Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-12-15

Frcm this cause 1t may readily happen, rs his
often been the ease, that ma !orty OF the peo-
question, whilst a majority OF the representa-
lives from the several districts into which it IS
divided may be upon the other side. This crises
from the fact that in some districts delegates
ma V be elected by small majorities, whist in
others those different sentiments may receive
majoritics Sufficiently great not only To over
come the votes given for the former. bat taleavc
A large majority OF the whole people in direct
opposition 10 Il majority OF the delegates. Be.
sides, our history proves that influences may be
brought 10 bear on the rePresa ltatiye sufficient
" pow erful to induce Ii to disregard the will
Of his constituents. The truth Is, that no other
authentic and satisfactory mode exists OF ascer-
tanning the viii of majority of the people of
any State or errltorY on an Important and eX-
citing question ike that of slavery in Kansas
except by leaving 1t TO a direct vote. How wise,
then, was it for Congress TO pass over all subo--
dInate and intermediate agencies, and proceed
directly 10 the source of all Legitimate power
under orr Institutions
How vain would any other principle prove in
practice This may be illustrated by the case
of Kansas. Should she be admitted into the
Union with a constitution either maintaining or
abgl5hIng slavery against tie sen! ImeBt OF the
people this could have no other effect than to
continue and 10 exasperate the existing agitation
during the brief period required TO make the
constitution conform TO the irresistible viii Of
the majority.
The friends and supporters of the Nebraska
and Kansas act, when struggling en- 4 recent oc-
caslUn 10 sustain it's wise provisions before the
great tribunal OF The American people, never
| differed about Its true meaning on this subject
/ Eyeryvh throughout the Union hey public
ly pledged their faith and thelr honor, that they
would cheerfally submit the question of slavery
| to the decision of the bona fide people of Kan
! sas, without any restriction or qualification
] whatever. All were cordially united upon the
great doctrine of popular sovereignty, which Is
the vital principle OF our free institutions. Had
/ 1t then been Iuslnualed from any quarter that 1t
would be a sufficient compliance with the re
/ QUESTIONS of the organic law for the members
Of convention, thereafter to be elected, to with
| hold the question of slavery from the people,
and to substitute their own Will for that of 4:
legally ascertaIned majority Of all their couStIt-
uents, this would have been instantly rejected.
! Every where they remained true to the re~olu-
ton adopted oil a celebrated occasion racugniz-
ing the right ef the people fail the Territor
Ies-includmg Kansas and Misunderstanding
through the legally aHd fairly expressed viii Of
( a majority OF actual residents, and whenever the
number OF their inhabitants jUstitcs it. to form
a Constitution. with or without slavery. and be
admitted into the Union upon terms OF perfect
/ equality with The other States
! The Convention to frame 4 Constitution for
/ Kansas met on the first Monday OF September
/ last They were called together 10y virtue of AN
act Of the Territorial Ie ,isia;ure, whose lawful
/ existence had been recognized by Congress in
different i.Slus and by different euactmcuts \
large proportion Of the citizens OF Kansas did
not think proper to register Their names and to
/ vote at the election for delegates bat an OPP
portuuity 10 do this having been fairly Afforded
their refusal to avail theuselN es OF their rigu5
could IN 10 manner affect the legality of the
/ Convention.
This Convention proceeded to frame Con-
stltuton fer Kansas, and finally adjourned on
the It'll day Of November. But little difficulty
occurred IN the Cuny entiou, except on the sub
iect OF slavery. The truth l. that the gene al
/ provisions OF our recent State Constitutions are
50 silui!ar-and may add. 50 excelIeut-rhat
. tsc dIitc' euce between them i not cSSgutl al-
Under the earlier practice Of uffhe Government
/ no Constitution framed by the Convention of 4
/ Territory preparatory to Its admission into the
/ Union rs Stale had been submitted 10 the
/ people / trust, however, the example set by
/ tbs last Congress, requiring that the Cousritu-
ton OF Minnesota " should be subject 10 the an
/ Proya and ratification of the people OF the pro-
posed State. may be followed on future occis-
ions / took l. Tor granted that the Convention
I OF kansas would act in accordance with this ex-
ample, founded, as it j.. on correct principles
! and hence my Instructions to Governor Walker.
/ Ia favor vi submitting the Constitution to the
! people. were expressed in general and uuguaIl4-
/ lied terms IN the kanSaS-N ebraSka act. how
ever, tLls requirement. applicabcto the whole
! Constitution. had Hpt been inserted and th.
Convention We're not bound by its terms 10 sub
/ nit any other p'fllou OF the ms rument 10 ali
election, except That which relates 10 the 50 do
/ nestle institution OF slavery This will be
/ rendered clear by a simple reference to its ian
/ guaEH- Il was not to IcgI~iate slavery into
any Territory or State, nor 10 exclude il there
from, bat TO leave the people thereof perfectly
81 to form and regulate their domestic iu-tIti-
tlons IN their own way" Accurdiugto the plain
| construction OF the sentence, lie wO ds dnmes-
tie Institutions have dir, ct IS thew haqc an
appropriate reference to slavery. . Domestic
I.-tl, ut!"ns are limited To- the family. The re-
/ lai!on between mas CT aud slave aud q few 9th
crS e Sc domestic Institutions" and are entire
~ distinct from institutions uf q political char
actcr Besides, there was no question then be-
fore Congress, nor indeed has there since he any
serious question before the people of Kansas or
! the country, except that which relates TO the
d" domestic institution oIsiarerF.
| The Convention, after an angry and excited
| debate, hnaItv determined, b. majority Of on
~ two, TO submit the que5: ion Of slavery to the
people, though at the last ;urty-three of The fifty
delegates present affixed their signatures 10 the
/ Constitution.
4 large moiority of the Convention were I'm
favor of establishing slavery in Kansas. They
accordingly inserted an article in the Coustitu-
/ ton for this purpose similar in form to those
which had been adopted by other Territorial
| Conventions In the schedule, however, provId-
ing for the transition from a Territorial to a
State government, the question has been fairly
/ they Will have a Constitution " with OF without
! slavery. Ii declares that, before the Constitu-
ton adopted by the Convention g shall be sent
/ to Congress for admission into the Union as a
State an election shall be held to decide this
question, at which all the white male nhabitants
OF the Territory above the age Of q are entitled
! to vote. They are to vote by ballot ami the
/ ballots cast at said election shall be indorsed
/ : Constitution with Slavery and Constitution
with no Slavery" If there be a majority in
favor OF the q" Constitution with Slavery, then
It Is to be transmitted.to Congress by the Presi-
dent OF the Convention in its original form. Ii
ON the contrary, here shall be a majority in
favor of the - Constitution with no Slavery
&" then the article providing for Slavery shall be
stricken from the Constitution BY the Presideu,
ofthis Convention = and 1t Is expressly decIar-
ed that d" no slavery shall exist IN the State O
Kansas, except that the right OF property il
slaves now in the Territory shall in no manner
be intericred with ;" and in that event il i
made his duty to have the Consti'uti thu.
ratified transmitted 10 the Congress of the Uni.
ted States for the admission cf the State into the
Union.