time of the publication of the fact
of the States admission into the Union.
But if the slavery clause should be rejected by
the people, it is provided in the Constitution that
"slavery shall longer exist in the State of Kan
sas, except that the right Of property in sares
IN this Territory shall in no manner be intertered
with" Slavery already exists in Kansas, and is
thus recognized and guaranteed and unless Con.
venton should be called and the institution abolish
ed, it will continue to exist, and may become perpet
ual. This is all plain. What, then, becomes Of the
charge preferred by the Know Nothing presses Of
the South that Mr.. Buchanan and the national De-
mocracy engaged in the work of excluding
slavery and making Kansas free State?
The friends of Southern rights in Kansas have in
deed fought noble fight With not more than two
hundred slaves and inferior in numbers to the "free
State men," they have achieved much, though they
may not achieve all they hoped for, by their cour-
age, their frmness and ndomitable resolution
Slavery exists in Kansas, and is not abolished by
the new Constitution. This much has certainly
been gained whatever may be the result of the vote
Of the people the 2lst of next month, and what
ever may be done by future Convention.
In our last issue expressed the opinion that
the excitement is not yet over. 1t will commence
and will probably run higher than ever, as soon as
Congress meets and the question is taken up. We
fear this Will be the case, though We hope for the
best" The Washington Union stands firmly and
in good faith by the recent action of the Kansas
Convention, and the Charleston 1Nercury expresses
the hope that Kansas is not yet lost to the South
but the Philadelphia Press and other Northern De
mocra,c Journals EXHIBIT much dissatisfaction with
the action of the Constitutional Convention The
Press complains that the entire Constitution
submitted to the people-pronouhces the submission
Of the slavery clause only mere trick"-an " un
worthy exycdient" and calls upon Congress to re
ject the Constitution. Does Mr. Forney expect tn,
national Democracy to 60 with him in this move
ment?
Congress will assemble on Monday the 9Th of mex
month. By the 10th of January Kansas will appl,
for admission into the Union, and then the excite
ment will begin fully to manifest itself in Congress
and throughout the country The just and prope
course would be to admit the State at once
without looking to see whether she had estnblishr,
or interdicted slavery This is the meaning and objec
of the Kansas Nebraska act but cannot hope t
see it carried into effect without still further an
higher excitement. The question remains to be de
cjded whether the Northern people will consent, un
der any circumstances, to admit State whose Con
| stitutOn does not positively prohibit slavery. w
| have strong and abiding confidence in the North
ern national Democracy; but the Northern peopl
have decided majority in the House of Represents
tives and the detection of few only of the Norther
| Democratic members would result in the rejectio
| Of the State.
/ BRIGHAM YOUNG AND UTAH-Ona of the Wash
ington correspondents of the Richmond South says