The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1857-11-27
Kansns Bogus Consti,ution.

Ii seems that the e'sAdministratior
rrally does approve Of the most ras
callysonduct Of the bogus Constitu,
tiopal Convention. in the attempt te
force a Constitution upon the peo
pIe OF Kansas without their consent
The Washington Union. the mouth
piece Of Buchanan, in speaking o.
tile disposition TO be made Of, the
Constitution remarks: iaaW'
."Thc vexcd question is settled
the problem is solved-the dread
points of danger is passcd--all ser
iohs'trouble about Kansas affairs il
over and gone. Kansas comes into
the Union on the piino;p,o or tic
great net which organized her and
Nebraska as territorial governments.
Another stsr is added 10 the repub
lican eonstellation, not shining on
scsnes Oh terror, conflugration and
blt cd, but lending its light to the
peaceful pursuits Of contcntcd and
prosperous people. '.'9
4'Js'e 80 a. To-. -
-'This sclpdpfe submits the consti
tntion TO the white inhabitants oI
Kansas; acknowledges tue people oI
the new state to be the only tribunal
that can rightfully determine what
its domestic institutions shall bc; and
girss full, fair, and practical effect
10 tho great priacipie Of popular sor
ereignty. On the 2lst day Of Decom.
ber next the electors may meet at
their proper places of voting and ex-
press their opinions by ballot on the
question Of slavery or no slavery
l.a majority shall vote in favor OF
slavery >. then, the provision which
makes Kansas a slave state will re.
main in the constitution, and IN that
shape il will be laid before Congress.
But If the greater number of ballots
bc cast the other way, that provision
shall be stricken ont, and then every
negro in the state, or hereafter to "
there, shall be free, except the few
who arc now there in the legal con.
dision Of slavery.
The special details OF tho provis
ions for taking the sense Of the peo.
pie, so far as we can judge OF them
AT this distance, seem to as admira-
bly, cont,irea for tie purpose. 1t it
shall not result in a true expression
ofthe popular wishes, it will DO the
faul. Of the people themselves. But
we have no right to doubt that the
election will he fairly conducted, or
that the defeated party, whichever i,
may be, will cheerfuIIy submit to the
will Of the majority"
As the schedule shows, tho Con.
stitution is to be submitted in this
way: "Constitution with Slavery or
Constitution without Slavery" and
the people are compelled to swallow
the Constitution no matter, how they
vote, and yet the Washington Union
makes itself notoriously ridiculous
by asserting that this bare. faced
fraud 'gives tulk. practical and fair
effect to the great principle Of popu.
lar sorereignty."
No little ado was made by the De.
mocracy over the fortunate inven-
ton, that gave birth to the popular
sovereignty dogma. Why the incep.
tion Of this new doctrine was attend.
ed with a general cackling among
the tall shanghai leaders ofthe Dem.
ocratic household, and they had like to
have fallen ont among themselves as
TO who should have the credit oi
brooding this fledgling. o yes, they
had Just discovered that it was a
Democratic doctrine, that "ths peo.
pie Of territory should be left free
70 choose their own institutions, !"
Shd Buchanan's Administration was
70 inaugurate just such All era. -
Well, how faithfully has 1t been car.
ried outl Why, Convention elec-
ted by fraud meet and frame Con.
Stitution, and provide, in the Con
Atitution, "that the right OF property
in slaves now in the Territory, shall
not be interfsrcd with" that the
President of the Convention shalI
have the appointment OF the judge.
Oftbe election to be held, for the pur
pose of permitting the people to de
eide on an isolated clause Of tina
Constitution--that those only WIN
voted at the first election, shall b
permitted to vote on this pro-slaver.
.sppendage-that steps cannot b
taken for the amendment OF this Con
stitntion for Q period Of eight years
and although the greater portion @
the snbject matter OF this Constitu
ton, is obnoxious to the sentiment
OF nine-tentbs Of the people Of tb
Territory, they are to have no voic
N iis adoption. While at the sam
itipe farce is played of, by allow
ing<he people to vote Oh q sing
'islspsc, embracing q simple gene
s'ity on tbs subject Of slavery, th
;aCssstitutiop proper contains q clau,
naas.<ia1< ao..Aiaa.a ~ A. Il