Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-11-27

LII our drucle OF yesterday, ueleDulnR Inc sound
ness Of the Northern Democracy, we were far from
designing to express the smallest sympathy with the
few Northern Democratic presses that (unadvisedy
and hastily, we hope) have shown hostility to the
action of the Kansas Convention. We Satisfied
that those presses, in arrayug Themselves for the
lime against the policy Of that Convention and
against the Administration that sussins it, do not
fairly represent the sentiments of the great body Of
the Northern Democracy. We prefer to look TO such
journals as the Pennsylvania, the able and time
honored organ of the Democracy of the Key Stone
State, for faithfulre reflex of public sentiment. From
that paper extract the following conclusive views:
| We invite especial attention to an able article from
the Washington Union, which will be found on our
first page. 1t disposes Of all the objections urged
against the so-caed provisional government Of Kan
sas, and shows that the election provisions which ap
pear IN the Kansas Constitution are Identical with
those in the Constitutions of Ohio Indiana, Lousis-
ma, and every State Constitution which has been
adopted since 1872 1t Ia, therefore, apparent that
the Kansas Convention followed safe and sure prece
dents for the rule of action they saw fit to adopt
There seems to be settled conviction that the action
of the Constitutional Convention OF Kansas has the
full endorsement OF the National Administration. IF
so, It affords another evidence of determination
the part Of the President to carry out in good faith
and to the very letter the great principles Of the Kan
r6CblV6Q
| endorsement in his election. The whole matter is
now in the hands of the people of Kansas where
every true Democrat will agree to leave it. The
polls are open to all, and provisions made to secure
fair and impartial election. Each one Gun vote as his
judgment dictates. II for slavery be deposte
his ballot in favor Of that institution; if opposed to
slavery opportunity is extended for him to testify
in legal constitutional manner his opposition to it's
continuance in the State Is this not Democratic,
fair, and justl Does not the Kansas. Nebraska bill
do iuoYa nj hU Tho
people of the Territories, and in precisely the same
manneIl
1t undoubtedly does, and yet we hear those who
were loudest in praise OF the Kansas Nebraska bill
now echoing the arguments and invectives of the
New York Tribune against the Democratic party of
Kansas, and urging the Democracy of old Pennsyl
vsna-the home of James Buchanan who was elect
ed oy united party-united upon the very principle
which uuderlies the action of the Kansas Consttu-
tiOn8 Convention-to join forces with the Black Re-
publican party in the North, repudiae the principle
of nonnterventiOn, trampls upon all those pledges
which they have given TO the nation. and join in
unholy war upon their political brethren in Kansas,
who are engaged in death struggle for the triumph
of Democratic principle in that Territory, which is
soon to become State. Greeley does not like the
doings of the Democratic party in Kansas, and be.
cause of that fact Democrats in the old Key-StoDs
are to cry down the action of their own party. If
this s to be the course pursued the national Admins
traon will soon fall under the ban Of these new
fashioned Democrats, for it Is not probable the sound
Democratic ideas of our distinguished President will
please the editor Of the Tribane or his new found
disciples more than does the action Of the Constitu
| tonal Convention of Kansas. But the Democracy
of Pennsylvania have not sunk so low as to desert
either their principles, or those who contending
for them in other sections of the Union, at the bid
| ding of the New York Tribune its called Demo
cratic co.laborers in the Black Republican cause
Pennsylvania il true TO the principles of the Kansas
Nebraska BILL and her firm and gallant Democracy
will desert those who are contending for them,
whether in Kansas or elsewhere, to fraterniZe with
traitors alike to the Constitution and the Union.
Again, in the same number Of the Pennsylvansn:
| Certain presses with Black Republican proclivities
are voring to prejudice the Democracy of this
State against the new Constitution of Kansas by sta
ting that framed it fs rreuersi6le tor seren gears
by its express terms. The plain answer to this point
IS stated by the New York Times. The language Of
the schedule upon this point is this:
SEC. 10 after tie year one thousand eight hun
dred and sirty four whenever the Legislature shall
think it necessary to amend alter and change this
Constitution they aha recommend to the electors at
the next general election throhtrdS Of the members
of each house concurrng, TO vote for or against the
calling of Convention; and, if it appear that ma
orty of all the citizens of the State have voted for
Convention, the Legislature shs at It's next regular
| session, call a Convention"
This provision is expressly confined to amendments
that may be desired after the year 1861. Previous
to that time the constitution, even by It's own terms,
will be entirely in the hands of the people. Indeed,
|
bind the people of sovereign State not to change,
| alter, or amend their constitution whenever they See
fit Ths point has been tested over and over again,
by the State of New York we'll as other States
The old constitution of that State prescribed mode
for it's own amendment, similar IN form to this clause
in the constitution OF kansas But the legislature,
disregardiug utterly this provision, submitted to the
popular n lS45 the question whether they would
have convention TO make new constitution, and II
was voted by large majority. The convention was
call cd nd no of
cisey the same course may be pursued in Kansas
The rcry ceek after admission the legislature may
the people to declare whether they will have
a new Constitutional Convention or not. The entire
control over their domestic affairs then passes into
their own hands.
The true intent ard spirit OF the Kansas act has
been carried out by the ale Convention, which, un'
like the Topeka lawless usurpation was chosen and
empowered by all the power of law to make Con-
stuton. 1t was, that the people of kanzss should
have the right to regulate their own institutions in
their own way and the action Of the Convention has
simply secured to the people Of the Territory the right
of the people, by solemn vote, to make Kansas
slave or free State-the great and the only subject
Of agitation throughout prolonged period of excite
ment. We cannot better strengthen our own pre-.
viously expressed views than by the endorsement of
the Washington "Unon," which completely takes the
wind out of the sails of the few Democratic journals
that denounce the Kansas Convention violations
of the principles OF the Kansas act because the whole
Constitution was not submitted to the popular vote
"Will any one Of our objecting contemporaries (say'
the "Union' pretend that when the Kansas bill was
pending it ever was contemplated by any body that
the popular sovereignty clause had reference to any
other subject than that of slavery Surely not
Then Il is mere sticking in the bark to say that
u Convention has failed to carry out the great OBJ.
jeot and the true spirit of the Kansas law.
"The question: however, recurs, why did the conven-
tiou determine to submit only The slavery clause to
the popular Judgement Was it because the the peo
pie ought not to have the privilege of passing judg.
nent on their fundamental lawl This could not be
the reason, because the only question about which
the popular mind was known to be agitated and div-
ded was submitted. There had been no agitation or
division on any other subject than slavery, and, IN
submitting this, the convention showed that it was
not designed to impose constitution on the people
containing any provision on which they had indicated
desire to express their judgment. Still the inter-
rogstory may be- pressed-if the convention were vii
ling to submit the slavery clause to the people, why
not submit the residue OF the constitution We an
swer what we suppose to be the true reason. The
convention wished Kansas to be admitted as State.
They wished it to be admitted either as free or
slave State, rs the people might choose, and they
wished it to be admitted promptly, that there might
be an end Of the agitation and trouble which had
long disturbed the peace of the country. The only
way to attain this important object was to submit for
popular judgment the only subject which had caused
the agitation and the disturbance, Of the national
peace. 1t was we'll known that those who would
vote the slavery clause would also vote sgans
every other clause in the Constitution because
they objected to any other than the slavery clause
bu, because they denied the legal authority of the
Convention 10 sit and make legal Constitution,
and because they were all the time insisting that