New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-03-26

On the Esd inst, according to dispatches already
published, "a the bill, as amended, 10 admit Kansas
with the Lecompton Constitution passed the United
States Senate by vote of thirty yeas to TWEEN
ty-ive nays.
:" AS amended" These are the significant words
Of the dispatch Hoo amended :" On this very
important point the telegraph vouchsafes no inform
ation-is silent as the tomb-and leaves everything
Of value open to conjecture which is likely to
lead to a wrong Interpretation thaa a right interpre
tation. Indeed thatit has been interpreted wrongly
we desire no better proof than that true Southern
journals have already applauded the act without
knowing what they were applsuding- without know
ing whether the amendments utterly destroyed the
BILL so far as the South had any interest 10 it, or
whether they added to its force, efficiency or consti
nationality These Manifestations Of Joy, it strikes
US, are rather premature, especially when we take
into consideration the vital principles involved in the
BILL which amount to nothing more nor less than the
right of the people of o Territory, with the legal
number Of inhabitants, to admission into the Union
with constitution allowing the institution Of do
nestle slavery TO exist and have an abiding place in
their midst, or not.
Now, what was the amendment or amendments to
which the telegraph unquestionaby refers? We can
imagine none save that offered BY Senator Pugh, of
Ohio, which provides that the admission Of Kansas
into the Union under the Lecompton Constitution
shall not be construed as to deny, limit or impair
the right of the people of the said State, with the
assent Of their Legislature, and at all times, to alter,
reform or abolish their form Of government, in such
manner as they may think proper" etc.
This proviso reads plausbly enough, but upon even
cursory examination it will be found to interfere
radically with the dearest principle of State rights
aud State sovereignty, and to practically render null
and void every interest the South has ever had in the
determination of the question at issue. The people
of kansas, acting in accordance with the Federal
Constitution and the laws of Congress- elected dele
gates to convention to form an organic law pre-
paratory to admission into the Union. Those dele
gates assembled in convention and discharged their
duty to the best of their ability as we are bound to
believe The only clause in the Constitution Of any
general Importance related to slavery and that clause
submitted to vote Of the people for approval or
rejection. It was ratified by the voters by an over
whelming majority. There was also another clause,
which declared that the Lecompton Constitution if
adopted should remain in force and effect until 1864
Bat, the whole instrument, slavery section and ALL
received vast majority Of the votes cast there is no
necessity for entering into further explanations.
Here is the material point involved in Senator
Pughs amendment the people of Kansas, in regu-
lar convention assembled, having adopted Constitu-
ton fixing the time when it shall be lawful to call
State Convention to alter remodel their Constitu
ton Congress has right whatever to interfere in
the premises. 1t is the business of Congress to ac-
cept the Constitution or reject the Constitution.
Further than this the power of Congress does not
extend, for the plain and papable reason that Con
gress has more right to NEEDLE with this partcu-
lar provision Of the Constitution Of Kansas than it
has with any and all others-and if we admit the
power in the one we must admit it in the other
therefore, its acknowledgment as proposed in the
amendment Of Senator Pugh, strikes a deadly blow
not only at the sovereignty Of the people of Kansas
but at State sovereignty generally which must ulti-
mately prove dangerous If not absolutely ruinous to
the minority section of the confederacy.
Hence, we argue that the passage of the Lecomp-
ton Constitution through the Senate as amended
instead Of being Southern triumph is iraught with
rank injustice to the South. We are unable to re-
gard it in any other light. Would that we could
The Savannah Georgian is the leading Democratic
Journal of Georgia. Speaking OF Senator Pugh's
amendment, it uses the following language, which
meets views precisely. We quote and call atten
ton to the quotation
Independently Of all other considerations, it (Pughs
amendment) is violation of the principle OF non
intervention by Congress, aud upon this ground alone
is entitled to prompt and stubborn resistance from
the South. It would be worse than folly for US now
after firing mp at the first suspicion of an attempt
upon the part of the President to interfere with the
people Of Kansas, after denouncng Gov. Walker and
demanding his removal for attempting to intervene,
to quietly and tamely submit to such process upon
the part Of Congress.
The power we denied to the President and to
Walker, does not belong to Congress, and when the
South admits contrary doctrine she gives her sane
ton to the tearing down Of the strong safe guards
which stand between the Federal and State Constu.
tions to restrain the from encroaching upon the
other.
We are IN no humor for further concessions to anti
slavery sentiment In all past compromises the
South has been worsted, and the one now offered
holds out no hope for variance of the practice.
Clear and well defined rights are not the legitimate
subjects Of compromises. and there are in our opinion
considerations involved in this controversy that
should induce the South to accept Disunion in pre-
ference to Concession
For our part, as Constitutional Union men, we say
let there be no more compromises either in regard to
Kansas, or anything else. The time for compromises
has past.