The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-10-17
speech Of Gen. cslhoun.

ago. As that body IS about to eonye,.
again it may not be out of place to rnv;.I
his speech on the occasion of his t,[;
the chair. The people, too, may ds,;,..
see whether he follows the line of r,a'
which he has laid out. 1t viii be ois..
ed that Mr. Calhoun is in favor Of m.l:
all offices elective; not that ONLY bu, .
Constitution must be 'properly, fairly, A.
honestly approved by the true citizen. :,
Kansas" When wisely. framed, sa,I.
suggests, and honestly approved bg u.
trae citizens" then our political diffieplt..
are at an end. But to the speech =
GENTLEMEN For the very fa,,s-.
expression of your sentiments in ro,:.Es
ring on me the Office of President NJ -:
Convention, you have nv profoup5 Z :.
acknowledgements. | am fully aws-a :,
the importance Of the position which -
brought us together on this occasson -
know well that it viii be utterly imros,;
bic for me to perform the duties nf i.
office to which l have been called mi
have the hearty cooperation of fran5'
around and about me- To ful6Il r.
duties-to discharge them to the eT,os.
of my ability will, it is almost upna,.,
sary for me to say, exert nv utmoS, -
forts. Indeed, you have the assurance e
that in the fact of my having accepted 4.
position conferred upon me. NAV ali
gentlemen, that this Is no ordinary ~ -
casion. The meeting of Convent;on ;,
frame the Constitution of new St..a ;.
under ordinary circumstances, A matt, :;
no great interest The Young STATE M :.
spring into being and reach great oonss
quence in the National Congress ana !.
the national history. but still there will /.
but the uniform course of the States al
this Union. We meet here TO-DAY unss,
extraordinary circumstances, and I m,
that every member of this Convention h,
come here to-day TO discharge the dptss
fully impressed with the high respOpsf
ties that attach to him, and with their in.
portance not only to Kansas but 10 H.
Union of which we propose to become
member. Il Constitution risely frau,i
and properly, fairly and honestly approraI b
the true citizens If Kansas, will settle II
the difficulties that surround Us. and nil
at once restore harmony to the Union.
may remark here, without perhaps. don,
injustice to the feelings of any honest All
true lover of his country, that the forIBs.
ton of such Constitution prostrates snl
erushes to earth party that is seeking l7
every means within its power, to o6,sil
ascendency, even at the cost of the sse,i.
fee of the Union itself. 1t is not merely
Kansas, it is the Union, that is interes-ei
The action of this Convention involve,
not merely the interest of the people heTs
but of the people throughout the Repub
lie. One of the greatest issues to be fe.
solved by the Convention is whether ils
people of this Territory shall have ths
power to control its Government. T.
make Constitution is but small affair.
Not single principle viii be embrace
in the Constitution to be framed du1ifg
this session, that has not been already in
planted in other Constitutions. The Oh.
original Constitutions of the America
States contained some errors, which have
since been corrected by the popular seu.i-
ment, and whenever old Constitutions
have been revised and altered, or aes
Constitutions framed, they have had e1-
pressed on them the principle that The
people have the rishs 10 rule, and shall
rule in all matters; that they shall el,ci
not merely Governors and Presidents aHi
the various officers that are usually elect.
ed by the people, but also Judges. The,e
Improvements have been made within tie
last quarter CT a century, and are e.
pressed not only in the Constitution q
such of the older States as have held Coz
yentions within that time, but also Z
those of the new States, that have sine
come into the Union. There are there
fore no new principles to be decided 2
these Conventions to frame Constitutes
The people of Kansas assume the nshi
to settle all questions for themselves, an
it is that which produces the difficult,
not merely here in Kansas, but thrcughosi
the Union. The diffinclty must Be 81
tied by your deliberation. / think TIE
members of this Convention, over whd
l have the honor to preside, ought to gTs
to the world the assurance that their de-
liberations viii result, not merely in Il
settlement of difficulties here, but in IL
settlement of the question as to wheiAE
this Union shall continue, and as to whsiA-
er that party which is employing its trsa-
ures, Its men and its resources, to keepihs
an open question ill the next PresideHis
conquest, viii stand or fall. If the Uniol
stand, that party goes by the board. lfthE
party triumphs, the Union cannot live; ihs
high and responsible duty therefore de-
wolves upon us to take into our hands ths
organic act of this Territory, and actin.
upon its principles, to present 10 the Cox
gress of the United States Constitute,
framed in such manner, and having su5t
an endorsement as that we may not mefs-
ly petition for admission TO the Union bsi
demand that we shall be admitted.
trust that wise counsels will prevail here
| am confident, from my knowledge d
the members Of this Convention, that snes
will be the case. There may be eXcIis-
ment of feeling; there may be paEtieHl-i
points on which individual members vi
plant themselves, but still trust tb1.
every member of this Convention vi
bring to'bear, in the judgment Of ali :
sues that may be presented, that cain.
sober deliberatlon becoming statesHsa
who have met together 70 found a goFeI1-
ment, who have met together to lay u
foundations on which great people s6aA
have TO rest. / ara fully confident thA
you will be and are fitted to the oce2s9-
And, gentlemen, can give you ths =
surance that in all your actions that VII
be just and proper to Kansas-just, Iso-
per and right to the principles OF tss
Government under which we live. 81
which looks 70 the prosperity Of kaDss
and TO the preservation of the Unoa-
you shall have my full, hearty and hons'-
| again tender to you y!
thanks for the honor which you have CO..
ferred upon me-foT deem it hlgsd
honor to stand here to-day, the pres.diss
officer of this Convention, than to Ill sn!
other position that the American peeps
could confer upon ne.
Post Masiss.
VIII the Danarffneu6 st Washibgtcl