The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-12-23

! 2; !;
Coasslsuiies = s. lss@s1 ~ kst Cs1ss.llS8
|Tk11I4 J1D1 - - d.
- rejSessoik. -, n - bonormed by Am.josisy
u ~ peopas. sAeulA - asll snd sesd, without
nenine % Congress for approval. Not only did
de National Government end the Territorial
LQaxexnmenkao nndaesfand The L. "A. he Lime.
but, % have already stated, the people Of the
fcfritory 30 undsrsso0d IL. ~ further evil
denes oeshas pslns,a urge sumber, il Itst the
majority, Of the delegates Eere instructed in
the Nominating Conventions TO submit the Con-
ettution 10 the people for ratification. know
that the Delegates from DOugiAs County, eight
In number, NJ. Calhoun, Presid< nt ofs the Con-
ventioD, being among them, were not only IN.
structed thus to submit The question, but they
signed and published, while candidates, i writ
ten pledge that they would submit il 70 the peo-
pie for ratification. know that men high in ~.
| thority and in the confidence Of the Territorial
and National Government, canvassed every part
Of Kansas during the election Of delegates and
each one Of them pledged himself 70 the people
that no snap judgment sss 70 be taken that the
Constitution was TO be submitted 70 the people,
for acceptance selection that Il would BE-
ton would spurn and scorn il - violation Of
the principles on which il came into power, and
that Democratic Congress would hurl II from
| their presence, ~ an insult to Democrats who
stood pledged to see the people left free 70 form
their domestic institutions for themselves. Not
only that, sir, but up TO the time when the Con-
vention assembled, on the first Of September,
90 far as can learn, il was understood every.
where that the Constitution was to BE- submitted
for ratification or rejection. They met, howev-
er, on the first Of September, and adjourned un'
| til after the October election. think u wise
and prudent that they should thus have adjourn
ed. They did mot wish to bring any question
| into that election which would divide the Demo-
cratic party, and weaken our chances Of success
| in the election was rejoiced when saw that
they did adjourn, 90 as not to show their hands
on any question that would divide and distract
the party until after the election. During that
| recess, while the Convention was adjourned.
| Governor Ransom, the Democratic candidate for
| Congress, running against the present Delegate
from that territory, was canvassing every part
OF Kansas ID favor oil the doctrine Of submitting
the Constitution 70 the people, declaring that
the Democratic party were in favor OF such sub
| mission, and that it was SANDER OF the Black
Republicans to intimate the charge that the
| Democratic party did not intend TO carry out
that pledge in good faith. Thus, up to the time
Of the meeting Of the Convention, in October
| last, the pretence was kept up, the profession
was openly made, and believed by me, and /
thought believed by them, that the Convention
| intended to submit Constitution to the people.
and not to attempt to put Government in ope-
ration without such submission. The election
being over, the Democratic party being defeat
ed by an overwhelming vote, the opposition
havi & trinmphed, aud got possession OF both
branches Of the Legislature, and having elected
their Territorial Delegate, the Convention as
sembled and then proceeded to complete their
work. Now let Us stop to inquire how they re
deemed the pledge 70 submit the Constitution
to the people. They first 80 on and make .
Constitution. They then make schedule, III
which they provide that the Constitution, on the
1 2lst Of December--the present month--shall be
submitted to all the bona 6de inhabitants Of the
| Territory on that day. for their acceptance OF
rejection, in the following manner, to wit: thus
acknowledging that they we're bound TO submit
it to the will Of the people, conceding that they
1 had no right to put it into operation without
submitting il to the people, providing in the in
strument that it should take effect from and af-
ter the date of its ratification, and not before
showing that the Constitution derives its vitality
in their estimation, not from the authority oi
the Convention, but from that vote Of the co
A II
free acceptance or rejection. How is it to be
submitted? II shall be submitted in this form:
Constitution with Slavery or Constitution with
no Slavery" All men must vote for the Con-
stituion whether they like it or not, in order to
be permitted TO vote for or against Slavery"
Thus Constitution made BY Convention
that had authority to assemble and petition fol-
a redress Of grievances, but not to establish Z
governments Constitution made under !
pledge Of honor that it should be submitted t
the people before it took effect Constitution
which provides. on its face, that it shall have
no validity except what it derives from sucl
submission-is submitted to the people at al
election where all men arc At liberty 70 com.
forward freely without hindrance and vote TO
it, but no man il permitted to record vot
against it. That would be a. fair an election a
some Of the enemies Of Napoleon attributed /,
him when ne was elected First Consul. He /
said to have called out his troops and had then
reviewed by his officers with speech, patriot
and fair In its professions, in which be said I,
them -" Now my soldiers, you are TO 70 Z
the election and vote freely, Just as you please
If you vote for Napoleon, all is we'll; vot
against him, and you are instantly to be shot
That was a fair election. Laughter. Thi
, election is to be equally fair. All men in fayo
Of the Constitution may vote for tall me-
against it shall not vote nc all. Why not lie
them vote against It: presume you hay
asked many a man this question. have aske
a very large number of the gentlemen VIII
. framed the Constitution, quite number Of dc
legates, and = still larger number Of person
who are their friends, and | have received tn
, same answer from every one Of them. / neve
received any other answer. What is this? Tha
, if they allowed negative vote the Constitution
would have been voted down by an Overwheln
ing majority, aud hence the fellows shall not b
allowed to vote at all. LLaughter. Mr. Pre-.
purpose TO deny the proposition that that Consr
, tuition would have been voted down If submit
ted to the people. I believe it would have bee
! voted down by majority Of four TO one.
, am informed by men well posted there-Demc
J crats--that it would be voted down by ten I
|, one; some say BY thirty to one. But is it
4 good reason why you should declare it in fore,
4 without being submitted TO the people, merel
n because it would have been voted down BY fiy
to one If you had submitted its What do,
4 that fact prove? Does i. not show undeniab
that an Overwhelming majority Of the peop
E Of Kansas are unaltcrably opposed to that Coz
: stitution! Win you force it upon them again
! their will simply because they would have vote
: it down If you had consulted them! Ii yc
i will, are you going to force il upon them ind,
4 the plea Of leaving them perfectly free 10 for
K and regulate their domestic Institutions in the
Q way? Is that tie mode in which am Gale
i upon to carry out the principle Of seifgover
n ment and popular sovereignty in the Territori
o to force Constitution on the people again
y their will, in opposition to their protest, with
j. knowledge Of the fact, and then TO assign, as
Il reason for my tyranny, and they would be
], obstinate and so perverse as to vote down Il
e Constitution il l had given them an opportuni
). to be consulted about il II Sir, deny 20
il right or mine 70 inquire Of these people VIII
e their objections 10 that Constitution al
e They have q rigat to Judge for thcinselv
E. whether they like or dislike it. 1t IL no answ
,e to tell me that the Constitution il good Of
d and unobiectionable. II IL not satisfactory
e me to have the President say in hia Messa
= that the Constitution Is an admirable one, Iii
: al the Constitutions Of the new States that he
0. been recently formed. Whether good or ba
q whether obnoxious Or not, il none Of my bu
,e ness aud none Of yours. 1t il their basine
I. and not ours. ! care not what they have
V. their Constitution, SO that it suits them a
!: does not violate the Constitution Of the Unit
,e States and the fundamental principles Of iber
,e upon which our institutions rest. / am not go
L ~ 49, ,n~ NV. -.