Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-12-25

Ia -ki.e aris;ons -. sliueil,
for the officers OF Governor afId Ls61
tenant Governor require twenty years
citizenship in the Uniied Safes Ii
men think that no person should vots
or hold Office until they have been
here twenty years, they have right
10 think so ; and if a majority Of The
people of Kansas think that no man
of foreign birth should vote or hold
Office unless he has lived there twenty
years, it is their right 10 say so, aud /
have no right 70 interfere with them I;
it is their business, not mine; but if
lived there L should not be willing to
have that provision in the constitution
without being heard upon the subject.
and allowed TO record my protest
againstit.
have nothing TO say about their
system of taxation, in which they
have gone back and resorted to the old
and exploded system that we tried in
Illinois, but abandoned because we did
not like it, If they wish TO try il and
get tired of and abandon it, be it so /:
but if were citizen of Kansas, l
would profit by the experience'of Ill
inois on the subject, and defeat il if !
could. Yet i have no objection 10
their having it if they want it it is
their business, not mine.
.. Soft is in regard TO free negroes
They provide that no free negro shall
be permitted to live in Kansas. sup
pose they have right TO say so if
they choose but if lived there l
should want to vote on that question.
We, in Illinois, provide that no more
shall come there. We say to other
States, "Take care Of your own free
negroes, and we will take care of
ours" But We do not say that the
negroes now there shall not be permit-
ted TO live in Illinois and think the
people of Kansas ought TO have che
right 10 say whether they viii allow
them 20 live there, and II they are nos
going 70 DO 50. how they are going e
dispose of them.
So you may go on with all the diff
ferent clauses Of the constitution
They may be all right; they may be
all wrong. That is question on
which my opinion is worth nothing
The opinion of the wise Chief Magis-
trate of the United States is not worth
anything as against that Of the people
of Kansas, for they have right to
Judge for themselves and neither
Presidents, nor Senator'S, nor House OF
Representatives, nor any other power
outside of Kansas, has right TO Judge
for them. Hence it is no justification,
in my mind, for the violation of a
great principle of self-government, to
say that the constitution you are fore
ing upon them is not particularly OBJ
noxious, or is excellent in its provis-
ions. a.al
Perhaps, sir, the same thing might
be said of the celebrated Topeka con
stitution | do not recollect its pecu-
liar provisions. know one thing -
we Democrats, we Nebraska men,
would not even look into il 10 see
what It's provisions were. Why p
Because we said il was made by po'
liIical party, and not by the people
that il was made in defiance of the au,
thority of Congress that il il was a.
pure as the Bible, as holy as the ten
commandments, yet we would no
touch il umil il was submitled 10 anC
ratified by the people of Kansas, il
pursuance of the forms of law. Per
haps that Topeka constitution, but fol
the mode of making it, would have
been unexceptionable. | do not know
| do not care. You have no right 4
force an unexceptionable constitution
on people. 1t does not mitigate th'
evil, Il does not diminish the insult, i
does not ameliorate the wrong that yol
are forcing "A good thing on them.
am not willing to be forced 10 do tina
which / would do if were left free L
Judge and act for myself. Hence as
sert that there is no justification 10 b
made for this fragrant violation of pop
ular rights in Kansas, on the plea tina
the constitution which they have mad'
is not particularly obnoxious.
SUPPOSE DOUGLAS WANTED TO VOTE OF
THAT coNsTITuTIoN-THE MAJoRIT
DIsFRANcmsED.
But, sir, the President Of the Unite,
, States is really and sincerely of th'
: opinion that the slavery clause ha
been fairly and impartially submitle'
} to the free acceptance or rejection o
} the people of Kansas, and that. mas
: much as that was the exciting and par
f. amount question, If they get the righ
E to vote as they please on that subjec
they ought TO be satisfied ; and posi-
3 bly, il might be better if we would &C
) cept it, and put an end to the question
: Let me ask, sir, is the slavery claus
: fairly submitted, so that the peopl,
can vote for or against il? Suppose
: were a citizen of Kansas, and SHOULD
go up to the polls and say, Il desir
} to vote TO make Kansas a Slave State
here is MY ballot" They reply /,
| me. Mr.. Douglas, just vote for tha
} Constitution first, if you please. -
) "Oh, no ~ l answer. " can not vot
} for that Constitution conscientiously
| am opposed to the clause by whicI
> you locate certain railroads in such
way as to sacrifice my county and m,
part Of the State. am opposed to ths
banking system. l am opposed to ths
I Know Nothing or American clause i