Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-12-24
19oltttral.
MIR. DOUGLAS
ON THE KANSAS QUESTION:.

ON THE KANSAS QUESTION.
Mr.. Douglas, after referring to the point,
assumed in the Presidents Message and oue
ting number of precedents to show that
Congress ought not to recognize the Lecomn.
ton Constitution, said
Tho President of the United States tells us
IN MS message, that he had unequiyocally ex.
pressed his opinions, in the form of instruc-
uons to Governor Walker, assuming that the
constitution was to be submitted to the people
for ratification. When we look at Governo,
Walkers letter of acceptance of the ofice If
Governor, we find that he stated exnressly .
that he accepted it with the understanding
that the President and his whole Cabinet con-
Cured with him that the constitution, when
formed, was to be submitted to the people for
ratification
Then look into the instructions given by
the President of the United States. through
General Cass, the Secretary of State, to Gov
efhor walker, and you there find that the
Governor IL instructed to use the military
power to protect the polls when the constitu-
ti"n shall be submitted to the people of Kan
sas for their free acceptance or rejection
Trace the history little further. and YOU will
lind that Governor Walker went to Kansas
and proclaimed, in his inaugural and in his
speeches at Topeka and elsewhere, that it was
the dIstlnct understanding not enly of him
self but OF those higher in power than him
sclf-meaning the President and his Cabinet
that the constitution was to be submitted
to the people for their free acceptance or re-
lection, and that he would use all the mower
at his command to defeat its acceptance by
Congress, if it were not thus submitted to the
Trnf n tha 10
going to stop and inquire how far the Nebras-
ka bill, which said the people should be left
perfectly free to form their constitution for
themselves, authorized the President, or the
Cabinet, or Governor Walker. or any other
Territorial officer, to interfere and tell the
Convention Of Kansas whether they should
or should not submit the question to the peo-
pie. i am not going to stop to inquire how
tar they were authorized to do that, it being
my opinion that the spirit of the Nebraska
bill required it to be done. 1t is sufficient for
my purpose that the Administration of the
Federal Government unanimously, that the
Administration of the Territorial Govern
ment, In all its parts, unanimously under
stood, the Territorial law under which the
Convention was assembled to mean that the
constitution to be formed by that Convention
should be submitted to the people for ratiica-
ton or rejection, and, if not confirmed by
majority of the people. should be null and
void, without coming to Congress for approval.
Not only did the National Government and
the Territorial Government So understand the
law at the time, but, as | have already stated,
the people of the Territory so understood it.
As n further evidence on that point, large
number, if not the majority, of the delegates
were instructed in the nominating conventions
70 Snl, hn a. l., e.
ratification. | know that the delegates from
Douglas county, eight in number, Mr.. Cal
houn, President of the Convention, being
among them, were not only instructed thus to
submit the question, but they signed and
published, while candidates, written pledge
that they would submit it to the people for
ratification. | know that men in high author
ity and in the confidence Of the Territorial
and National Government, canvassed every
part of Kansas during the election Of dele
gates, and each one Of them pledged himself
to the people that no snap Judgment was to
be taken; that the constitution was to be sub
mitted to the people, for acceptance or reiec-
ton that it would be void unless that was
done; that the Administration would spurn
and scorn 1t violation of the principles
on which 1t came into power, and that Dem
ocratic Congress would hurl it from their
presence, as an insult To Democrats who stood
pledged to sec the people left free to form
their domestic institutions for themselves
Not only that, Sir but up to the time when
the Convention assembled, on the lst of Sep
tember, so far us | can learn. it was under
stood everywhere that the constitution was to
be submitted for ratification or rejection
They met, however, on the lst of September
and adjourned until after the October election.
| 4 wise thaft
thus have adjourned. They did not wish to
bring any question into that election which
would divide the Democratic party and weak
en- our chances of success in the election.
was rejoiced when | saw that they did ad-
ijourn, so as not TO show their hand on any
question that would divide and distract the
party until after the election.
During that recess, while the Convention
was adjourned, Governor Ransom, the Demo
cratic candidate for Congress, running against
the present delegate from that Territory, was
canvassing every part of Kansas In favor of
the doctrine of submitting the constitution to
the people, declaring that the Democratic par
ty were in favor of such submission, and that
it was a slander of the Black Republicans to
intimate the charge that the Democratic party
did not intend to carry out that pledge In
good faith. Thus, up to the time of the meet
ing Of the Convention, in October last, the
pretence was kept up, the profession was
openly made and believed by me, and /
thought believed by them, that the Convention
intended to submit constitution to the peo-
pie, and not to attempt to put a government
in operation without such submission. The
election being over, the Democratic party be-
ing defeated by an Overwhelming vote, the
Opposition having triumphed and got posses
sion of both branches of the Legislature, and
having elected their Territorial Delegate, tbs
Convention assembled and then proceeded tC
complete their work Now let us stop to in
/ quire how they redeemed the pledge to submit
the constitution to the people. They first 60
! on and make a constitution. Then they make
a schedule, in which they provide that the
constitution on the 2lst of December-th'
| V.asart ninth sbaIl ha submitted to all thi