The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-12-24


three OF the tifty delegates present affixed
their signatures 10 the constitution.
A large majority Of the convention were
in favor Of establishing slavery ia Kansas.
They accordingly inserted an article In the
constitution for this purpose. similar in
form TO those which have been adopted by
other territorial conventions. In the scLe-
dule. however. providing for the transition
from Territorial 70 a state government.
the question has been fairly and explicitly
referred to the people. whether they will
have constitution with or without sla.
very II declares that. before the copsti-
tuition adopted bv the convention shall
he sent IT, Congress for admission into the
Union As a State. An election shall be- held
10 decide this question. mt which all white
male inhabitants Of the Territory above the
age of q are entitled 10 yot.
They are To vote by ballot. and E. the
ballots cast at said election shall l.. en-.
dorscd constitution with slavery. and
scoustitution with no slavery " n there
he a majority in favor of the constitution
with slavery, " then il is to be transmitted
10 Congress by the president of the conyeu-
ton in its original form. IT. on the contra
nv. there shall be n majority in favor Of the
constitution with no slavery" " then the
article providing for slavery shall be strick-
en- from the constitution by the president of
the convention :" and il is expressly de-
clared that "no slavery shall exist in the
State of Kansas. except that the right of
propertv in slaves now in the Territory shall
In no manner be uterfered with :" and i'm
that event it is made his duty TO have the
constitution thus ratified transmitted tn the
Congress of the United States f,r the AL
mission of the State into the Union.
At this election every citizen will have
an opportunity of expressing his opinion by
his vote. whether Kansas shall he received
into the Union with or without slavery.
and thus this exciting question NAV Il.
peacefully settled in the very made reoujr-
cd by the organic law The election will
he held under legitimate authority. and if
any norton Of the inhabitants shall refuse
to vote, IA fair opportunity 10 do 40 having
bean presented this will be their own vol
untary act and they alone will bc rcsponsi-
bic for the CONSEQUENCES
Whether Kansas shall be free or slay,
State. must eventually. under some auth.
oritv h. decided Nv an election and the
question can never be more clearly ar dis.
tinctlv nres.ntcd Ia the nublic than II IA N
the nr,.cnt moment SbouId this on,,o,,n'
nitv he rejected she NAV Inc involyed ,or
yenrs in domestic diseord and n,ss;blv in
civil war before she can again NAL, mn tho
issue now "a fortunately rendered and
again reach the noint she has already M
tained
Kansas las for some vears occunieJ foo
much of the mll;c attention II i bi.h I'm.
that this should he directed Ia far more i'm.
nortant objects When admitted into IN.
Union whether with ar witbout al, ycry IN.
excitement bevond her own Iimits viii
sneedilv Mass away and sLe viii thon e.,
the frst time hc jef, as sh, ouoht IN haya
heen Inp, since Ia m,noc. hor ,,,,,,, a,,,;rs
in her avn way II her c,nst;tu,;on nn Oh,
subject of slavery ar On any otL.r .mh-
ie,t IL. disnle,:ipy tn ,b. ,.;nr;,,, -,
The peonle mo- human ,,,,er cam nrcy.nt
Under these circumstances. il may well be-
questioned whether the peace and quiet OF
the whole country are not of gIeatcr mpor-
lance than the mere temporary triumph OF
either of the political parties in Kansas.
Should the Constitution without slavery
I've adopted 10y the votes of the majority the
rights OF property in slaves now in the Ter
rltory are reserved. The number OF these
Is very small, but IT u were greater the pro
vision would he equally Just and rcasona-
BILE. These slaves were brought into the
Territory under the Constitution OF the Tn
lted states, ana are now the property OF
their masters, Tins point has at length
been finally decided by the highest judicial
uiuuhal OF the country, and on the plain
principle that when eouiederacy of Soy
crelgh States acquire IA new Territory at
tht'f JON, ext chSe uoth eguality ana justice
demand That the ciuztns' ct one and all of
them shall nave the night I" take into II
whatever Is recognized as property by the
common constitution. 10 have conSilcated
the property IN slaves already in the Terri
tory would nave been an act OF gross injus'
nce' ana contrary To the practice OF the Older
o'"''s ~ ''o mo" which nav "p''i'heu
'''''l'
'rNh
territorial government was cStsklishc
for Utah by act of Congress, approved the
9th sept, 1880. and the constitution and