Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-07-24

And with sort Of .aw which resembles the Sct,cl
mans metaphysics, "wlIeu the audience dinna kr
"hat the speaker means, and the speaker dinaa ke
it himsel' -
We do not propose. however, to remain sa,isie
with mere exposurs of the incorgrulties into whic
Tue Sonth" has fallen in The discussion of this que,
ton. The subject is important, and one of some di
hcuy' and We wish to present fairly to our render
the views to which We have been Id by aid OF th
| lights before u.s.
Inc material points al issue are:
ist. AS the popular ralifcstion of the Cons,lu
ton Of Kansas.
we contend that the only manner in which tn
De"ocra'ic prlnciple can be ffscually applied tn
only mode in which popular sovereignty can be ei
hcieh'y eSerted, is through tho medium of writer
constitution adopted by the immediate suffrage o
inc people composing political community and
that any deviation from this rule, however support
| ed oy precedent, implies an infringement on the M
tura night OF the people. We regard the Kansas
Nebraska act as sanctoning this principle by pro
VidlnS ior the adoption OF organic law by the un
restrained action OF the people of each territory. We
do not hesitate to say that this right of popular sove
reigny too sacred and too essential to permit ST.
lence, either from negligence or intention, on the
part OF the Legislature of Kansas, to deprive the
people of Kansas of the exercise of such right;
and that in such cass it will become the duty of the
Constitutional Convention TO provide for the popular
ratification or rejection Of tho Constitution.
ID. As to the regulation of suffrage to be adopted
in the event of the submission of the Constitution to
popular ratification or rejection.
The territories Of the United States are ,hs com.
mon property of the States. Each otisen Of each
State has an interest in these territories and may &C
qnire the right to voice in the political regulation
Oh any territory, by entering thereupon with the fixed
intention o. permanent residence. This general doc
irIAe has been sanctioned by the different States and
recognized by the Federal Government. 1t i. the
duty of the territorial authorities to protect this right
by the exclusion from suffrage of all who srs not
permanent residents; and hence the necessity to i1
period of probation, the iufaaDt Of which shall be
required to en.itlo resident to euiirage but such
probation Iust be instituted with no view but that of
sstsrtaning IONA ds residence, and must not be made
to extend to period beyond that required for such
purpose Changes Of circumstance may from time
to time require en- alteration of the mode for
Aooieouoei oooSc Oil, u l5IequeHe tHdt
a just mode shall DO adopted TO secure the concur
renee of all parties rghfuy entitled participation
in the adoption or rejection of system Of organic
aw insomuch that should the legislature of terri-
ory fail TO provide an adequate measure, it aay be-
come tho duty OF q convention assembled to frame
he Constitution, TO assume tho responsibility Of max
ng such provision.
Finally, VIC recognise the eu,ire competency Of
Congress: TO- iuse It's sanction to any instrument pur
porting to be the form Of Constitution adopted by
Territory asekng admission a State, if it can DO
made clearly TO appear that such instrument does not
mbody the decision of majority Of the bona .htir
esidsnts OF such Territory fairly ascer:arsd by gen
raj suffrage.