Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-12-31


reflects upon no man nor his opinions. Ii
elucidates the great principle of the right
of the people to make their own laws in
this land of ours, and sets it forth with
logic and eloquence unsurpassed in the
history of men. The only difference be-
tween the President and Mr.. Douglas, is
this; Mr.. Douglas repudiates the whole
proceedings of the Lecompton Convention,
and insists that it is understood by the Kan
sas-Nebraska act, that the Constitution
should be submitted TO the people; and as
that has not been done, il should now be
done. Mr.. Buchanan asserts the same
thing, but as matter of expediency, he
thinks the people of Kansas ought TO vote
on the present Constitution, and amend it
at their leisure, as they will have the pow
er to do when they become a sovereign
State; and let Kansas give way 10 other i'm
portant matters. for she has occupied too
much time already He says that the Gnp-
stitution ought to have been submitted
and he regrets that it was not; but in as
much as the slavery clause is submitted,
he thinks they ought to be content, and
that the spirit of the Kansas act has been
carried out Mr.. Douglas proceeds to
show where the President falls into an err
ror, and shows the reason: That at the
time that hill was passed, and the whole
matter was discussed, Mr. Buchanan was
in Europe as Minister to England, aud en-
crossed with the cares of his Office had no
tine to look after matters as they wee dis
cussed ard understood. That prior to the
passage of that bill under the Missouri Com
promise. the people could make their laws on
every suLjecE except siorery; anI he object
Of thai bill WIS o ripe out Hot &c ej,.ion
and let them make their laws on erc,y sub
ject In pursuance of tina principle ne
compromise WAS repealed. he Neb. as ka
bill passed, and for fear of miScons ne.
IL express words: ",ha. WAS not 10. lie. is
la'e on slavery, bu leave lie people free l..
make lLel, own laws l. own va, ON
tAot su9 Il Us treH e0ery otter. al
there was no necessity 20 ins.r j. the oil
that ii Cons tuition should he submitted Ia
the peopl ;iol that followed as ellec. folows
cause.
The President fell into another error =
Because Congress has recognised the Kan
sas Legislature as valid, and they called the
Convention, he supposed the Convention
was legally constituted representation Of
the people and right to form State gov
eminent. This was wrong. No territorial
Legislature can cali or authorize a convep
ton, and if they do pass law to that eff
feet, it only amounts to an assembly of the
people by delegates, with right to petition
for leave to change their government from
Territorial to State, and not to make con
stitution. If they make one, it is for the
exclusive action of Congress, and until the
Congress is satisfied that it is the real Pc
tition of the people they will not and ought
not to recognize it as the law of the new
; State This was definitely settled in the
case of Arkansas. The Lecompton Con
; vention had no right whatever to order ar
election or make constitution-they could
only petition--and if in the petition they
presented set of fundamental laws under
which they wished to live, Congress could
accep. or reject them. This has always
been the rule since 1854, it has been wei
understood that these matters acere to be
submitted to the people for ratification after
they had been drawn up; and Mr.. Douglas
insist. that it shall be done, and Mr.. Buch
anan thinks it ought to have been done, and
regrets that it was not, and recommends
that in every future bill it be made a Ear
of the enactment that it shall be done
Agaia. The admission or rejection o
the CONSTITUTION, Is nob Ill UuHteHtSHutO
measure. 1t exclusively belongs to Con
qress. TIE President did not recommend
either thai it be accepted or rejected; there
;. fore. there can be no collision between the
administration and Congress on this sub
ject. Again. Tie republican press are
trying to make the impression that 'ht
Southern dem"cracy,as body, are agains
Mr.. Douglas and the Northern democracy
This is not true. Every leading SoutherI
paper condemns he Convention and in
sisis on the same doctrine advocated b,
the Northern democracy In few in
stances both in the North and South
men who have not read either the state.