Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-12-24

resorted to the old exploded system that W.
tried in Illinois, but abandoned because w
did not like it. If they wish to try it and ge
| tired of it aud abandon it, be it so but if
were citizen of Kansas / would profit by the
experience of Illinois on that subject, au1 de
feat it if could Yet have no objection tc
! their having it if they want it it is their bu
siness, not mine.
So it is in regard to the free negroes. They
provide that no free negro shall be permitted
to live in Kansas. 1 suppose they have a
right to say so if they choose but if lived
there should want to vote on that question.
| We, in Illinois, provide that no more shall
come there. We say to the other States,
Take care of your own free negroes and We
| will take care Of ours" But we do not say
that the negroes now there shall not be per-
mitted to live in Illinois and think the peo-
pie of Kansas onght to have the right to say
whether they will allow them to live there,
and if they are not going to do SO, how they
are to dispose of them.
So you may go on with all the different
clauses of the constitution. They may be all
right they may be all wrong. That is a
question on which nv opinion is worth moth
ing. The opinion of the wise and patriotic
Chief Magistrate Of the United States is not
worth anything as against that Of the people
Of Kansas, for they have right to Judge for
themselves aud neither Presidents, nor Sena-
tors, nor House of Representatives, nor any
other power outside of Kansas, has right to
Judge for them Hence it is no Justification
III my mind for the violation of great princi-
pie of selt-government, to say that the constr
tuition you are forcing on them is not partcu-
larly obnoxious, or is excellent in its provisions
Perhaps, sir, the same thing might be said
of the celebrated Topeka constitution. / do
hot recolleet its peculiar provisions / know
one thing We Democrats, we Nebraska men,
would lot even look into it to see what its
provisions were. Why2 Because We said it
was made by political party, and not by the
people that it was made in defiance of the
authority OF Congress that if it was as pare
as the Bible, as holy as the ten command
ments, yet We would not touch it until it was
submitted to aud ratified by the people Of Kan
saS in pursuance of the forms of law. Per
haps that Topeka constitution but for the
mode Of making il, would have been une4cep-
tionable. | do not know | do not care
You have no right to force an unexceptiona-
Die constitution On people. 1t does not miti
it does not ame!iorate the wrong, that you are
forcing good thing on them. | am not viii
ling to be forced to do that which | would do
if | were left free to iadge and act for myself.
Hence | assert that there is no justification
to be made for this fragrant violation Of popu-
lar rights in Kansas, on the plea that the con-
stitution which they have made is not particu-
larry obnoxious
But, sir, the President Of the [ nited States
is really and sincerely of the opinion that the
slavery clause has been fairly and impartially
submitted to the free acceptance or rejection
of the people of Kansas, and that, inasmuch
as that was the exciting and paramount ques-
ton, if they get the right to vote as they please
on that subject they ought 10 be satisfied !;
. and possibly il might be better if We would
accept it, and put III end TO the question
Let me ask, sir is the slavery clause fairly
! submitted. so that the people can vote for or
against it Suppose | were citizen of Kan
sas, aud should go up TO the polls and say,
" desire TO vote 10 make Kansas Slave
State here is ny ballot" They reply to me
/ q" Mr- Douglas, just vote for that constitution
FIRST, if you please Oh, no !" | answer,
e | canno; vote for that constitution conscieR-
tiously. | am opposed 10 the clause by which
you locate certain railroads in such & Uay as
10 sacrifice my county and my part Of the
State. | am opposed TO that banking system.
an opposed TO this Know Nothing or Amer
can clause in the constitution about the quail
ticatiun for Office | cannot vote for it. =
Then they answer, d" You shall not vote on
making it a slave State" then say, Il
want TO make it free State" They reply,
-.
can vote 10 make il free State !; otherwise
Won cannot" Thus they di>qualjfy every free
State man who will not first vote for the Con
stituion they disquahfy every slaEe-State
man who will not first vote for tie coDsiitu-
ton. No matter whether or not the voters
state that they CaRn0. coaScientiSGsi: vote Tor
those provisions, they reply, : 4 Uu cannO,
vote for OF against slavery here Take tae
constitution as We have made il, take the elec-
tive franchise IS we have established IL, take
the banking system as We have dictated il,
take the railroad lines as we have located
them, take the Judiciary system as We have
formed IT, take if all as We have fixed il to
salt ourselves. and ask 10 questions, bnt vote
for il, or roG shall not vote either for n slave
Or free State" In other words, the legal eE-
feet Of the schedule is this ali those Who are
in favor of this constitution may vote for or
against slavery. as they please but all those
who are against this Constitution are disfran-
chised. and shall not vote at all That Is the
mode in which tie slavery proposition Is sub-
mitted Eyerv man opposed 10 The constitu
tion is diSfranc;,i>el on the slavery clause
How many are they T? They tell ron there IS
majority, for they say the constitution win
be voted down Instantly. hy an overwhelming
majority, il you allow Negative vote This
shows that a majority are against IT, They
dis9ualily aid d;sfranchise- every man who IS
against il, thus referring the slavery c.aEse to
q minority OF the people OF Kansas, and leav-
ing that minority free TO vote for or against