The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-12-03

tined the Convention in refusing to submit the
Constitution to the People. While the Admin
istration hesitated, the Richmond Enquirer and
other Southern conservative Democratic prints
took ground with the Union, thus beautifully
illustrating the sincerity of all their declarations
OF Popular Sovereignty. The hesitation of Mr..
Buchanan soon ceased, and he too, as has been
announced in Democratic journals, has fully
endorsed the action and the work of the Con.
vention.
AS to the position of Governor Walker, who
arrived here week ago, there were contradict
ory reports. Some of the letter-writers from
Kansas said he was not only in favor of the
action of the Convention, but had insidiously
determined it: others, that he was opposed to
it. The doubt, if there were any, has been dis
sipated. The Governor, according to the best
accounts, had several interviews with the Pres
ident laid before him statement of the true
condition of affairs in Kansas, spoke with in
dignation of the character and conduct of the
Convention, condemned its action as contrary
to the Principle of the Kansas-N ebraska act, to
Popular Sovereignty, to the policy of the Ad-
ministration previously indicated, to the in
terests of the Democratic Party, .subversive
of the rights ofthe People of Kansas, and threat
ening, if sustained by the Administration, civil
war.
| 1t is said that all his arguments were una
vailing-that the President has made up his
mind to adhere to the Convention, and sustain
its Constitution-and that Governor Walker,
unconvinced, will oppose the action ofthe Con-
vention, stand by the People of Kansas, and not
resign his Office.
Meantime, the leading Democratic papers at
the North at first took strong ground against
the Convention: some of them are evidently
changing their tune; but Mr.. Forney's Press
of Philadelphia, Mr.. Douglass paper, the Chi
cago Times, and the Detroit Free Press, perse-
we're in their opposition. What else can they
do2 Had not the Democracy of the North
been compelled to give up everything, but the
single doctrine that the People Of Territory,
in organizing State, have right to determine
their own Constitution and institutions? Was
not the faith of Mr.. Buchanan, and the faith of
the Southern Democrats, pledged to uphold
this doctrine? And is this too to be abjured
aud trampled under foot 2 Is no faith to be
kept with Northern Democrats Shall a mis-
cradle Convention in Kansas, chosen by the
votes of fifteen hundred men, undertake to force
Constitution down the throats of nine thou
sand voters, and Democratic champions of Pop
ular Sovereignty at the North be called upon
to applaud the operation?
Let the Northern Democrats sanction this in
famous Fraud upon the People, let them basely
ahjure the doctrine that the People of q Terri
tory have right to say what their Constitution
shall be, and there is but one step lower for
them to take; that is indicated by the following
passage from a late editorial in the Washington
Union, the central organ of their Party:
"The Constitution declares that the citizens
of each State shall be entitled to all the prvi-
leges and immunities of citizens in the several
States Every citizen of one State coming into
another State, has, therefore, right to the pro
lection of bis person, and that property which
is recognised as such by the Constitution of the
United States, any law of the State to the con-
trary notwithstanding. So far from any State
having a right to deprive him of his property,
it is its bounden duty to protect him in its pos
session."
""This," Gays the New York Herald, ais
going the entire animal ) for, with the estab-
lishment of this doctrine, every State in the
Union instantly becomes, in law, slave State.
into their national creed, Mr.. Toombs may,
perhaps, still live to call the roll of his slaves
on Bunker Hill"
The Washington Union justifes the action
OF the Convention on various grounds. at
was necessary to preserve the harmony of the
Democratic Party" How beautifully it has
accomplished the object, by arraying Mr.. Blu.
chanan against Governor Walker, and Northern
against Southern Democrats? DIT was neces.
sary to prevent agitation +" Wonderfully sooth-
ing, an act, which has called the attention of
the Public even from its monetary distresses.
and set all politicians by the ears Had the
Convention explored the Internal regions for a
device to stir up discord, it could not have
found a more prolific one than that adopted.
" 1t was necessary to save the Constitution"
Aye-a fair and full vote would have been its
doom-it was necessary to secure its adoption
by fraud. The arguments of these Pro-Sla.
very prints are insults. To submit the Consti
tuition was to lose it. Certainly, if a majority
were against it--and ought not the majority to
govern? That used to be good Democratic
doctrine-but National Democracy, as expound.
ed by the Washington Union, insists that a
miserable minority is entitled to form the funda-
mental law for the majority
1t Is almost useless to argue this question.
The Slave Power is determined to rule through
Democracy, or in spite of it-under cover of
Democratic profession, or in shameless disre.
gard of it. 1t has forced the Democratic Party
from one position to another, till no ground is
left for it but that of indecent and absolute sub
mission to its imperious will Southern Dem.
ocrats have violated their pledges to their North.
ern brethren. Mr. Buchanan has not kept faith
with his followers at the North, with Governor
Walker, or the People of Kansas. He abandon
ed them all, overawed by the Slave Interest.
and henceforth, all the power of his united
Cabinet is to be brought to bear to force Demo.
cratic members of Congress from the free States
into the same position of degrading subsection.
What will they do? Is there enough man.
hood left among them to resist? We have
watched their newspapers. Some of them that
revolted at first have made their submission.
Patronage is powerful. The OK knoweth his
owner, and the ass his masters crib. But shall
we not hope that enough Northern Democrats
may be found to battle an Imposture which an
honorable Administration, whatever its general