New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-02
FROM WASHING TON.


WASHINGTON, Aendsy, New. ~, 1907.
The position taken BY the President in his con-
ferer ces with Gov. Walker o. the present posture
Of Affairs in Kansas is substAas.ly this: The prin
ciple Of popular sovereignty, Of Territorial self.
government, does not necessarily include the sub
mission Of new Conatituson for rati6 cation 70 the
people. The Leeompton Convention wss at hber.
~ to submit. their work 10 the people, or send il di
rect to Congress without submitting it, Just a. in
their discretion and from consideration of all the cir.
cums.ances they might think advisable. They did
rot deem it advisable from various considerations,
but chiefly because Of the very peculiar and critical
state of o1 iDsn and feeling in the Territory to sub
NIT the entire Constitution to the popular vote.
They submitted that portion of it which involves
the question OF Slavery, the Ony question really at
issue between the cOUtending parties in the Terri
tory. and the only question seriously affected by the
great carem,l doctrine Of popular sovereignty. II
was solely and exclusively with reference n Slavery
that Congress in passing the Kapsa, act established
the rincple Of popular sovereignty in the Terri
tories and j. Was solely and exclusively with refer
ence 20 Slavery that the Democratic party adopted
il as an article Of their creed. All that was re-
ouired BY the principles of the Kansas act, by the
Cincinnati Platform by the Presidents own Insugu-
rsl Address, was, that the question Of Slavery should
be submitted to the popular vote in Kansas, 80 thst
the people Of hst Territory should be free TO adopt
or reject the institution, as they might see fit The
Lecompton Convention had cub nitted the question.
and the President could see ground for objection
on bis part to the course they had pursued.
Gov. Walker, on the contrary, maintains that the
action Of the LecomptOn Convention is swindle
and g farce which, if persisted in, will end IN
tragedy. Ii cannot be carried into practical effect
without producing q bloody civil war. The people
Of Kansas are, nineteen in twenty Free-State men.
They are armed, disciplined and organized and are
excited to tie highest pitch of Indignation by the
releated attempts that have been made 70 cheat or
coerce them cut Of their constitutional rights.
They will not submit TO the LecOmpton Consti.u-
tor, and they ought not to submit to it.
What that Constitution il, no one can tell but
the Committee in whOss hands it remains. 1t was
not even eDgrOssed, aud is stl subject to alteration
and resision. Governor Walker made every effort
10 obtain copy oft without success. Eaough Is
known, however, to make it certain that 1t is OBJ
no1ious and unsatisfactory in many parc llars be-
side those relating TO Slavery. 1t provides f,r
system Of State banking for example, the wisdom
Of which IT, to ssy the least, very question aud
which certainly ought not To be adop.ed INTO the
Constitution without the explicit and direct sauc-
ton Of the people. The apportoSment of members
Of the Legislature is also highly objectionable or
rather perfectly outrageous. The apportionment OF
johnson and McGee Counties is based on the pre-
t. nded number Of votes given in the Translucent
returns which were rejected by Governor
Walker. Ire Constitution is also really
Pro-SlayeIy inssmuch as it provides for the per-
petual serytude # the slaves Low IN Inc territory.
their number to be sure is not great, but the pm.
eple is the same 40 if they numbered million, and
s offensive 10 the sentiments aud feelings OF nine
tenths of the people of Kansas II the vote ag aust
Slavery on the Dist Of December should be TIT
umphsnt it would only result in the prohibition OF
the importation Of slaves into Kansas. That such
prohibition did not constitute Free State was evil
dent from the examples OF Virginia and other Slave
States where prohibfory laws had been enacted;
But apart from these objectionable details, Coy.
Walker maintained that the principle OF popular
sovereignty as well as his own letters, speeches aud
peSg,f and the pledges Of the administration, de-
mn ndsd that the entire Constitution should be sub
mit<d in good faith 10 a fair vote of the people.
distinction was to be observed between a making
and government making power. Laws might be
de and repealed without reference to tie people.
But the foundation Of government through Constr
tuition was nphacslly an ctofpopnlar sovereignty
No Legislature, no Convention ought to be allowed
to usuIp it. The device OF submitting single clause
to The p.ople was a mere trick reeOrted to By men
who we're resolved to thwart the popular will. 1t
was sort of balfsOyeregDty OF divided sovereignty
the bare mention Of which WAS sufficient TO Indicate
its absurdity. The assertion that the Slavery clause
was the oHy part Of the Constitution of Kansas OF
any value was false and ridiculous. The COnstitu-
ticn was a white mans Constitution, and other
questions were involved in it beside that OF the
domestic servitude Of few hundred negroes.
Gov. Walker will undoubtedly adhere to these
views. He is not man to be driven from tcna-
BILE position by threats or denunciition. He has
the sympathy ard support of nearly the whole
North, and every mail brings to the capital multiply
ing evidences that the conservative men OF the
south perceive and admit the soundness of his
views. The Administration einnOt stand before the
country in the attitude it has assumed and there is
DO probability whatever that Gov Walker can be
driven from his position.
Couespsndence Of ne N Y. Tribune