True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-12-23

submitting it to the people, providing in
the instrument that it should take effect
from and after the date Of its ratification,
and not before; showing that it derives
its vitality, in their estimation not from the
authority of the Convention, but lr ON
that vote of the people 10 whom it was to
be submitted for their free acceptance or
rejection. How much is it to be submit.
ted I! In shall be submitted in this form:
" Constitution with Slavery or Constlu.
tion with no Slavery All men must
vote for the Constitution whether they
like il or not, in order 10 be permitted to
vote for or against Slavery. Thus a
Constitution made by a Convention that
had authority to assemble and petition for
redress of grievances, but not to'"estab.
lish governmental Constitution made
under pledge Of honor lhatit should be
su omitted to the people before it took ef-
feet /; Constitution which provides, on
its face, that it shall have no validity ex.
cept what il derives from such submission
is submitted 10 the people at an elec.
tiOn where all men are at Liberty te -eGeempyee, -eGeempe
forward freely wj!h99HEt hindrance and vote
iof It, but man is permitted TO record
v9!e against it, That would be as fair
-LSn election as Some Of the enemies Of
Napoleon attributed TO him when he was
elected First Consul. He is said to have
called out his troops and had them re-
viewed by his officers with speech, pa
triotic and fair its professions, in which
he said to them: Now, my soldiers,
you are to 60 to the election and vote free.
ly Just as you please. If you vote for
Napoleon, all is we'll; vote against him
you are instantly to be shot," That was
a fair election. Laughter This elec-
ton is to be equally fair. All men in ia.
vor of the Constitution may vote for it
all men against it shall not vote at ALL
Why not let them vote against it l
presume you have asked many man
this question. have asked very large
number Of the gentlemen who framed The
Constitution, quite number Of delegates,
and still larger number of persons who
were their friends, and | have received
the same answer from every one of them.
1 never received any other answer
What is that :! They say iflhey allow.
ed negative vote, the Constitution would
have been voted Gown by an overwhelm-
ing majority, and hence the fellows shall
not be allowed to vote al all. Laugh.
ter.
Mr.. President, that may be true. 1t
is no part of my purpose to deny the
proposition that that Constitution would
have been voted down if submitted TO the
people. | believe it wonId have been
voted down by majority of four 10 one.
| am informed by men we'll posted there
, --democrals--that it would be voted
down by ten to one some say twenty 10
one. But is it good reason why you
should declare it in force, without being
submitted to the people, merely because
it would have been voted down by five to
, one, if you had submitted it? What does
, that fact prove Does it not show un.
deniably, that an overwhelming majority
of the people of Kansas are unalterably
opposed to the Constitution Will you
force it on them against their will simply
because they would have voted il down
had you consulted them +! If you will
are you going to force 1t upon them under
the plea of leaving them perfectly free to
form and regulate their domestic institu.
tions in their own way? Is that the
mode in which | am called upon 10 car
ry out the principle of self.governmets
and popular sovereignty in the Territories
TO force Constitution, on the people
against their will, in opposition to their
protest, with knowledge of the fact, and
then to assign, as reason for my tyranny
that they would be so obstinate and so
perverse as to vote down the Constitution
if had given them an opportunity to be
consulted about it Sir, | deny your
right or mine to inquire OF these people
what the objections 10 that Constitution
are. '..'. 49,
They have a right to Judge for them
selves whether they like or dislike it,
1t is no answer to tell me that the Con.
s:ilution is good one and unobjec;iona.
BILE. 1t is not satisfactory to me. to have
the President say in his Message that
tie Constitution is an admirable one, like
all the Constitutions Of the new States
that have been recently formed. Wheth-
er good or bad, whether obnoxious or not,
is none of my business and none of yours.
: 1t is their business and ours: care not
what they have in their Constitution, so
that it suits them and does not violate
, the Constitution of the United States and
| the Fundamental principles of liberty up
on which Our institutions rest. I am moi
going TO argue the question whether tn G
banking system established in that Con.
! sttution is wise or unwise. 1t SAYS there
! shall be no monopolies, but there shall
be one bank of discount.in the State with
Two branches. All | have to say on thai
E point is, if they want banking system
lei them have it; if they do not want it.
let themprohibit it. If they want bank
, with two branches, be it so if they wan
twenty, it is none of my business and i
matters not 10 ne whether one. of then
5 shall be on the Moth side and the other
. on the South side Of the Kaw river, OF
, where they shall be.
, While | have no right to expect to bt
t consulted on that point, l do hold tha
. the people of Kansas have the right tc
! be consulted and to decide it, and yor
have no rightful authority to deprive
Them of that privilege. Il is no juslifca.
7 lion. in my mind. to say that the provi
, sions for the eligibility for the offices oI
| GnHernnr and Iientnnnni. .Enun.nn. .a