The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-12-31
ruE CALL op THE coyvENr1oN.

been under the impression that IL was
fair and just in its provisions. / have
always thought the people should have
gone together en- mosse and voted for del
egates, so that the voice expressed by
iho convention should have been the un.
questioned and united voice Of the pco-
|plc of Kansas I have always thought
that those who staid away from the eloc-
lion stood in their own wrong, and should
have gone and voted, and rhould have
furnished their names TO be put on the
registered list so as to be voters. have
always held that it was their own fault
that they did not thus go and yotc but
yet If they chose, they had a right to
stay away They had a right TO say that
that convention, although not an unlaw-
ful ossemblago, it is not a legal conycn-
tion to make q government and hence
we arc under no obligations to go and
express any opinion about it. They
had a right to say, if they chose, "Wo
/ will stay away until we see the constitu-
| ton they shall frame, the petition they
shall send to Congress; and when they
submit it to us for ratification we will
vote for it If we like it, / say they had
right to do either, though [ thought,
and think yet, as good citizens they
ought to have gone and voted; but that
was their business not mine.
ITHE LECoMpToN CONVENTION so row.
ER-NO AUTHORITY.
Having thus shown that the Convcn-
ton at Lecompton had no power no au-
thority, TO form and establish gov
ornment, but had power to draft petit
! ton, and that petition, if it embodied
the will Of the people Of Kansas, ought
to be taken az such an exposition. of
their will, yet, if it did not ombody their
Twill, ought to be rejected having shown
these facts, let mo proceed and inquire
what was the understanding of the pco-
Iple Of Kansas, when the delegates were
elocted2 l understand, from the histo-
| ry Of the transaction, that the people
who voted for delegates to the Locomp-
ton Convention, aud those who refused
to votc-both parties-understood the
Territorial Act to mean that they were
to be elected only to frame a Constitu-
ton, and submit it o.thcbcoplc for their
ratification or rejection | say that both
parties in that Territory, at the time Of,
the election of delegates, so understood
the subject Of the Convention. Those
who voted for delegates did so with the
understanding that they had no power
to make government, but only to frame
one for submission; and those who stuid
away did so with the same understand
ing.
Here Mr. Douglas shows from tho
instructions Of the President and num-
bcrlcss promises and solemn pledges by
Democrats, that the people of Kansas
were assured that they should have a
full and fair vote on the whole constitu-
ton This ne demonstrates so that on
Ily fools, or those who lie with malice
alOrcthought, will deny it,
IurrEAr OF THE DEMOCRACY AT TUE
LATE KANSAS ELECTION.
The election Icing over, the Demo
cratic party being defeated by AN over
whcImingyotc ,ihcopposition having tri-
mphcd, and got possession of both
branches Of the Legislature. and having
elected their territorial delegate, the con
ycntion assembled, and then proceeded
to complete their work,
THE ACTION OF THE CONVENTION.
Nov let us stop to enquire how they
redeemed the pledge to submit the con.
-titution to the people. They FIRST ga
on and make n constitution. Thcn they
make q sDIHedulc, in which they provide
that the ,onstl. ution, ON the DIST of Te.
ccmber-thc present month-shull be
submitted to all the bonanIe Inhabitants
of the Territory on that day, lor their
, free acceptance or rejection, in the i1l.
/, lowing manner, to-wit.-thus acknowl-
cdging that they were bound to submit
it to the will of the people, conceding
that they had no right 10 put it into op.
; Grafton without submitting it to the pco,
, Iple; providing in the instrument that il
; should take effect from and after tn,
{ date of its ratification. aud not before
} showing that the constitution derives it
/. vitality, in their estimation, not from
the authority of the convention, bu
from the vote Of the people to which i
, was to be submitted for their free acccp
, tauco or rejection How is it to be sub
j Imittcd? Ii shall be submitted in thi
e form: CONSTITUTION with slavery O.
% constitution with no slavery" Al mel
{ must rotc for the constitution, whc,hcr the
r. like a Or not In order to be permitted Il
! vote for or against slavery, Thus con
p stitution made by a convention that hat
D authority to assemble and petition for
p redress Of grievances, but not to estab
{ llish a government constitution mad
c Iundcr a pledge Of honor that it shoul
u be submitted to the people before it too
clTcct a constitution which provides, O
It's face, that it shall have no validity ez
4 cept what it derives from such submil
sion-is submitted to the people at a
f election where all men are at liberty
a come forward freely without hindran,
~ and vote for it, but no man is permittc
to record a vote against it,
n ELECTIONS IN FRANCE.
" That would be as fair an election
l. some Of the enemies of Napoleon attril
it uted to him when he was elected Fir
y, Consul. lie is said to have called Oh
D. his troops and had them reviewed by h
ye officers with a speech, patriotic and ia
"a in its professions, in Which lac said
to them: "Now, my soldiers, you are 8
,d ling TO tho election and tOvOto freely iu