The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-12-17

angry debate, tnally determined win
majority Of only two, to submit the ques-
tion Of slavery to the people though at the
last forty y-three Of the fifty delegates pre-
sent, affixed their signatures TO the Cons
titution. #l
A large majoity Of the Convention
were ia favor Of establishing slaveay In
Kansas. They accordingly inserted an
article in the Constitution for this purp-
ose similar in form to those which have
qeen adopted by other territorial Conven'
lions. In the schedule, however, provi-
ding for the transition from territorial to
. State government, the question has
been fairly and explicitly referred to the
people, whether they will have Cons.it-
ution with or without slavery" 1t dec:
lares that, before the constitution adopt.
ed by the Convention "shall be sent to
Congress for admission into the Union as
a State" an election shall be had to dec
ids this question, at which all the white
male inhabitants of the territory above
the age oftwentyone are entitled 10 vote.
They are to vote by ballot; and "the
ballots cast at said election shall be end
orsed constitution with slavery, and con-
stitution with no slavery" Ii there be
majority in favor of the "consti'ution
with slavery then it is to be transmitted
to Congress by the President of the Con.
ventiou in its original form Ii on the
contrary, there shall be maj rty in ia,
vor of the "conslitution with no slavery" )"
"then the article providing for slavery
shall be stricken from the Constitution by
the President Of this Convention" and it
is expressly declared that "no slavery
shall exist in the State Of Kansas, except
that the right Of property in slaves now
in the territory shall in no manner be int
erferred with !" and in that event i. is
made his duty TO have the constitution
thus ratified, transmitted 10 the Congress
of the United States for the admission of
the Stale into the Union.
At this election every citizen will have
an opportunity of expressing his opinion
by his vote "whether Kansas sl.all be re-
eixed into the Union with or without
lavery," and thus this exciting question
may be peacefully settled in the very
mode required by the organic law. The
election will be held under Legitimate au-
.horty. aud if any portion of the inhab't-
ants shall refuse to vote, a fair opporun'-
ty to do SO having been presented, this
will their own voicntory act, and they
alone will be responsible for the conse'
quences.
Whether Kansas shall be free or
slave State, must eventually, under some
authority be decided by an election; aud
the question can never be more clearly
or distinctly presented to the people, than
it is at the present moment Should this
opportunity be rejected she may be invo!-
we'd for years in domestic discord, and
possibly in civil wur. befoAe she can
again make up the issue now so fortunat-
ely rendered, and again reach the point
she has already attained.
Kansas has for some years occupied
too much oi the public attention. 1t is
high time this should be directed to far
more important objects. When admitted
into the Union, whether with or without
slavery the excitement beyond her ow n
limits will speedily pass away, and she
will then for the first Time be left, as she
ought toshave been long since, to manage
their own affairs in their own way. II
her constitution ou the subject CT slavery,
or on ana other subject. be displeasing
to a majority ofthe people, no human po'
WEI can prevent tuem frvm ccsnglng 1t
within brief period. Under these cir.
cumstahces T may well be questioned
whether the peace ane quiet Of the whole
country ale not of greater Importance
than The mere temporary triumph of ell
ther of the political parties tn Kansas.
Should the constitution without slav
cry be adopted by the votes Of the major
ity,, the right of property in slaves now
in the terri Org are reserved. Tne mum
bsr o. these are very small, but if it wert
greater the provisioss would be equally
Just and reasonable. The slaves were
brought into the Territory under tho
Constitution of the United States, ant
are now the property of their masters
This point has at length been finally de
cided by the highess judicial tribunal o
the country, and this npon the plail
principle that when confeheracy OF so
vercign S4ates require new territory a
til ir joint expense, both equality ant
Justice demand that the citizens of on
and all Of them shall cave the right Il
take idto it whatsoever is recognized a
property by the common constitution. II
have summcrily coufscated the propert.
in slyves already in the Territory, woul'
have been an act of gross injustice, ant
eontrnry to the practice of the older State
of the Union which have abolished slave
ry. JAMES BUCHANAN.