The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-22

that that constitution Is admirable one, like all the
constitutions of the States that have recently
formed Whether good or bad whether obnoxious
not is of my business and none of yours. IL Is
their business and not not what they have
In their constitution that il suits them and does not
violate the constitution Of the United States and the fun
damenia principles of liberty upon which institu
tions rest not going to argue the question wheth
the banking system established in that constitution is
wise unwise 1t says there shall be monopoies,
but there shall be bank of discount in the State with
branches All have to say that point is if they
want banking system let them have II If they do not
want it let them prohibit it, they want bank with
two branches be it they want twenty is none OF
my business and it matters not to whether OF
them shall be the north side and the other ON the
south side of the Kaw river, OF where they shall be
While have right to expect to be consulted ON that
point do hold that the people of Kansas have the right
to be consulted and to decide it, and you have right
full authority deprive them of that privilege 1t is no
Justification in my mind to say that the provisions for
the eligibility for the offices of governor and lieutenant
governor require twenty years citizenship in the United
States If think that person should vote or hold
Office until he has been here twenty years, they have
right to think and II majority of the people Of Kan
think that of foreign birth should vote or
hold Office unless he has lived there twenty years. 1t is
their right to say So and have right to interfere
with them it is their business, not mine but II
lived there should not be willing to have that pro-
vision in the constitution without being heard upon the
subject and allowed to record my protest against It,
have nothing to say about their system OF tSTss
in which they have gone back and resorted to tS4F *
because we did not like it, Ii they wish to try get
tired of it and abandon it, be it butif were ct
of Kansas would profit by the experience OF Illinois
that subject, and defeat it if could Yet have no
objection to their having it if they want it it is their
business not mine
So it is in regard to the free negroes They provide
that free negro shall be permitted to live in Kansas
suppose they have a right to say If they choose but
if lived there should want to vote that question
We in Illinois, provide that more shall come there
We say the other States Take of your own free
negroes and will take care of ours But we do not
say that the negroes there shall not be permitted to
live in Illinois and think the people of Kansas ought
have the right say whether they will allow them to
live there and if they not going to do so how they
are to dispose of them. .E
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 question on which my opinion is worth
nothing. The opinion of the wise and patriotic Chief
Magistrate of the United States is not worth anything
against that of the people of Kansas for they have
right to judge for themselves and neither Presidents
senator's House of Representatives, any other
power outside of Kansas has right to judge for them
Hence is no Justification in my mind for the violation
of great principle of selfgovenment to say that the
constitution you forcing them is not particularly
obnoxious, or is excellent in its provisions
Perhaps sir the thing might be said of the cele
brated Topeka constitution do not recoect Its pecu-
liar provisions l know one thing we democrats, we
Nebraska men, would not even look into IT to see what
its provisions Why Because we said it was made
by political party, and not by the people that il was
made in defiance of the authority of Congress that If
it pure the Bible holy as the Ten Command
ments yet would not touch it until it WAS submitted
to and ratified by the people of Kansas, in pursuance of
the forms law Perhaps that Topeka constitution but
for the mode of making it, would have been unexcep-
tionable. do not know do not care. You have no
right to force unexceptionable constitution peo
pie 1t does not mitigate the evil it does not diminish
the insult it does not ameliorate the wrong, that you
forcing good thing them. am not willing to be
forced to do that which would do if left free to
Judge and for myself Hence assert that there is
niusfif he mad of
popular rights in Kansas the plea that the consu
ton which they have made is not particularly obnoxious
But sir the President Of the United States is really
and sincerely of the opinion that the slavery clause has
been fairly and impartay submitted to the free accept
rejection Of the people of Kansas and that mas
much that the exciting and paramount question,
If they get the right to vote they please that sub
ect they ought to be satisfied and possibly might be
better if they would accept and put end to the ques
ton Let ask Ssr is the slavery clause fairly submit
ted that the people vote for against It'll Sup
pose citizen of Kansas, and should go up to the
polls and say al desire to vote to make Kansas slave
State here is my ballot" They reply tome, Mr. Doug
las Just vote for that constitution first If you please
Oh no J.! answer ~ cannot vote for that constitution
conscentously L opposed to the clause by which
you locate certain railroads in such way to sacrifice
my county and my part of the State am opposed to
that banking system. / opposed to this know-noth
ing American clause in the constitution about the
ou ,lificaon for office. cannot vote for it," Then
they answer, You shall not vote on making it slave
State" then say, 81 want to make it free State"
They reply, 'NOte that nrSt,
YOU can vote to make it free State; otherwise
you cannot Thus they dsqualify every freeState
man who will not first vote for the constitution
they disqualify every slaveStatc man who will not
first vote for the constitution No matter whether
not the voters that they cannot oonscenous vote
for those provisions they reply You cannot vote for
against slavery here Take the constitution we have
made it take the elective franchise have establish
ed il take the banking system have dictated it
take the railroad lines have located them take the
judiciary system have formed it; take it all as we
have fixed it to suit ourselves and ask questions but
vote for It, or you shall vote either for slave free
State In other words the legal effect of the schedule
is this all those who of this constitution may
vote for against slavery they please but all those
who arc against this constitution dsfranchised and
shall not vote at all That is the mode in which the sa
very proposition is submitted. Every man opposed to
the constitution is DISTINGUISHED the slavery clause
How many are theyf They tell you there is majority,
for they say the constitution will be voted down instant
w. by an overwhelming majority il you allow negative
dsquay and dsanchise every man who is against it,
thus referring the slavery clause to minority of the peo
pie of Kansas and leaving that minority free to vote for
or against the slavery clause, as they choose.
Let me ask you If that is fair mode of submitting the
slavery clause Does that mode of submitting that par
cular clause leave the people perfectly free to vote for
against slavery they choose? Am free to vote as
choose the slavery question: if you tell me shall not
vote on it until vote for the Maine liquor lawf Am
free to vote the slavery question, you tell me that
shall not vote either way until vote for bank2 Is 1t
freedom of election to make your right to vote upon
question depend upon the mode in which you going
to vote on other question which has connexion
with itY Is that freedom of eeconS Is that the great