The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-10
THE WASHINGTON UNION.
States and Territories will be Obliged o aoess in that

States and Territories will be obliged 10 aouese in that
decision.
We fear, indeed that II will not be a very conservative
one. All congressional legislation upon the qualification
OF voters in the Territories has been very loose Inhab
tants has been the term generally used and this with
little restriction 30 length of residence The
dinance of 1887 allowed all nhabitans 10 vote who
should fifty Of land. The treaty Of Louisiana
stipulated that the 'nhabitants' OF the ceded Territory
should have all the rights in the oeded Territory Of cit
zens. SO did the treaty ceding Florida &c The Kan
Nebraska act qualified voters in its organization Of
those Territories "every free white male mhabtam above
the age OF twentyone years who shall be actual resident
of said Territory And the resolution OF the Democratic
National Convention at Cincinnati looking expressly to
the formation OF a constitution, ran thus
Resolrd That recognise the right of the people OF
all the Territories, including Kansas and Nebraska, act
ing through hefairiy EXPRESSED mot implied WILL @
ne minority Of actual residents and whenever the number
of their inhabitants msties IT, to form constitution,
with or without domestic slavery and be admitted into
the Union upon terms of perfect equality with the other
States.
We have thus explained the exact attitude in which
these ycxcd questions Of Kansas stand We do not in
tend to be understood approving the failure of Con-
gress TO its legitimate powers the Territory
We all know the circumstances which have prevented its
doing So and the efforts it has made in that behalf The
fact is all that presenting and the fact is
undenabe that the legislation of Congress has left the
decision Of the questions have alluded To to the ALSO
lutte decision Of thc Territory Of Kansas, to be made
by whatever organism, and in whatever mode, thc Ter
ritory' may select.
[Onc or two mistakes occur in the table given by
the Mercury. Both in 1921 and 1874 New York sub
mittcd her constitutions people for their APP
proval rejection The question of calling the
vcntions was submitted to the people. The consti-
tuition Of Iowa WAS likewise submitted to the peo-
plc.l -Ep. UNION.
THE LEADING ISSUE IN KANSAS
The Richmond Examiner, in the course of search
ing review of Mr. Keitt's letter, thus defines the
leading Issue in Kansas
What thcn Is the issue dividing parties in the Terri
tory? We find the black republicans, headed by Jim
Lane, contcndng for the supremacy OF d constitution
which framed by packed convention representing
beggary minority Of the people, and which the people
themselves never sanctioned And find the demo
cratic party in the Territory headed by Walker resist
ing this black republican imposturc urging the people to
vote for delegates to convention representing all the
registered inhabitants of the Territory and plcdging
themselves to their efforts bring the constitution
which shall be framed by this convention before the PEG
pie for ratification Such is the leading issue in KAN
asthc black republicans contendng for the validity of
constitution that has been submitted to the peo-
pie the democrats resisting that doctrine and plcdging
themselves to submit their constitution the people
We have thus seen that Congress has turned this
whole subject Of the formation Of constitution and the
entire regulation OF the formates attending the under
taking, to the legislature and people of the Territories
W., La,,e so,, t,o M, ~ ,,a..; .,. 80 y.
K,,s,s r.,,,, ,h;. ...;a, ~ ra,s - - 49,. i,
ies mon which rt;e re ; i; t hats r susn w
I'M. ssuc 80 sIa,,cr, ~ ~, sl,yer, ma ;, 49,
and not being involved at all and have seen that the
democracy and Walker contcnding for democratic
principle Of action " Nccordancc with the Kansas- Nebraska
80 ~. 80 a. .. -; w, ~ . 10y ~ -,
one contcndcd for by MIr. Keitt.
IfE ooNsENllON AND HE CoNSlIiUIlON
We quote again from the same paper:
The legislature of Kansas has accordingly last winter
while Congress in session and with its tact sanction
taken the INITIATIVE step IN TINS work and caused con-
pei''o " W ~ VIC have aicaay si'iu INA.
n vii nrcscriIe ona,;,aons Far xatcrs n,isr t M,
government it Will submit this constitution for raica
ton rejection to such voters Of the Territory it may
deem proper In other words the people, the legislature,
tu Inc convci,ioh u hans,s' aNnig oech huusea ny
,as,s,no I, sa, az, " ~, =, M
own xvay meyer lrcam;np tba tcv ara ycsnons;ble ~
caorers outside either at the North or at the South
for the in which they shall choose to conduct
purely local ana domestic piece OF business q their own
my I'LL us ny omn n :. ~ ucl,
no right to complain any more than they at the North
will have. Moreover il the Kansas convention shall
decide upon this measure they will only copy the prccc-
ueh's we o"seiVcs nave SCI mem 'sd We IN the oa
,aa aa 1870 - IN W;,s;a ~ a. W. p,e
Is3o and 1870 were submitted 10 the peonlc for rat;o
ton The early %rcccdents were the other way; but
within the last twenty years sixteen States have framed
constitutions OF the twelve submitted them