Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-11-28
Bound Democratic Doctrine.

strange as II may appear we quote from
the Washington Union to sustain our views
of the Kansas question. The Washington
Union in November. 1857, arrays itself
against the rights Of the people, but We ask
the attention Of our readers to the following
article from that paper Of July It'll. 1867
1t then said:
eve repeat that the constitution Of Kan
sas must come from the people of Kansas
Other power 10 make such an nstrnmen
there is name ma.er Heacen.
But the Georgia Convention, without
denying this great principle, seem To think
that the constitution of Kansas ought not TO
be submitted to a direct vote Of the people
in their primary capdcitn We admit that
this is not IN all cases sine qua non. 1t Is
fair presumption (if there be no circum
stances to repel it, that o Convention Of del
egates chosen by, the people will act in &C.
cordance with the will Of their constituents
When, therefore there is no serious dispute
upon the Constitution, either in the conyen-
ton or among the people, the power OF the
delegates alone may put it in operation
But such is not the case IN Kansas. The most
violent struggles this country ever saw, up
on the most important issue which the Con-
sttution is to determine, has been going on
there for several years between parties SO
evenly balanced that both claim the ma ori
tv, and so hostile to one another that num-
erous lives have been lost in the contest.
Under these circumstances there can be no su h
thing as ascertaining clearly and Without
doubtthe uH otMe people IN any acay ercept
by their oon direct lpression of it at tie polls.
Il constitution not smtjecfedfo that test, no
matter uhatH contains, ,ciH neper be aeknoacl
edged BY its oppo,u nts to be any thing ut a
fraud. A plausible color might be given to
this assertion by the argument that the
members of the cony ention could have no
motive for refusing to submit their work to
their constituents except consc business
that the majority would condemn it. We
confess that zoe shonidfnd some difficulty in
ansaoering this What other motive contd
they hare"
I'VE do most devoutly believe that, unless
the constitution Of Kansas be submitted 10 y
direct vote of the people, the unhappy CON
trovcysy which has heretofore ragged in that
Territory will be prolonged for an indeti
mite time to come We are eqnally well
convinced that the will of the majority,
whether it be for or against slavery, will
finally triumph, though it may be after
years Of strife, disastrous to the best inter
ests of the country, and dangerous, it may
be, to the peace and SAFETY OF the whole Un-
ion.
Again: This movement Of the Territori-
al authorities to form a constitution is made,
not IN the regular way, in pursuance of an
enabling and authorizing act of Congress
but on the mere motion of the Territorial
Legislature itself Nay, it has been begun
and carried on in the teeth of refusal by
Congress to pass such an act. This rregu
larity is not fatal There are other cases in
which 1t was overlooked But it can be
waived only in consideration of the fact hat
the people hire oppressed tier mill an anmis
tahabte language. If we dispense with the
legal forms OF proceeding We must have the
substance
I'VE think, for these reasons, that Gov
Walker, in advocating u submission Of the
constitution to a vote of the people, acted
with wisdom and justice and following the
only line of policy which promises to settle
this vexatlons question either rightly or sat
isfactorily."