Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-11-13

n meettnS tuht ZIG pcOpl6 OIL hhnbhS ouSHt
themselves to do the things recommended
in that resolution. do not doubt; but
there is q wide difference between what
the people of State, new or old, should
lido, and what Congress can. constrain them
to do. The people Of Virginia. doubtless,
ought to do many things which Congress
cannot force them to do. But even if the
fifth resolution had been confined to a
Recommendation to Congress to reject the
application of the State for admission on
the ground that the Convention had not
submitted the Constitution 70 ratification
to the people, the matter would not have
. been much helped; for, after all, the two
} Resolutions would have been nearly iden-
teal in principle. ri sos 81! f
Suppose that the people of Kansas had
elected Convention which the authority
expressly delegated to them to form and
adopt a Constitution; suppose farther,
that Congress. in the spirit of these reso.
buttons. had rejected the applications for
admission, and sent back the Constitution,
because it had not been ratified by final
vote of the people. Might not the people
of Kansas we'll say, "You have rejected
: our Constitution because it was not ratifi-
ed as you affirm, by the people; now, as
you claim to be the judges in this matter,
you must designate whom you mean by
. the people, whose ratification, by far
Their vote, is to be the condition OF our ad
mission?" But if Congress undertook to
prescribe who should vote it would claim
this very power of regulating the right Of
suffrage for the people of new State, of
which have been speaking, and rs it
r Iuaa fn oil ha
flow frem that assumption of power which
Congress to control the Convention in the
exercise of its delegated powers in one re-
3 spect, it will be hard to resist it's interfe-
5 renee i'll another. 1t is far safer to leave
the whole matter, as your third resolution
seems to design. 10 the people of the new
, or inchoate State themselves, for other
: wise we shall be embarrassed by difficult
5 ties at every stop that we take. If we
: begin to make such retrograde moves
ments as these, must we not prepare our
minds to lose all that has been gained for
: the Constitution and the South by the
r Kansas Nebraska act?
1 have given you my opinions. In this
: letter and that addressed to the Hon.
e Shelton T. Leake, upon the subjects OF
5 your resolutions, because they were ask
a ed, and l express myself freely but with
o great respect for those who may differ hom
me. But it seems to be the sentiment of
the Democratic party of the State, if
D may judge by the general tone ofits press,
: that they ought not to divide upon these
D recent Kansas issues, they probably will
i be temporary, and it is uncertain whether
: they will ever become practical in their
character. In this, as it appears to me
they were wise. When the Democratic
party established the principle of the Kan.
7 sas~Nebraska act, and obtained common
4 ground upon which all its members might
i, stand in regard to disturbing question
i it overcame the greatest difficulty. Its
= success in this respect encourages the hope
It that when the time for action arises, and
u its representatives get together. they will
9 be able to reconcile satisfactorily any diff
: ferences which may have aisen in regard
o to the application Of their principles.
i say this for the good of the party and the
country. but not for myself. So far as
n am personally concerned, I shun none o.
e the responsibility which attaches to me
r Individually for the opinions which I have
r expressed. s..
n In this connection, too, must return
1t to you and those whom you represent my
i" thanks for SO much good will and conf
s dence as you express in the resolutions
b which relate to myself personally. To wiz
|. fairly and justly the trust and conf
u dence of the people of Virginia. has beer
r the highest object of my political aspira
: lions. There is none other which place
l in competition with it. But it is tbeil
It trust and confidence, and not the office
ii that value. If l have not the first, dc
j. not desire the latter. Office, unless it il
e bestowed in that spirit, can have no at
n fractions for me. Entertaining these
i sentiments, l have been reluctant to ap
? pear before the public in any commune
y cation which might wear the air of soil
l. citation. or place me in the apparent posi-
st tion Of advocating my own claims and in
3 trests. l hold no such position-I prefer
|. no claims-I make no solicitations. l
y my past course has failed to SOW the seed.
20 of confidence in the public mind of Virgi
st MIA, it is my misfortune, perhaps, my fault
n Nor are the people to be blamed for the
3. fact, or for exercising their undoubtec
3 right and duty in bestowing their Offices
IF where they place their trust. Assuredly
8 thcy will not be disturbed by me, either
20 with solicitations before their decision il
y made. or by complaints to be uttered al
l. forwards because of the manner in which
}, they may have exercised their powers
re according to their own sense Of duty
f? Neither do purpose to trouble them far
If Their by any public communication in ne
/. gard to my sentiments and opinions. as
l. have answered as fully as l am capable
o of doing, upon all the various subjects o
z INQUIRY. l will not conclude. however