Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-12-24
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
WHAT IL SAYS ABOUT KANSAS.

The message Of President Buchanan is
now b.lore th, country. There is much
in it that we like, and there is a very ma.
terial portion Of it that we do not like
Fhe part which relates to affairs 10 Kansas
is the most important and will attract the
greatest attention. We cannot understand
how Senator Douglas should be at all puz-
sled as TO which side Of the controversy
the President was on. de is clearly and
fully ON the side of the South, and against
The North. He says that the words do.
Inestic institutions" in the Kansas Nebras-
ka act, relate exclusively to slavery and
nothing else; and then he argues that as
the slave question has been submitted 10 a
popular vote by the Lecompton conven-
Lion, that the requirements Of the Terrific.
rial act have been fully complied with, and
that they "are perfectly free to regulate
their domestic institutions in their OWE
way" All the way through, the Presl.
deut speaks Of the proceedings of the slave
advocates in Kansas, with favor. No ref
erence whatever is made to the outrages
which have from time to time been perpe
tratel in that unfortunate district OF coun.
try.
The message strikes US rs having been
written with a purpose of putting Senator
Douglas in a position in which he would
either have to take open ground against
the Administration, Or else succumb to it.
In it a distinction is drawn between the acl
for the formation of State Constitution
in Minnesota, and the Kansas Nebraska
Act. In the law for Minnesota it is ex.
pressly provided tIat the Constitution
when framed shall be submitted to the
people for their approval previous to its
submission to Congress. BY the Kansas
Nebraska Act they are given the power II
regulate "their own domestic institutions
in their own way" and in the view Of The
President domestic institutions" rean sla
very and nothing else, and by a partia
submission Of that question, the demands
OF Squatter Sovereignty are complied with
and no one has a right TO complain. The
President well knows that the pledge CIV
en- to the people was that the constitution
itself and not a part Of it should be sub
mitted, and that the refusal of the Conven
tion to submit the Constitution, was a rad.
ical departure from the pledges given.
There are many things in the constitu.
tion which are Objectionable to the people
Of the Territory. y.-the three million Bank
the unjust districting csr the election o.
members Of the Legislature the selection
of Leconpton for tile seat OF Government
the "Know. Nothing" restrictions upon
the candidate for Governor which it inter
poses, requiring a citizenship Of twenty
one years, the cruel interdict upon persons
Of African blood-the oppressive serfdom
to which it dooms the slaves now in the
Territory, and their descendants forever,-
and last, but not least, the manner il
} which the Convention vas called, the char
acter Of the men who composed the Con
vention, and fraudulent manner of thei
election, all Of these things the people de
msnd the right to vote upon, and they
constitute quite catalogue of "domesti,
} institutions" But not one Of them cal
the people vote upon, except afirmatively
II they vote at all they must vote for TIL
Constitution; they have no power to Civ
. negative vote. And yet the Presiden
. says that il is all fair and proper, and give
Q to the people the full exercise of their pre-
rogqtivs ito regulate their domestic iusti
tulions in their own way"
Again the people were told by th
8 Kansas Nebraska act that fits purpose wa
/ not to legislate slavery into any Terrtor
or State, nor to exclude it therefrom," bu
they were at perfect liberty to act as the
pleased. Now this constitution does legii
. late slavery into Kansas. and the right ct
exclude it theYefrom" is denied them. Fc
n it makes slavery in Kansas perpetual "dc
r mestic institution" and takes from tn
), people the tight to exclude it even by a
amendment # the Constitution. We spea
0 Of the slaves at present in Kansas, an
i their posterity to the latest generation. =
n This part of the constitution, so repugnar
to every true Northern man, and so bIigh
lug in its effects upon the peace and GaI
I .pness of the fnturs state Of Kansas, til
, President regards ss %juSt and reasonable,