Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-11-14
Eol. tie fndtcntor
Buchanan VS.. Hunter.

your columns, IN tns Its hour OF need, but
in vain. Mr.. Buchanan and his admins
tratien have been attacked on one side by
Black Republicans, and on another by the
Know Nothings aud old line Wings, and on
another by faction of the Democratic par
ty, aud, singular to say, all about the samo
thing.
The whole opposition cordially endorse
the administration in all but its Kansas mea-
.sures. The Wing does find fault with
the way in which the President receives the
ladies at the White House, with this cxcep-
ton, it attacks only his Kansas policy; all
other Know Nothing papers in the State,
follow the Wings lead. This opposition
was expected by the administration in fact
it was prepared to meet more, but 80 have
a mutfny in our own camp, to have our
flank turned by doscrters frem our ranks,
was indeed unexpected
Tho Enquirer nobly met the mutincors,
and had almost scourged them into ranks,
when Senator Hunter backed them with his
great, name and changed the aspect of af-
fairs. And here [ cannot but remark upon
the singular behavior of this faction-whipt
INTO submission almost on its knees to be
again admitted into the party, when Hun
ter with his magic name comes to the rescue
and backs it in all its horesies. We see
now, that the faction was only forced into
submission; for no-sooner do they find them
selves backed by a respectable name, than
they show their teeth again. Let us look
back at the history of Kansas during the
present administration, or rather since the
appointment of Walker at that time ev-
ry one, even the most ultra Southern dis :
unonist, had given up all hope of seeing
Kansas slave State, man would have
been thought lunatic for speaking of It.
Walker ard Stanton were sent cut as Gov
efn0r and Secretary Of the Territory. All
but Black Republicans were pleased with
the appointment-they ground their teeth
in despair. On his arrival, Walker was
guilty of very impolitic action He said
in speech, that s'the voters of the Terri
tory had a right to say whether they were
pleased with their constitution or not, and
he would insist on its being submitted to
them" This, / grant, was very impolitic.
Walker had no business speaking about it f;
ne should have waited for the time to- come
to act, thus he would haze saved the,party
the disgraeeful chickering's and squabbcs of
the last few months. But, that he has the
power 10 submit the constitution to the peo-
pie or rather, that the people have the right
to have it submitted to them, and he, as the
agent appointed by the Federal Government
TO protect and govern them, is bound TO sub
nit it, is, I think, beyond controversy
Suppose ] we're to order my tailor to make
nc coat, would you say I was bound to
take it without trying It on to see if it would
fit, even it were not so stated in the bar
gain Certainly not You would be afool if
you did. So it is with constitution. The
members of the Convention are so many tail
ors, the constitution is the coat and the peo pie
Of the territory the man to be fitted. If the
tailors do not allow the people to try en- their
coat before having it forced upon them, their
protector and executive, Walker, is bound
to interpose with his posse con,;tatus, CHS
soldiers) bring the coat out of the shop, SEQ
it tried on, and if the people don't like it,
force it back upon the hands of the tailors.
No honest tailors would put their customers
70 70 much troeblc--their very refusal shows
they are ashamed OF their job This IS a
homcly similc, but, think perfectly fan
one. As to saying the people have, when
they elected members to frame the constitp-
ton, given up all further control over them,
it is folly. The masters would then be
bound hand and foot-they would be the
slares of their serrohts. The rule that the
principal is bound by the acts Of his agent, >
is quoted against us. We admit that the
principal is bound by the acts of his agent,
as to third parties, but not as between them
selves for instance, the members of this
Convention might have bound the people Of
the Territory for debts contracted for nee
essaries to carry on their business, such as
paper, lights, fuel, &C., the Territory would
be bound to pay innocent third parties who
sold these things in good faith. But as be-
tween the principal hd..Haudulont agents, it
is different, or even if the agent exceed his
powers in good faith, such excess would be
null andvoid. Icontend that the Convention
has exceeded itspower, whether fraudulently
or not, I will not say. Nationality and free
dom are just as inalienable to a State as life
and liberty to 8 freeman, and the one has
just as much right to give away his life or
sell himself into slavery, as the other has
to give up its freedom or nationality ghe
submission of the constitution, the very
ground work of the laws, is the only safe
guard of this freedom But, it will be said ,
the Convention was the agent of the Terri
tory. Granted, who would it injure? If