The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-12-30
The Lecompton Constitution..Sound
Views OF z. N. sanford, Esq.
NEW LON DON, OHIO,
Dec. 81. 1857.

Lev. 81 1OOt
My DEAR GENERAL: Your letter from
Palmetto in relation to the difficulties in
the Territory, is at hand. It affords me
pleasure, also, to learn by telegraph of
your nomination as the Democratic candi.
date for Governor of Kansas. / fully
agree with you in that the admission of
Kansas, under the Constitution framed in
pursuance Of law, is the only safe and
early means for settling. the yexed ques-
TOP, if an opportunity of voting on all
sides is allowed under proper restrictions.
The domestic institutions mentioned la
the organic act being prefaced in the same
paragraph with a reference to the domestic
institution of Slavery, that only. it would
seem, was meant, if language means any
thing. Slavery was then the exciting aud
prominent topic. Did the act contemplate
that the relation of husband and wife, pa
rent and child, and all local matters, were
to be settled by the Constitution /? Is it
supposed that all these we're to be sub
mitted to the direct vote Of the people ?
If SO, what use would there be for a LIE
gislature?
1t cannot be justly claimed, therefore,
that to carry out Popular Sovereignty, all
questions claimed by Mr.. DouGLAs, as
domestic institutions, must be embodied
in the Constitution. or that they must all
be submitted to a vote of the people.
If the Legislature had power to call a
Convention, and the members of the
Convention so called had been duly elect
ed, having their certificates of election
from the proper officers, whether any con.
siderable number of persons failed to
avail themselves of the privilege of voting
for such members or not, We cannot, con-
sistently, presume even, that the Consti-
tuition has not been made in conformity
with the doctrine of Popular Sovereignty.
If the Legislature made 30 4Prey:sion for
submitting the Constitution when famed,
to another vote, the proper and legal in
ference is, that by those means the people
of the Territory have framed their own
C o institution.
The Constitution has been made in
Kansas by a legally constituted body, and
is Republican in form as much SO as the
constitutions of Arkansas, Texas, Michi-
gan, or any of the new States,-neither
Congress or any other outside power being
permitted to interfere. Kansas has de-
oided for herself. That decision is bind
ing, unless the Constitutions of the United
States has been violated. When the
Constitution is presented to Congress, if
Republican in form, it must, therefore, be
received by that body. When Kansas
thus knocks at the door Of the. Union
having complied with the demands Of the
constitution of the United States-the
duty of Congress will be clear, and the
Territory must be admitted. It matters
whether any or all of the provisions
of the new Constitution are submitted for
another. vote or not, if the Legislature did
require it thus to be passed upon the
time, the doctrine of the Kansas
Nebraska Bill, embodying the principles
of Popular Sovereignty, has been fully and
carried into force and effect. II,
however, the Convention chose to sub
nit the Slavery question with the
Constitution, it was clearly their preroga-
tive, though not required by either of the
acts referred to. It only shows the Con-
vention was determined to do more than
it was required to do, by submitting the
Slavery question-the source of all the
divisions and diferences-to the people.
The Convention was called TO make a con-
siitution, and did make it. The body
thus called could not we'll comply with
the act of the Legislature, unless they de-
cidod there should be a constitution in
some form. To leave the fact as to wheth-