Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1857-12-18
VOLUME 25, NO. 4.

late slavery INTO any lcIIlWt1 oI oAt", nor
% exclude 1t thercirnm, bat 20 leave tho
people thereof perfectly free io form and
regulate their domestic institutions in their
own way" Under IL Kansas, "when I'D.
miitei ~ a State was to "be received into
tie Union, with or without slavery, as their
constitution may prescribe At the time OF
tholr admission
Dd Courr,-- mean by thi. language that
toe delegates elected % frame a constitution
should have auth.rty finally g. decide tho
question oi slavery, ur did they intend, by
leaving 10 to the people, that the people Of
Kansas thgmsDlyc- should decide this gucs-
ton by direct vote On this subject,
cpnlrs. | had never entertained serious
doubt. anI therefore, in my Instructions u
COY Nalkrr.oi the 2sth 0f March last.
merely -lid that when 80 constitution shall
be submitted a. the people ui The Territory,
tury must he protected IN the exercise Of
their right of voting for or against that IN
sirumsut, and the iaIr expression Ut thc pop
ula- will mu.t not H. interrupted by fraud
Ur violence
In expressing th. opinion IL was far from
my intention a. Interfere with the decision
ui the people OF h,u.Is, clth'r Tor or against
slavery. fmm tUi, have alway. carefully
ah-tined Entrusted with the duty 0f Ia
king " care that thr law, br faithfully eye-
cutri, my only dr.lrr w,, that the people
Ui Kansas should furnish to Iuusrus. the e,-
Iieuct required by che organic act, whether
Tor or against slavery, and in ths manner
smooth iHrir passage into the Union. la
,mrrciu. irpm the condition ui Territorial
dep uIyucr into that Ui . sovereign state. u
va, their duty, IN NV opinion, tn make
known thyir will by the vote, ul the mapr-
as. on the dIrr.t question whether this im-
pH.nut domestic Institution should Dr should
upt continue O. exist. Indeed, tbl, was tho
only possible mote ln which their could
hs automatically a.rrruurd
Toe election pi delegates o. Convention
must necessarily take place iu separate lis-
tF.rt. irm tHi. cause % may readily hap
r.u. a, hts often been tl' cas-, that ma
.Huty ui tUr peur.r ui % STATE Ur Territory,
are uu uua side u' question, whilst "a ma.
muiy Ul o.. representative, from tHos.y,al
districts into which 90 D., divided, may he
urIu tIs other side. lI., ari.., from thc
tact shat 900 sIur district, delegate. may ~
elected ny small mnIHrt.', whilst 100 others.
tIu-s ut different -.utiugut. may receive
tiiA ...'.t.' ''HNN HN.AH t''H "N''N N ff.a
rYmr tr. votes gwen Tor iIr former. bat to
have % large mtnrty ol thc whole penplei In
direct opposition o. a majority Ut the dele
gates. BH.lr., our hi,iury proves that in
Hururrs may hr brought O. h.ar on tho re-
preventative sufficiently powerful 20 induce
Wm 90 parr.urI ihrwili u. Boz. constituents.
Ilr trut. De-. that up utHrs authentic and
satisfactory mode exist. Uf asrrrtainlns the
will Ui q nhurity ui tu. people ui amy state
ur Territory Uu au important aui exciting
question lIaH that ui slavery iu Kansas, DX-
cps hy lrWius o. o. direct vote. How
NI-r. chem, wA. 90 lur tHusr-, o. pls, over
al .ublrIluttc aud iutsrmciaH agencies,
suI TrI...i directly o. tur sources Di tll i'-
-,uult. power uuI.r oar Iu,iitutl1us'
ilIN,iu would .uy other principle provo
u practice. IHi. may b1 illustrated Iy tho
.l.. Di k,nsl-. ~uluiI ,Ir bs aIuitt.i IN
o. tur Union with constitution either
maintaining ur nI1ishIus slavery, against
Oh. eutm.ut ui tu' people, this could rayc
ut other 90. tllu % continue Anl Jp rKls-
r.r.t. OH. ,AIsuug agitation during tha brIeG
..g.Hu r.Iu.g.l % max. tIr constitution
conform 90 tla - sistIbia Will ut the ma
u.,'y.
rlr n.nIt and supporter. af che N.hrl'-
at AMI kH.t.a.', ~ ..u rrgIss,us un
g..-.uf occasion tI sustain It. We provisions
..irr. t.a .rs' tuIuul, Ut tbn Anrucln
r.YrIr. ua..r 4Iu Hvi shIut it. tru" mean.
iue uu tll, sYIrgi. Everywhere through.
.st t.r Union tI.y p4H.iriy PLEDGED tleir
.uf. luI tHsIr lIuIT tIat thry would cIecr-
u.ig submit tlr question Ut slavery o. the
I.....uul tH' hIu, ni' V'upl' ut snu-as,
ar Ia|.NH#H.affHn
whatever. Al wsrr cordially uult-l upon
tU, great Iprtr.n. ol p1p.llr ,ISsr'i isnty,
which d. tlr vital rrueIplr lG oar free In-
situations. Ana hat h.ru iu,Inuntrl from
luv quarter that 70 wpuiI be- sufficient
compliance with th' rrIuisltilns oi the or
s,u,t tV Tor th' mrmbsr- Ul convention
thereafter o. bs elected. O. Withhold the que,-
zion uG slavery trIm the people, aud T. sub
,uiur tu.lr own Will tor tHlg OF a legally
a-r.rt4u,l ml9rIty % all thrir cDustitu-
ru,., trI, vUuL have been instantly rgJ.ct-
,I. HHgE AH.r' tI.y remained trur O. ths
resolution adopted 100 % celebrated OCCASION
recognizing " the right o, aIl the people of
odd t.r trrlItrrirs-IugiYiing Kansas and
NrHrlskl-trtlus through che legally AMI
fairly expressed will ui . majority ul actual
residents, lui whenever tho number Ot thrlr
inhabitants m.th., 10, o. form = cnnsllta-
ton, with nr without slavery, and b. niml,-
td into tho Union upon terms ut perfect
equality with the ether Snts.'
Tho convention % lrlmru constitution 'or
Kau.,. met 1n the hr,i Monday Of S'pt'm-
b.r lat. They Wrr, called together by yir.
On, of an artUl thr ryrrtDull legislature,
who's. lawful existence had b'cn recognized
by Clu.r.., M different forms and by dii-
lrau, ,ulgtmrnt, \ large proportion Of
the citizen, ut Kansas did not think proper
O. register their names and % vote at che
election nr delegate, but an opportunity
60 DO thi. having b.an fairly Afforded, their
refusal o. avail tlrm,al,,. OF their right
could in uJ manner Affect the legality Ot tho
convention.
This convention proceeded % frame cou-
situation lpr Kansas, and finally adpurncd
un th' 5,l day ul November. But Little
diE.ulty occurred iu tlc cluycntion, except
on tll suhiact ol slavery. The truth Is that
th, general provision, of our recent State
constitution, are - simllAr-ani, | may
ard. 80 ,xrglIrut-that the difference be-
twr,n them !, not essential. Under the ear
hc,t practice II the government, NJ c1n'il-
tutiJn framed by the convention OF a Terri
tory, preparatory tu IT, admission to the
Union as "A State, had been submittei 70 ths
p,Oplc. trust. however, the example set
by the last Congress, requiring that the
constitution ui Minnesota should b' SUD-
ret 10 the approval and ratification OF Tie
r.Dplg ol the proposed State, may be iol'
lowed On future occasions. took II Tor
GRANTED that the convention OF Kansas would