Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-12-19

to convention to meet on the lst Monday
Of September, for the purpose of framing
n Constitution preparatory TO admission
into Tho Union. This law was in yne mail
fair and just and It is to be regretted
that all the qualified electors had not reg
istercd themselves and voted under it,
provisions.
Tho act Of the territorial legislature had
omitted TO provide for submitting to the
people the constitution which might
be framed by the convention; and in the
excited state Of public feeling Throughout
Kansas an apprehension extensively pre-.
vailed that design existed to force upon
them q constitution in relation to slavery
against their will. In this emergency il
became my duty, as i.-wss my unquestion.
ably right, having in view the union of all
good citizens in support of the territorial
laws, to express an opinion on the true
construction of the provisions concerning
slavery contained in the organic act Of
Congress of the 3Oth May, 1854. Congress
declared it to be "the true intent and
meaning ofthis act not to legislate slavery
into any Territory or State, nor to exclude
u therefrom, but to leave the people
thereof perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own
way" Under it Kansas, "when admitted
as State" was to be received into the
Union, with or without slavery, as their
Constitution may prescribe at the time of
their admission
Did Congress mean by this language
that the delegates elected to frame o con-
stitution should have authority fioally to
decide the question of slavery, or did they
iptend by, leaving ID to the people that the
people Of Kansas themselves should decide
this question by a direct votcl On this
subject confess l had never entertained
n serious doubt, and, therefore, in my in.
sructions TO Governor Walker of the IS b
March last, ! merely said that when ga
constitution shall be submitted to the peoplc
OF the Territory, they must be protected
in the exercise of their right of voting for
or against that Instrument, and the fair
expression of the popular will must not be
interrupted by fraud or violence.
In expressing this opinion it was far
from my intention to interfere with the
decision of the people Of Kansas, either for
or against slavery. From this / have al.
ways carefully abstained. Intrusted with
the duty Of taking "care that the laws be
faithfully executed" my only desire was
that the people of Kansas should furnish
10 Congress the evidence required by the
organic act, whether for or against slavery;
and in this manner smooth their passage
into the Union. In emerging from the
condition of territorial dependence into
that of sovereign State, it was their
duty, in my opinion, to make known their
will by the votes of the majority, on the
direct question whether this important
domestic institution should or should not
continue to exist. Indeed, this was the
only possible mode in which their will
could be automatically ascertained.
The election Of delegates to convention
mus. necessarily take place in separate
districts. From this cause it may readlr
happen, as has often been the case, that a
of the people of State or Terri
tory are one tide Of a question, whilst q
majority of The representatives from the
several districts into which it is divided
may be upon the other side. This arises
from the fact that in some districts dele.
gates may be escted. by small majorties,
whilst in others those of different sentiments
may receive majorities sufficiently great
not to overcome the votes given for the
tormer, but to leave large majority of
the whole people in direct opposition to a
majority of the delegates. Besides, our
history proves thatinfuences may be brought
10 bear on the representative sufficiently
powerful to induce him to disregard the
will of his constituents. The truth is, that
no other authentic and satisfactory mode
exists Of ascertaining the will of a majority
of the people of any State or Territory on
an important and exciting question like
chat of slavery in Kansas, excep, by leav-
ing il to q direct vote. How wise, then,
was it for Congress to pass over all subor.
dinate and intermediate agencies, and
proceed directly to the source of all legiti-
mate power under our institutions
How vain would any other principle
prove in practice This may be illustrated
by the case of Kansas. Should she be
into the Union, with a Consitu.
ton maintaining or abolishing slavery,
against the sentiment of the people, this
could have DO other effect than to continue
and to exasperate The existing agitation
during the brief period Required to make
Ibe Constitution conform to the irresistible
will of the majority.
The friends and supporters of the Ne
braska and Kansas act, when struggling
on recent occasion to sustain its wise
provisions before the great tribunal of the
American people, never differed about its
rue meaning on this subject. Everywhere
throughout The Union they publicly pledged
heir faith and their honor, that they would
}heerfully submit the question Of slavery
70 the decision of the bona fde people of
Kansas, without any restriction or qualif-
,ation whatever. All were cordially united
Ipon the great doctrine of popular sove-
eighty, which is the vital principle of our
rec institutions. Had il then been insin-
iated from any quarter that it would be @
.uAicient compliance with the requisitions
# the organic law for the members Of a