Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-12-18

| Tor admission into the Union as State,S
an election shall be held to decide this
question, at which all the white male in
habitants of the Territory .areirequired to
vote. They are to vote by ballot, and
the ballots cast at-said election shall be
endorsed constitution with slavery, and
constitution with no slavery" If there
be majority in favor of. the "constitution
with slavery" then it is to be transmitted
to Congress by the president Of the con-
Evention in its original form.s If on the
contrary, there shall be majority in fa-
yor Of the " constitution with no slavery"
then the article providing for slavery
shall be stricken from the constitution BY
the president of this convention - and
it is expressly declared that no slavery
shall exist in the State OF Kansas. except
that the right of property in slaves now
in the Territory shall in no manner be in
terfered with" and in that event it is
made his duty to have the constitution
thus ratified transmitted to the Congress
of the United States for the admission Of
the State into the Union.
At this election every citizen will have
an opportunity of expressing his opinion
by this vote " wether Kansas shall be re-
ceived into the Union with or without
slavery" and thus this exciting question
may be peacefully settled in the very
mode required by the organic law. The
election will be held under legitimate au-
thority. and if any portion Of the iahabi-
tants shall refuse to vote, a fair opportu-
nifty to do so having been presented. this
will be their own voluntary act, and they
alone will be responsible for the conse.
quences:
Whether Kansas shall be free or slave
State must eventually, under some au-
thority, be decided by an election; and
the question can never be more clearly
or distinctly presented to the people than
it is at the present moment. Should this
opportunity be rejected. she may be in
voIved for years in domestic discord, and
possibly in civil war, before she can again
make up the issue now so fortunately
rendered. and again reach the point she
has already attained.
Kansas has for some years occupied
too much OF the public attention. 1t is
high time this should be directed to far
more important objects. When once ad-
mitted into the Union, whether with or
without slavery, the excitement beyond
her own limits will speedily pass away,
and she will then for the first time be left,
as she ought to have been long since, to
manage her own affairs in her own way.
II her constitution on the subject Of slave
ry, or on any other subject, be displeas-
ing to a majority .of the people no human
power can prevent them from changing it
within brief period. Under these cir
cumstances, it may well be questioned
whether the peace and quiet Of the whole
country are not of greater importance
than the mere temporary triumph of ei-
ther of the political parties in Kansas.
Should the constitution without slavery
be adopted by the votes of the majority,
the rights Of property in slaves now in
the Territory are reserved. The number
of these is very small; but il it were grea-
ter the provision would be equally just
and reasonable. These slaves were brought
into the Territory under the constitution
Of the United States, and are now the
property of their masters. This point
has at length been finally decided by the
highest judicial tribunal of the country
when a confederacy of sovereign Stale
acquires a new territory at their joint ex>
pense, both equality and justice demsnd
that the citizens Of one and all Of them
shall have the right 10 take into it what.
soever is recognised as property by the
common constitution. To have summarily
con6scated the property in slaves already
in the Territory, would have been an act
of gross in justice, aud contrary to the
practice of tue older States of the Union
which have abolished slavery. ,.n ..at
.... UTAH. .lf..r Or ....
A territorial government was establish>
ed for Utah by act Of Congress approved
the 9th September, 1850, and the consti.
tuition and laws of the United States
were thereby extended over it $50 far
as the same, or any provisions thereof,
may be applicable" This act provided
for the appointment by the President, by
and with the advice and consent of the
Senate. Of a governor, and who was to be
ex-oficio superintendent Of Indian affairs.
a secretary, three judges Of the supreme
court. q marshal, and district attorney.
Subsequently acts provided for the ap.
pointment of the officers necessary to ex-
tend our land and our Indian system over
the Territory. Brigham Young was ap.
pointed the first governor on the Goth
September, 1850, and has held the Office
ever since. Whilst Governor Young has
been both governor and superintendent OF
Indian affairs throughout this period. he
has been at the same time the head Of the
church called the Latter-Dsy Saints, and
processes to govern its members and dis
pose of their property by direct inspiration
and authority from the Almighty. His
power has been, therefore absolute over
both Church aud State. ., .....-.a .s#
The people of Utah, almost exclusive.