The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-12-15


pen. as has often been the case, that the Ma
Jority OF the people OF State or Territory
are on one side OF Il qnc-ti n, whilst ma
| jority oil the representatives from the several
districts into which it L. div dcd may be upon
| the other side. This arises IRON the fact that
in some districts delegates may be- elected by
small majorities. whilst i'm Others those #
different scnti ients may receive majori.i.s
sufficiently great hot only 10 overcome the
votes given tor the former, but u leave
large majority of the whole people in direct
l.opposItiOn to u ma a,O.ity OF the delegates.
| Il sides. our history proves that influences
] may b. brought 10 bear on the representa-
1tIve sufficiently powerful 10 Induce him TO
l-di,regaTd the will of his constituents. lie
truth is, that no osher authentic and salts
factory mode exists of a>cert.ining the will
OF o ma orityi of The people ofaHy other
Stale or Territory on aii important and ex-
citing question like that oil slavery in Kan
ss,s, except by leaving it to direct vote.-
| How wise. then, was it for Congress to pass
over all subord nate and intermediate agen-
cieS, and proceed directly 70 the source OF ali
| legitimate power under our Institutions.
How vain would any other principle prove
\ in practice. This may be illustrated by the
case of Kansas. Should she be admitted in.o
| tine Union, with q Institution either main
tanning or abolishing slavery, against ,he
sentiment of the people. this could have no
. Ia effect than To continue and To exa>pc-
rate che existing agitation during the bret
| period required To make the constitution con
form to the irresistible will OF the majority.
! The friends and supporters OF the Nebraska
and Kansas Act when struggling on a re-
cent OCCASION to sustain its wise ploy.sloAs.
before the great tribunal of the, American
people. never differed about it, true meaning
on this subject. Everywhere throughout the
Union they publicly pledged their faith and
honor, that they would cheerfui.y submit the
Question of slavery 10 the ,lccisicn OF the bona
.tde people OF Kansas, without any restrcti,u
or qualifications whatever. All weie cor
daily united upon the great doctrine OF pop
uiar sovereignty, which is the vital principle
OF our flee iastiiutiohs. Had it then been in
simulated from any quarter that it would be a
III ificient com plianNe with the rcquisition Of
the organic law Tor the members OF conven
ton. thereafter to be cletted.to withhold the
question of slavery FROM The people and TO
substitute tLeir own will for, that of legally
as erlained majority OF all their. constituents
this would have been Instantly rejected.
Everywhere they remained true totbe res
olution adopted on celebrated occasion re-
cognizing '.the right OF the people OF AL the
Notwithstanding Kansas ana Nebraska
acting through the legally and fairly ex-
pressei will of n majority OF actual residents.
and whenever the number of their inhabi-
tantS justiies it TO fornta constitution. with
or without slavery, and be admitted into tire
the other Statos.p I q USErTGH
The Convention TO frame q aconstitution for
Kansas met onIthe first Mondyysofl Septem-
Der last. They wtrc called together' by viz
tue ofan act of llis iterri4oasf l,gislas,ife.
whose lawful existence, had been recognized
m al nj ,,,1t l.. .I. r.
entreEactnents. a large proportion Of the
citizens ot Kansas did not thing proper to
regis .er their names and TO. o.vete at the el.e-
tinu Tor delegates; but an opportunity to do
this having been iaiTly offere,l their refusal
to avail themselves OF their right could in no
manner etf;ct the legality of the convention.
This convention procecdsd TO fran,cs a con-
stitution for kansss, and finally a liourne,l
on the 9TH day of November. But little diff
Guilty occurred in the rcoHvenrionl sexcert IN
the subject of slavery. The truth Is that the
general provisions of our recent State consti-
tutions are so snmlar--aEdI may add. So
excellent that the difference betwecn th. IN
Is not essential. Under the earlier prus,i.e
ot the government, no constitution framed
blythe convention o,a 'r"rii,ory preparatsry
to its admission into the Union as state
had been submitted 10 the people. / trust
however, the example sc,. by the last, Con-
~ H.
nesOta should, be ~ubiest to sheapProvaI and
ratification OF tie people of tho proposed
State" may be io!lowe.i on tu6urc occasions i
L took it for granted that the convention OF
Kansas would act in accordance with tlliS.cy-
ample, founded, as it is on correct q pr,nri-
plies: aud hence my rins-rilct;ons To ,iuvcrnor
Walker, in favor OF submitting she cunstrursI
ton to the people. Were EXPIRE sed in general
AMI unqualified terns.il u,-.. D. s ~ ..an 9a-.fl
In ths kanSss, ybElSSa at, howe GER. this
requircmcpt,as aPpI, able to tue ~, ,bi,-rt,t-!
stituuon had not been Inserted au i ,,,,. ON =,
vcntion were not bound bt lis tcr,ns .lo 2.i,b--
niis any other portion 81 tifc inst i,neut 2,
an election. except that winch felatI t., the
domestic institution of slavery, "Iii< VAR
be rcnuered clear by "a simple rrier;.,. TO its
language. IL was '.n6t to- legisIate slavery
iu:o any Territory dr Srate, nor TO eStfI,. II
thcfcfrom. but to leave the people thereof
Pc. ;ectly free to form aud regulate Their do
incstic institutions iu their dwn wlvr' A.
cor1ing to the plain cori>,ructid,i oftha s,n
tence the words domestic ifistitusias, ba We
direct Us they havean appropriate reference
to slavery domestic institutious- ara
limited 10 the family. The relation between
master and slave and lew others are ..do-
messic institutions" and are entirely distinet
from Institutions ola political Character.
Besides, there was no question then before
Congress, nor irideel has there since ib,en
any serious Question before the people of
Kansas or the country, except that W hich re-
lales to the domestic institutionn of s,n
very. .-.. ...... -m..
The convention, after AN angry and ex
cited debate. finally determined. bv a. major
ity of only two 10 submit the question of
slavery to the people. though at the last for
tv-thrce ofth. fifty delegates present affixed
their signatures to The Constitution. .sf-
a large majority OF the convention were in
favor of establishing slavery in Krnsas.
They accordingly inserted an article i'm The
constitution for this purpose similar i'm form
10 those which hid been adopted by other
territorial conventions. In The schedule.
however. providing tor the transition from !,
territorial To- a State government che question
has been fairly and explicitly referred to the
people, whether they will have u aconstitution
"Sirh or without avery 1t Gee. ares shat.
before tho consilu ion ado. al by The con-
vention shall be->ent to Congress for adj
mission into the Union State van eiee
ton SHALL b1 held to decide this question. M
which all the white male inhabitants of the
Territory above the age of II ars entitled to
vote.
They are to vote BY ballot; AMI ''the bal
hts east az said election shall be endorsed
constitution with <isvery.' anI co,rstitutiap
with no slavery. If there h, % IN Ajofitv i'm !
favor of tile 'constiSn lion with slavery - tl,enl
it j. to be transmitted 70 Congress by the
president OF the ,o;.ventiou in its oririnii