The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-02-25


mount law.
Under this law they were formed into an
organized Territory and under territorial
law they formed Convention TO make . Con
stitution of State Government, with view
TO admission into the Union An this was
legitimate; and, rs 10 how the election OF
members 10 the Convention should be held,
and how contested elections were to be de
termined-all matters Of this sort were left
to themselves, without the right Of intcryen-
ton from any quarter. | avoid inquiring
into the frauds which may have been perpe.
trated, and which, doubtless, were perpetra-
ted. on both sides, in the election 10 consti
tute u convention.
But that body, however legitimate or
however fairly or unfairly constituted, was
mol empowered to make u constitution and
TO proclaim it, without submitting II 70 the
people before it was submitted TO Congress
as the act and deed of the people Of Kansas.
And herein is the first point Of difference
with the President. lie says that il the
convention was not prohibited from pro-
claiming it without submission 10 the people,
they had authority to proclaim it. say
that il is settled Democratic principle OF
American institutions " thdf the po,res not
driegdiet Ly the people are reserved 10 them
But this point Of difference does not arise IN
this case; tor, us will show presently, what
ever power the constitution had in this re-
spect, they did not pretend to exercise it or
| TO claim II, but rs a representative body and
not primary, submitted the work ol their
agency, their constitution 10 their princi-
pals, the people.
! In my letter dated the | 9th Of November.
addressed to the editors of the Richmond
Enquirer, ! took the ground that there was
no authority delegated by the people To the
convention of Kansas 10 proclaim consti-
! tuition without submitting it to the people
for ratification or rejection by them yet,
said that, ii upon precedent, the conven.
ton Of Kansas adopted II republican form Of
State government, and reported il 10 Con
gress, rdhom submitting II 10 The people, -
agreed in accepting 1t, and in receiving
in X ansas rs State slave or free, into the
Union This letter was written on the
18th Of November, 1851, and On the oath
OF the same month, five days afterwards, !
saw for the first time, published in the Rich
mond Enquirer, the SEIZED OF the lecompton
Constitution.
The publication oil this document pre-
scented the subject under new phase, I'D
verted to by the President in his message Of
December, 1857. The result OF the election
in Kansas had still TO BIZ ascertained, and
certainly it could not be clearly said what
4 were the Presidents conclusions on the
affairs of that Territory. His argument
fairly admitted and claimed for the people
the right OF passing on the work OF the Con
vention, and his conclusion seemed 10 he re-
served. His counsel was not dark, or
double" or dubious but hc was unc0m.
mitted to any practical conclusion by his
December message, and suppose that the
friends of the administration would he lelt
free to take ground according TO conscien
tious convictions, on u full development o.
the whole subject.
More than month had elapsed since the
publication OF the schedule. ] han full
time to understand the provisions Of this
submission to the people, and was prepared
TO take the grounds occupied in my letter to
the Tammany Society, dated the Both De
cember last.
That letter WAS deliberately written, and
put forth with firm purpose to serve the
Administration and the country. saw a
formidable opposition, thoroughly organized
in the Democratic ranks, Of those opposed to
Mr. Buchanan nomination, bent on driving
from his support every Northern Democra,
r on the X KANSAS question, and every Southern
Democrat on the iillibusteriDg Pucnta Are
7 mas question | saw faction Of extremists
who are bent on rushing the South, slavery
Democracy, and the Union, On the bosses Of
the buckler Of popular sovereignty and upon
the moral sense Of the whole country, and
losing the moral prestige Of a minority Of
the Union who are demanding justice and
equality, by denying justice aud equality ia
a majority against minority Of people in
Kansas. felt that | might interpc~e Il
timely blow TO ave the Administration from
the dilemma Of holding its Northern friend.
10 the hard necessity Of denying popular
sovereignty and OF Withholding justice
and equality from the people at The
polls, in Territory where seIfgovcrn-
men, and perfect freedom Of election were
, guaranteed by the very act organizing it.
{ No Northern man could strike that blow
with effect, aud felt the moral obligation
I TO strike Tor "justice, even TO my own hurt.
saw what would he the effect upon me
. personally that misrepresentation and abuss
! would follow, and many Of my best friend,
: would condemn the apparent rashness Of tbe
? act. IN all this have not been disappointed
: But now that the thuDders have rolled oveI
my head, and see the full eject, even he
: You'd my anticipatiors effect Of a spe
cial message from the Prssident-his au
thority welded against the position which
devotsdly assumed Tor biz defense calmly
survey the subject again, and instead Of re
treating. advance ON the positIoD J have a.
, sumed. In November aid that il tbs
: Convention had proclaimed the Lecomptot
Constitution without submitting il at all q
the people, ] would accp. !, as legitimate
and DE- fado instrument. But now that II hai
) ben submitted in the manner and form o