Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-24
SEseecEA
OF
SENATOR DOUGLAS, 0F ILLS.

fsclly free to form their constitution Tor
! themselves. suthorizei the President, or
Ms Cabinet. or Gov. Walker, or any ether
territofsai ,@fficrr, To interfere and tell the
conysution of Kansas v neither they should
OF should not submit Tie question to the
people. ala not going to ST P to inquire
how lar they acre authorized 10 do that, Ii
being INV oyII ion that lie spirit OF the Ne
b.aska bill required It 20 be done. 1t Is
sufficient fer NV purpose mat the Admins
tr1giUn Uf inc Federal Government unani-
moasly, that the Administration of the Ter
r~itoriai Government. in all lis parts, unani-
m,usiY underst ,Od the %teTrit9r al law under
whlch the convention was assembled u
mean that the constitution 10 be formed by
tlrst convention sh nd be submitted 10 the
! people for ratification ur rejection, and, II
mol confirmed By a ~msiDrTy OF the people,
should be null and void, without coming to
Congress for approval.
Not only did the national government and
the territorial government so understand
the law at the t me, but, as have clearly
stated, the people u The g Titory SC und r
s:cCd it. As Il further evidence on thsI
point, a large number, if not tHe majority,
Ot the delegates were instructed in the n. IN
inaiiEg conventions 10 submit the con:tilu-
lion to The people cor ratiic alton | kaow
that the delegates IRON Douglas county, s
III number, Ar. Calhoun, president Of the
convcntion, | eing among them, we're not
only instructed thus 10 submit the question,
but they signed and published. while cIR-
d;dates, Il written pied e that they would
submit i. to the people for ratification. /
know that men, high in authority and in the
conGd. nee Of the territorial and national
govern ment. carvassed every part of Kans
ous during the eli ction OF delegates, and
each one vi them pledged himself to the
people that no snap judgment was 10 be ia
ken; thst the Constitution was to be sub
nitted TO he people TOR acceptance or re-
~jec:ion; that it would be voiJ unless thlt
was cone; that lie Administrator would
! spurn and scvrn it as 4 violation of the
principles on which il came into power, and
that a-Denccralic Congress would hurl it
from their presence as an insult 10 Dem
~ocrats ho stood pledged to Sc tie people
left tree to form .htir domestic Institutions
for themselves.
Not only that, sir, but up to the time
when the convention assembled, on til lsI
OF Sept, mber, so lar ds | can learn, it was
unde.s ODD everywhere that the cuRstilu-
tiou Was to be submitted for ratification or
rejection. They met, however, on tee first
of September, and adjourned unit, after the
October election. | think it was wise ana
prudent that they should thus have adjourn
ed. They dd not u ish to bring any ques-
lion into that election which would divide
chances OF success in the election. [ was
rtjuiced When | saw that lhey did adjourn,
So as not TO shO~ their hand on aay ques-
! tiyE that would divide ami dis,racr The Par
" until after the election. During that re-
cess, while the convention was adj turned.
Governor Ransom, the Democratic candi.
date Tor Congress, running against the pes
ent Delegate from that Territory, WAS can.
vassing every part oil Kansas in favor of the
doctrine OF submitting TIE constitution IL
the people, declaring that the Democratic
party were in favor of such submission, and
that ii was u SANDER Of TIE Block Repubii-
oSns u iat!wate the charge that the DEM
ocralic parry ld not intend to carry out
that pledge in good iaith. Thus, up to the
! time OF the meeting of the convention, in
( October last. the pretense Was kept up, tn.
profession was oFenly made, and believed
=. by ne, and thyught believed by them
that the convention intended 10 submit
constitution 10 Tie people, and not To at
tempt TO put in opera lon a government
r without such submission. The election
being over, the Democratic party being de.
feated by in overwhelming Voc, the oppo
si:iUn having t~riumphed, and got possession
: OF buti branches of the Legislature, an.
) having elected their Territorial Delegate
/: The convention assembled, and then pro
ceeded 20 complete their work.
, Now let US stop to enquire how they re
deemed the pledge to submit the ~constiin
lion to the p%,ODle. They first go on an,
make a contribution Taen thee make
schedule. in which they provide that thC
constitution, On the st Of Decenber-thc
present mon;h-shall be submitted to all III
iona fde inhabitants Of ne territory on thai
E day, for their rec acceptance or rejection
! in the following manner, 10 wit:-thus &C
knowiedging that they were bJanI 10 sub.
nit 1t to tine viii of the people, concejing
Il that they haG no right to put il into operation
e without submitting 1t to The people, proyi
It ding in the instrument that it should tax,
=. effect from and after the date of its rat if
cation, and not before, showing that III
constitution derives its vitality, in their est
e nation, mol from the authority of the Con
n v%ention, but from that vote OF the people t
r which it Was to be submitted tor their freu
e acceptance or rejection. HJw is it to b
submitted Ii shall be submitted in thi
" form: "CUns;rtut on wi'h slavery or consti
tuition with no slavery" All men must vot
Tor the Constitution, whether they like it c
not, in order To be permitted TO vote for o
against slavery. Thus a constitution mad
by a c nyeaiiUn thathId authority to Assem-
bic ard petition for a redress OF grievance:
bat o TO establish ii e. ernment-a col
d s~tiiut.oa male under a pledge of honor tina
It should be Submitted tn HE people befoI
it took effect; 4 constitution which provide
IN its ;a:e, that il shall have 10 valid ty c.
cept what il derives from such submission
is submitted ID The people at an clectio
where al! men are at liberty TO come iurwal
freely without hindrance and vote for it, bl
10 man is ptrm tied to record a vote again
TO it.
That woul1 be as fair an election as son
of the enemies OF Nlp9ieon attributed
INN when he was eieried FIRST Consa
L liz is said TO have called out his troops Il!
had them reviewed by his ~oficers with
speech, Patriotic and is;r in lis profession
Ia winch lie sand To them, Nov, my So
m dlers, you are 10 go TO tie e~ect;on and 70
o. freely just as yoa please. Ii you vote IL
d. Napo con, ali is well; vote against him al
TO yuu are to be instantly shot" That was