The Washington union., 1857-06-06

Spanish America, where the emancipated slave has
ded To barbam aud approaches the lowest point in the
descending scale Of moral physical and intellectual deg
radiation Have our white brethren Of the great Amer
can and European claims upon attention
Have they no rights interests entitled TO regard and
protection Shall the destiny of the African in Kansas
exclude all considerations connected with happ
ness and prosperity And is il for the handful of that
race now in Kansas that be hereafter introduced
that we should subyert the Union and the great prnci
pies of seifgoyernment and State sovereignty, and inn
brue our hands in the blood Of countrynen Inn
portant as this African question may be in Kansas and
which Is your solemn right TO determine, it sinks into
nsgnhcance compared with the perpetuity of the Union
and the final successful establishment of the principles of
State sovereignty and free government If patriotism
If devotion TO the constitution and love of the Unon
should not induce the minority to yield to the ma
joTity on this question, let them reflect, that in
event the minority successfully determine this
question permanently and that in contingency will
Congress admit Kansas slave free State unless
majority of the people of Kansas shall first have fairly
and freely decided this question for themselves by
direct vote the adoption Of the constitution
cluding all fraud violence The minority in resisting
the will of the majority may involve Kansas again in civil
war they bring upon her repoach and oboquy, and
destroy her progress and prosperity they may keep her
for years out of the Union and in the whrwnd of agi
taton sweep away the government itself But Kansas
never he brought into the Union with without sla
very except by previous solemn decision, fully, freely,
and fairly made by majority of her people in voting for
or against the adoption of her State constitution Why
then, should this just peaceful and constitutional mode
vi quarter ls
Kansas willing to destroy her hopes of prosperity
merely that she may afford political capital to any party
and perpetuate the agitation of slavery throughout the
Union Is she to become theme for agators in
other States the theatre which they shall perform the
bloody drama of treason and dsunioni Does she want
to the solemn acts of Congress- the decision of the peo
pie of the Union in the recent election the legislative
executive, and judicial authorities of the country all
thrown, and revolution and civil inaugurated
throughout her limits Does she want to be blcedng
Kansas for the benefit OF political agatow, within or
out of her limits does she prefer the peaceful and quiet
arbitament of this question for hersefi What benefit
will the great body of the people of Kansas derive from
these aationsf They may for brief period give
quence and power to political leaders and agitatos but
it at the expense of the happiness and welfare OF the
great body of the people of this Territory
Those who oppose slavery in Kansas do not base their
opposition upon any phanthropic principles any SYM
pathy for the African race for in their socaed cons
tuition framed at Topeka they deem that entire
inferior and degraded to exclude them all forever from
Kansas, whether they be bond free-thus deprivng
them of all rights here, and denying that they
be citizens of the United States for if they citizens
they could not constitutionay be exiled or excluded
from Kansas Yet such clause inserted in the Topeka
constitution, submitted by that convention for the
vote of the people, and ratified here by overwhelming
majority OF the anti-slayery party This party here
therefore, has, in the positive manner affirmed the
consutionaty of that portion of the decision of
the Supreme Court of the United States declaring that
Africans not citizens of the United States.
This is the important inasInuch as this Topeka
constitution ratified with this clause inserted by the
entire republican party in Congress distinctly affirm
the recent decision of the Supreme Court of the Union
that Africans not citizens of the United States for
citizens they may be elected all offices State and
tonal, including the presidency itself; they must be
placed upon basis of perfect equality with the whites
with them in the militia, the bench, the legisa
te the jury box vote in all elections meet in social
intercourse, and ntermay freely with the whites This
doctrine of the perfect equality of the white with the
black in all respects whatsoever social and political
clearly follows from the position that Africans citizens
of the United States is of the
Union less clearly vndoated by the position assumed
here by the published creed of this party that the people
of Kansas, in forming their State constitution and not
Congress- must decide this question of slavery for them
selves. Having thus sustained the court both the
controverted points decided by that tribunal it is hoped
they will not approve the anarchical and revolutionary
proceedings in other States expungng the Supreme Court
from system by deprving it of the great power for
which it created, of expoundng the constitution. If
that be done, have in fact unity of government
fundamental law but just many eyer-varying
stuons passion prejudice, and local interests may
from time to time prescribe in the thiryone States of
the Union.
have endeavored heretofore family foreshadow the
wonderful prosperity, which would follow in Kan
the peaceful and final settlement of this question
But if it should be in the power of agatos prevent
such result nothing but ruin will pervade territory
Confidence will expire, and law and order will be CUB
verted Anarchy and civil will be reinaugurated
among All property will greatly deprecate in value
Even the best farms will become almost worthless Our
towns and cities will sink into decay Emigration into
territory Will cease mOurn1ul OF returning
settlers with ruined hopes and blasted fortunes will leave
borders All who have purchased property at present
prices will be sacrificed and Kansas will be marked by
universal ruin and dcsoation.
Nor will the mischief be arrested here 1t will extend
into every other State Despots will exut the fail
here of the great principles of segoyenment and
the approaching downfall of confederacy. The pill
lars of the Union will rock upon their base, and may
close the next presidential conflict amid the scattered
fragments of the constitution of happy and
united people The banner of the stars and stripes the
emblem of countys glory will be rent by contend
ing factions. We shall no longer have country. The
friends of human liberty in other realms will shrink des
pairing from the conflict Despotc power will resume
it's sway throughout the world, and will have tried
in vain the last experiment of selfgovcrnment. The
architects of country run the aassns of her peace
and prosperity, will share the ruin of all
They will meet whilst living the bitter curses
of ruined people, whilst history will record their only
eptaph These he daroyus Of he Araecan Upion Of
The Liberties Of their country and Of the rorld.
But do not despair Of the republic. My hope is in
the patriotism and intelligence of the people in their
love of country of liberty and Of the Union Especially
is my confidence unbounded in the hardy pioneers and
settlers of the West 1t such settlers of State
devoted to the constitution and the Union, whom long
represented in the Senate of the United States and whose
rights and interests it my pride and pleasure there
well in the Treasury Department to protect and advo
cate 1T was like these whose rifles drove back the
invader from the plains of Orleans and planted the stars
and stripes upon the victorious field of Mexico These
the whom gold cannot corrupt foes nmidate
From their towns and villages from their farms and cot
tages spread the beautiful paries Of Kansas they