The Washington union., 1857-12-05

ganization of Nebraska and Kansas in 1854. The
single idea that absorbed the mind of the convention
was the saUsry Questionable sausry agitaiio, the
sole remedy for the dangers Of sectional issues In
augurated In 1880, and reafirmed in 1852 and 1854,
was NoS-IsrERFERESoE BY CosoHEss.
| But as the convention referred to the Nebraska
Kansas act as containing the principles which they
recognised and adopted as furnishing the only sound
and safe solution Of the slavery question, it is
proper, in this connexion, TO recur to the Ian
guage OF that act, that we may have before us
| at the same time the original text and the au-
thoritative Interpretation put upon it by the
yention. The Nebraska Kansas act declares that
it is " the true intent and meaning Of this act not
to legslate slavery into any Territory or State,
| to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people
thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their do
msstic institutions in their way, subject only to
the constitution of the United States" In this lam
guage we recognise the great pervading purpose of
Congress to bo the establishment Of principle for
the sound and safe solution of s.the slavery ques-
tionr and the principle relied ON for this solution
was NoS-IsrERFEREScE. In his letter accepting the
presidential nomination Mr.. Buchanan distinctly
ognised the Nebraska Kansas act as having special
reference to the settlement of qhe slavery question:
He said he recent Legislation of Congress respect
ing domestic slavery derived, as it has been, from
the original and pure fountain Of legitimate political
power the win Of the majority promises long to
alay the dangerous excitement ~ 7saa4 81
We submit now this plain proposition that if the
people of Kansas have the right under the action of
the late convention TO adopt or reject slavery, as
purpose Of the Nebraska Kansas act as interpreted
by the Democratic National Convention and under
stood by their nominee for the presidency, has been
carried out Whatever differences Of opinion may
exist as to other matters, we there can be
none to the fact that the majority Of the people in
Kansas have it entirely in their power to decide
the 2Ist instant whether Kansas is to be free or
slave State If this be 80, in the name of reason
Justice and patriotism, why should questions of mi
nor moment connected with the preliminary steps
that have preceded this grand result be made the
subjects Of distraction and contention amongst demo-
Gratis What if large portion Of the people did
not vote in the election of delegates to the conven-
ton |? What if the convention actually represented
. minority Of the people? What if extraordinary
powers conferred on the president of the CON
vention What say of all this, if the convention
have, after all secured the great object sought after
through years of dangerous sectional agitationthe
perfect right Of the majority in Kansas to decide the
character Of their domestic institutions for them
selves Who in the Territory has been damagedg
Who out of the Territory has been damaged
| What vital principle has been violated or out
ragged? IF there details in the constitution
not acceptable to individuals in or out Of the
Territory, whilst the document is itself repub-
lican, those errors should be left to be remedied
hereafter by tho people of Kansas, which they can
do by virtue Of the sovereignty as State with
which they will be clothed by admission into the
Union.
The Cincinnati Convention did not stop with the
PRONUNCIATION of the great principle of SoN-ISrERrER
ESoE but they proceeded to lay down distinct prop
osition in regard to the right of the people Of Ter
rtory to be admitted as State which is worthy of
peculiar attention at this uncture. We quote it as
follows: n48 t4Eg
Resolved That we recognise the right of the people of
all the Territories including Kansas and Nebraska acting
through the legally and fairly expressed will of majority
of actual residents and whenever the number of their in
habtants justifes it, to form constitution with or with
out domestic slavery, and be admitted into the Union
upon terms Of perfect equality with the other States
Here is the law Of the democratic party applicable
to the precise case in hand: the people Of Kansas
through the legally and Jaiiy-erpresed ueH Of major
y Of the actual residents hare right 10 form oonsttu
tion tci cithom Sapery and 10 be admitted as State
If majority of the people vote to have slavery or
not to have it, authorized by the schedule to the
constitution will that not be legal and fair erpres
Of the acH Of The majority? If So by the law of the
party they have right to be admitted as a State
The convention which framed the constitution had the
legal power to act in the premiscs--tbc submission
of the question of slavery no slavery was there
fore legal If the people of Kansas secured and
protected in the free exercise of the elective fran
chise in voting for against slavery, the result will
be fair expression Of the will of the majority If it
is the wish of the people of Kansas to have the
slavery agitation settled and to into the Union as
State, they viii vote, and thus give legal and fair
expression of the will of majority tits because this
right is secured to them by the action of the late
convention and because this action is in strict con-
formity with the Kansas act, the Cincinnati plat
FORM the letter Of acceptance Of the nomination by
Mr.. Buchanan, his inaugural address, and his in
structions to Gov. Walker, that the administration