Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-12-05
THE wEEkLY STAR
The Union publishes, to-day, the Constitu-
fiou of Kansas of which il saws:

tiou Of Kansas, of which it says:
4. Those who have been imposed upon by the
charge that the Constitution has been fraudu-
lently withheld from the public by the President
Of the Convention will now be undeceived and
disabuSed of these false Impressions Upon ex-
animation II will be found that the Constitution
Is strictly republican in its provisions and char
acter, and in many respects an improvement on
many of the old constitutions There are some
of its details which might well be the subjects Of
different opinions, but the same remark would
be equally true Of any constitution of any State
We venture to advance the opinion that it will
be universally regarded a good Constitution
On the subject of slavery its provisions have
heretofore been correctly described In the Union;
The only exception we taken to il that is
worthy Of any notice is that taken by the Black
Republican journals. The exception is that if
the slavery clause should be voted out by the
g: sSels of Kansas Kansas would still be Slave
The fact is directly the reverse In that event
slavery would be forever prohibited, except that
the owners of the few slaves now in Kansas could
not be forced to emancipate them without lust
compensation. We have said heretofore and we
now repeat, that no other provision could be or
would be tolerated, either by Congress or by any
respectable judicial tribunal. We commend the
constitution to the attention of our readers, as
furnishing the best answer to much of the prelu-
dice sought to be excited against the action of
the convention, and against the administration
Tor us determination to recognize and sustain the
legality of that action. If fanaticism and faction
do not rule the hour in Kansas. we shall soon
have the pleasure of greeting into the Union an
other sovereign State, with a constitution as
soundly republican, and in its general provisions
as wisely framed, as any Of the older members Of
the confederacy; and, what is of no small mo-
ment, we shall have the satisfaction Of announ-
eng the nnality' OF sectional agitation
The LltsIIgencer, in an elaborate article
continues its efforts to effect the rejection by
Congress of the Kansas State Constitution on
the ground that the failure of the Convention
to submit all its provisions to popular verdict
before the Territory's admission as State is
sufficient violation of the principle of popular
sovereignty to justify the policy of keeping the
Kansas question open. Such is the gist of its
argument, however well its purpose may be
obscured from the casual reader by its elabo-
ration.
The idea of the htPiIigencer's setting MP for
the most jealous guardian of popular rights in
its old age. is, simply, one of the most ridicu-
lous notions of all the vayaries which have
marked American politics up to this time The
truth is, unless the Kansas question be kept
alive for q year or two longer, there can be no
earthly hope of bringing the Opposition into
power In 1860; for, We undertake TO say, that
upon all other subjects there never has been
an Administration of this Government that, in
the same space of time, has gained popular
appreciation, without distinction of party, so
steadily and universally, as the present
Upon that subject, too-the Kansas slavery
question-it has been forced to contend against
concentrated spirit of sectional popular mad
ness, which would have Frustrated the moral
power Of almost any other statesman so far oc-
cupying the Executive chair. At it is, how
ever, the Democracy, through the prudent,
patriotic and conservative course of James
Buchanan, as a candidate, and, subsequently,.
ne the Executive Of the Confectionery. are now
far stronger also, than at any previous time in
four years.
HE opposition realize the force of these
truths, and are clutching through their metro
Politan organ, the InteAigencer, at their only
hope Of bringing about the Democratic dissen-
slons absolutely necessary to justify them in
even attempting to organize against whoever
may De the Democratic nominee in 1860
This. in few words, is the real key to the In
feH'se"eeT's present funny position-that Of
the chief newspaper defender of popular rights.
BY the by, the Philadelphia Press is indeed
God,send to our neighbOr, who should forth
with send its editor barrel of the best Lynn
haven Bays that Garrison fishes up 4