Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-12-19
Democratic Treachery.


The following extract from Mr.. Douglas
spccch will show the fraud now attempted by
the administration in forcing bogus constitu-
ton on an unwilling people:
"IIaving thus shown tina. the Conve n'ion at
Leconpton had no power, no authority, TO form
and establish government but had power to
draft a petition, and that petition, II il embodied
the siIl Of the people Of Kansas, ought to be la
ken as such All exposition Of their will, yet. If It
did not enbohy their will, ought to bc rejected
having shown these facts, let me proceed and
inquire wha, was the understanding Of the pro-
pie Of Kansas when the delegates were elected!
understand, from the history Of the transaction,
that the people who voted for delegates 10 the
Lecumpton Convention, and those who refused
to voie-bo,h parircs--understood the territorial
act to mean that they were to be selected only
10 frame constitution, and submit it 10 the peo-
pie for their ratification or rejection. ! say that
both parties in that Territory, NJ the tipe OF the
election OF delegates, so understood the object Of
the Convention. Those who voted for delegates
did so with the understanding that they bad no
power to make government, but only to frame
one for suhiniss Oh and those who staid away
did so with the same understanding. Now for
the evidence. The President of the United
States tells u.s. in his message, that lie had un-
cquvOcally expressed his opinions, in the form
Of instruct Ons, to Governor WALKER. assuming
that the Constitution was 10 he submitted TO the
people. for ratification When we look at Gov
ernor Walkers letter of acceptance of the Office
Of Governor we find that he stated expressly
that he accepted it with the understanding that
the President and his whole Cabinet concurred
with him that the Constitution, when formed,
was TO he submitted to the people for ratif' alton.
Then look into the instructions given by the
President OF the United st ties, through Gcner-
al CAss, the Secretary Of Stale, 10 Governor
Walker and you there find that the Governor
ia instructed to use the military power to protect
the polls when The Constitution shall be submit
ted 10 the people Of Kansas for their free sccep-
lance or rejeclion. Trace the history a little
further, and YOU will find that Governor Walk
er W Mt 10 Kansas and proclaimed, in his inaug.
ura aud in his speeches at Topeka and else
where, that it was the distinct understanding,
not only OF himself, but of those higher in row
er than Understanding the President and his
Cabinet--ihat the Constitution was to be sub
nlitcd 10 the people Tor their free acceptance or
rejection, and that he would use all the power
at his command 10 defeat its acceptance by Con-
gress II It were not thus submitted 10 the vote
OF The people. Mr.. President, | am not going
to stop and inquire how far the Nebraska bill,
winch said the people should be left perfectly
free 10 furm their Constitution for themselves,
authorized the President or the Cabinet, or
General Walker, or any other Territoria officer,
to Interfere aud tell the Convention Of Kansas
whether they should or should not submit the
question TO the people. ! am not going to stop
to inquire how far they were authorized to do
that, 1t being my opinion thai the spirit of the
Nebraska bill required it TO be- done. 1t is suf-
hcient for my purpose that the Administration of
tb" Federal Government unanimously, that the
administration Of the Territorial Government, in
all It's parts, unanimously understood the Terri
toria law under which the Convention was as
semhlcd to mean that the Constitution TO be form
ed by that Convention should b.. submitted TO
the people for ratification OF rel cfiur, and, if
not confirmed by majority Of the people, should
be null. Not only did the National Govern
ment so understand the law at The time, but, as
l have already stated the people of the Terri
tory so understood it. As afnrlher evidence on
that point, large number, It not the majority,
Of the delegates were instructed in the Nom-
mating Conventions to submit the Constitution
10 the people for ratification. know that the
delegates from Douglas County, eight in num-
her, Mr.. Calhoun, President o! the Convention,
being among them, were not only Instructed thus
to submit the question, but they signed and pub
lIshed, while candidates. a written pledge that
they would submit il TO the people for rau6ca-
ton. know that n en- high in authority and in
the confidence Of the Territorial and National
Government, canyassed every part Of Kansas
during the election of delegates, and each one OF
them pledged himself 10 the people that no snap
judgment was to be- taken thai The Consttu-
ton was 10 be submitted to the people, for ac-
c-ptance or rejection that it would be void un-
less that was done; that the Administration
would spurn and scorn it as violation of the
principles on which it came into power, and that
Democratic Congress would hurl it from their
presence, as an insult TO Democrats who stood
pledged TO see the people left free to form their
domestic institutions for themselves. Not only
that, Sir, but up to the time when the Con ven
tion assembled, on the lst Of September so far
as | can learn, it was understood everywhere
that the Constitution was to be submitted for
ratification or rejection"