The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-12-24


."But |. am not prepared to say that all
proceedings on this subject, on the part Of
the citizens of Arkansas, will be illegal
They undoubtedly possess the. ordinary pri.
vileges and immuuities Of citizens OF the
United States. Among these is the right to
assemble and petition the government fol
the redress ofgriesances. In the exercise
of this right, the Inhabitants of Arkansas
may Peaceably meet together in primary
assemblies or in conventions chosen-by such
assemblies, for the purpose of petitioning
Congress to abrogate the Territorial Govern.
ment, and to admit them into the Union ne
an independent State. The particular form
which they may have given to their petit!
ton cannot be material, SO long as they con.
fine themselves to the mere right of petition
ing and conduct all their aproceedingss in
psaceable manner. And &c the power OF
,Congress'over the; whole subject is plenary
and unlimited, THEY MAY ACCEPT
ANY CONSTITUTION, HOWEVER
%. o. . ii II a
FRAMED, WHICH, IN THEIR JUDG--
MENT, MEETS THE SENSE OF THE
PEOPLE TO BE AFFECTED. BY 1T.
II, therefore, the citizens of Arkansas think,
propef to accompany their petition with q
written Constitution, framed and agreed up.
on by their primary assemblies, or by con-
'Vention Of delegates chosen by such assen-
blies, perceive no legal objection to their
power 70 DO SO, nor to any measures which
may be taken to collect the sense of the
people in respect to it; provided alwayu,
that such measures be commenced and pro-
secuted in peaceable manner, in strict
subordination to existing Territorial Gov.
ernment, AND IN ENTIRE SUBSER.
vIENCY TO THE POWER OF CON
GRESs TO ADOPT, REJECT, OR DIS
REGARD THEN AT THEIR PLEAS
URE. .,.,s
While the Legislature CT Arkansas had
no power to create Convention to form
Constitution, as legal, constitutional body,
yet, if the people chose to. assemble under
such an act of the Legislature for the pur-
pose Of petitioning for redress of grievances,
the assembage was not Illegal; it was not
an unlawful assemblage; it was not such
an assemblage as ihs military power could
be used to .diaperse, for they had a right,
under the Constitution, thus to assemble
and petition. But If they assumed to them
selves the right or the power TO moke q
government, that assumption was an act OF
rebellion which General Jackson said it was
his duty to put down with the military
force of the country. II you apply theOe
principles to the. Kansas Conyention, you
will find tkas,.iit had no power to do any
oct as Convention forming Government;
you lind that the, act calling it was null
and void from the beginning; you find that
theLegislatdfe could confer no power what
ever on the Convention.
That Convention was simply an assem-
bage ofpeaceable citizens, under the Con-
stituliqn Of the United States, petitioning for
the redress Of their grievances, and, thus
assembled, had the right to put their petition
in, the form Of q Constitution ii they, chose;
but still It Was only petition-which Con.
gress could acceptor reject, or dispose of as
it saw, proper. That is whatl understand to
be just the extent Of lhe,power and authority
of the Congress assembled at Lecompton.-
1t was not an unlawful assemblage like that
held at Topeka. for the Topeka Constitution
was made in opposition to the Territorial
law. and, as l thought, intended to subvert
the Government without tie consent OF
Congress, but, as contended:by 'ttcir friends,
not SO intended. II their object was to sub
vert it without the consent of Congress, il
was an act Of rebellion, which ought to have
been put down by force. Ifit was peace
able assemblage, simply to petition, and
abide the decision Of Congress on the petit
ton, it was not ON unlawful assemblage.-
i hold, however, that it was an unlawful as
semblage. ! hold that this Lecompton Con
vention was not an unlawful assemblage; bu
on the other hand, I hold that they had no le
gel power and authority to establish Gov
eminent. They had right to petition for I
redress for grievances. They had righ
II that petition to ask for change of Gov
ernment from Territorial to State Coy
ernment. :. They had right to ask Congress
to adopt the. instrument which they sent t
us as their, Constitution; and G6ngsess, IL
thought that paper embodied the viii Of th'
people ef the Territory, fairly expressed
might, in its discretion, accept it as Con-
stitution, and admit them into the Union a
a State; or if Congress thought it did no
embody ahe viii Of the people of Kansas,
might geject it; or.if Congrt IS thought it wa
doubtful whether it did cmbody the will Q
the people or not, then il hshouldsend it bacl
and .submit tothe people to have that doub
removed, in, order that the popular voice
whatever it might be. should prevail in tn
Constitution under which the people were +
live. So far as the act of the Territoria
Legislature Of Kansas calling this Conven
vention was concetned, have always bee
under the impression that it was fair andjus
in it's provisions.g have always though
the people should have gons together q
mGsse and voted for delegates. 80 that th
i urica .esnraaaed NV ifha sEnnvantinn ahonl