New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-23
Non. II conflict can be averted till October, VI
trust IL may be averted forever

questions affecting their political webeing and To-
tuIe condition is not one upon which President b.
cbanan is now called upon to form an opinion for
the first time, nor one upon which he has commit
ted himself only by his uttcrances in relation to
Kansas. Indeed, this question came mp for discus
sion in the Senate Of tho United States 10 the
years 1896 and 1887, upon the question Of the ad-
mi,sion Of Michigan as q State, Mr.. Buchanan
being then member of the Senate, and taking
leading part in the debate.
Previous to any application to Congress for ad.
mission into the Union, the Territorial Legislature
Of Michigan bad sed an act to authorize the peo
pie Of the Territory to choose Convention to
frame State Constitution. The Convention thus
authorized met, framed Constitution. and laid it
before Congress for approval. 1t was voted in
June, 1886, to receive Michigan as State under
this Constitution, on condition that she would con-
form her southern boundary, then in dispute with
Ohio, to certain line prescribed by Congress, and
would assent to that boundary BY Convention
called for that sole purpose. The State Legisla-
ture under the new State Constitution having met
shortly after, passed an act authorizing such Con-
vention, but the Convention when it met refused
to adopt TIE Congressional boundary. This was in
September, 1896 In the following December
selfconstituted popular assembly met, calling itself
Convention, though its members bad been elected
under no law, State or Territorial and, having so
met, took upon itself to give the consent Of the
people Of Michigan to the boundary prescribed by
Congress; ard the action of this Convention being
forwarded to Congress- then in session, was there
upon made the basis for new act to admit
Michigan Internationally into the Union. 1t
was alleged in the debate that for the members
of the last or December COnvention-the one spOn-
tsneOusly choien-not less than eight or nine thou
sand affirmative votes had been given; whereas, for
the delegates to the September Convention, author
lied by the State Legislature, only five or six thou
sand votes had been cast and this superiority in the
number of votes was insisted upon, among other
reasons for regarding the voice Of the spontaneous
Convention of December as an expression Of the
opinion of the people Of Michigan, aordiug suffi-
Gent basis for her admission as State, and sufi
tenber Convention. 1t is not improbable that at
the approaching session Of Congress the question of
the admission Of Kansas may come up under very
similar circumstances. A State Constitution is to
be formed for Kansas by a Convention authorized
by the body claiming to be the Territorial Legisa
stitutioD, heretofore formed by spontaneous Con-
ven:ion, and again ratified by q much more numer-
GUS popular support, will also be presented to
Congress, before which body will come up the quss-
ton of the weight to be attached to the dongs of
such spontaneous bodies Of popular representatives.
1t was contended in the Michigan debate, by Mr..
Calhoun and Mr.. Morris Of Ohio that it was i'm.
possible for Congress to take any notice of the do
ipss Of the spontaneous Convention of December.
They could only pay attention to the doings OF the
regular Convention Of September, and as that Con-
vention had not complied with the condition pre-
scribed, Michigan was not yet in the Union, and
could not be allowed to come in except by a regu.
lar compliance, through her regular authorities,
with the condition prescribed. Mr.. buchanan,
among others, took warmly the opposite ground,
which he supported in several speeches. Thus, in
lis speech of the Goth of December, he denied that
the act of Congress required that the Convention to
assent to the boundary should be chosen under any
legislative act. We quote:
"The only question to be determined by Congress
was has clear majority of the people Of that State,
by Convention elected by themselves, given the
sent required by the act Of Congress This, 1t wac
plain to bis mind had been done. He tertood that
about COO votes had been given in favor OF this
OF the first one which refused to assent to the
condition Of the act. This was ms understanding OF
the matter and If the people Of Michigan had madea
half dozen uttortanafe attempts 10 come INTO ne
Union vet this Convention, called by rery large ma
jo,ay Of tie ptope, cqnoHy entitled them to come IN
as If IL had been their .frst attempt"
To Mr.. Buchanans assertion that the COnven.
ton of December was not sefconsttuted assem-
bly,, but was held under the act of Congress which
did not require the Intervention of theLegsature Of
Michigan, Mr.. Calhoun replied that if such had
been the intention of Congress, they would have
said who should vote for members of the Conven.
ton and would have prescribed the time and place
for the election and the meeting and not have left
it to irresponsible individuals to determine those
matters. In replying, on the I'd Of January, 1887,
to these and other objections of Mr.. Calhoun, Mr..
Buchanan, after dwelling upon the fact Of the order
and regularity Of the December election, and that
tie proceeding had been emo tumultuous and awlsss
rising up Of the people against settled form Of
government, as one might suppose, judging from
" the arguments upon this hoor," thus proceeded:
If it were necessary to place tie claims Of Michi-
gan upon other grounds it might be done with great
force. Suppose admit that their proceeding
bad been egular ought that to exclude her from the
Union On this subject we ought to act like states
men acquainted with the h.tory of our own country.
We ought to apply the rigid rules Of abstract pot
ica science too Vigorously TO such cases 1t has been
our practice heretofore TO treat infant Territories
it'll parental care, to nurse them with kindness, aai
when they had attained the age Of manhood to admit
them INTO the fsmily without requiring from them
rigid adherence 70 forms. The great questions to be