Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-12-29

stitution on Kanses than Slave State
Consultation. II Kansas wants a Slave
State Constitution, she has a right to it;
If she wants Free State Constitution, she
has right to it. '.'y -" ,'
Do you suppose, after the pledges Of my
honor, that would go for that principle
and leave the people to vote as they choose,
that would now degrade mysalf by vo-
ting one way if the Slavery clause be voted
down, ard another way If it be voted up
care not how that vote may stand, take
it for granted that It will be voted up. 1
think 1 have seen enough in the last three
days to make it certain that It win be re-
turned out, no matter how the vote may
stand. TLaughter. -'9 't'''"+''i
Sir, am opposed to that concern, be-
cause it looks to me like system of trick
cry and jugglery to defeat the fair express
sion of the will Of the people. There is no
necessity for Gro wding this measure, so
unfair, so unjust as it is in all its aspects,
upon US. Why can we not now do what
we proposed to do in the last Congress?-
We then voted through the Senate an ena-
bling Act, called "the Toombs bill," be-
lieved to be just and fair in all its provisions,
pronounced to be almost perfect by the
Senate from New Hampshire, Mr. Hale,)
only he did not like the man then Presi-
dent of the United States, who would have
to made the appointments.
Why can we not take that bill, and. out
of compliment to the President, add to 1t
clause taken from the Minnesota act,
which he thinks should be ageneral rule,
requiring the Constitution to be submit
ted to the people. and pass that? That
unites the party. You all voted, with me,
for that bill, at the last Congress. Why
not stand by the same bill now? Ignore
Lecompton, ignore Topeka; treat both
those party movements as irregular and
void; pass fair bill the one that we
framed ourselves, when we were acting
as unit-have fair election, and you
will have peace in the Democratic Party,
and peace throughout the country, in nine
ty days. The people want fair vote
They will never be satisfied without it.
They never should he satisfied without
fair vote on their Constitution. ""
If the Toombs' bill does not suit my
friends, take the Minnesota bill of the last
session-the one 30 much commended by
the President, in his message, as model.
Let us pass that as an enabling Act, and
allow the people of all parties to come to-
gether and have fair vote, and l will go
for it. Frame any other bill that secures
a fair, honest vote to men Of all parties.
and carries out the pledge that the people
shall be left free to decide on their domestic
institutions for themselves, and l will 60
with you with pleasure, and with all the
energy may possess. But if this consti-
tuition is to be forced down our throats, IN
violation of the fundamental principle OF
free Government, under mode OF submis-
sion that is mockery and insult, painful
as il will be to me, must break all asso-
Citations or connections rather than forfeit
my principles.
1 have no fear of any party association
being severed. should regret to see so
cial and political ties severed; but if it must
be, 1 cannot act with you and preserve my
faith and my honor. will stand on the
, great principle of Popular Sovereignty,
which declares the right of all people to
be left perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own
way. will follow that principle wherever
it's legal and logical consequences may take
me, and will endeavor to defend it against
t assault from any and from all quarters.---
, No mortal man shall be responsible for my
| action but myself. By my action will
compromit no man.