New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-11
GOV. WISE on THE LECONPTON CON
STITLIION.

letter was written by Gov. Wise OF Nirginlat to the
Committee of the Tammany Society, who had invited
him to participate in the celebration OF the battle OF
New.Orleans on the sth Of January. In this letter,
infer brief introduction ohertop he proceeds a.
follows:
AS TO your other motto Civil and Religious Lib
ertv '-ouis was saved by the Virginia Democracy III
1855 We struck the dark lantern out of the hands OF
ipeffabe Sam, and none now are found so poor as
to hurrah for him. We, Therefore, have some
right to say to you other topics, that all common
sense and Justice require is, that we let each otner
property and peace, and political privileges alone,
ana attend to the conservation of our own interests,
respectively at home. When We happen to meet in
the common Territories, to make new homes and
neighboroods there all we have to do is to respect
each others equal rights If we are Southern slave
holders, don't let our property be invaded or taken
away from us; don't allow any power 10 prevent us
from settling upon common lands or don't drive us
away from the settlements we have made upon
domain purchased or won by common treasure ana
united ,alor On the other hand, if you prefer that
Slavery shall not be Incorporated in the new body
uolitic of which Won are to become members, We
promise YOU that it shall not he imposed upon you,
with consent either by force or by fraud We pro-
pose to 90 together TO the polls a. equals Justly res
m ctiug each others rights, and there determine by
zeal votes what shall be the lar of the case II
property he established i'll form another shall
be resp cted; and, forbidden in any particular form,
il shah not in that form exist in that part "f the COM
mrritv. Now has this Just fair and equal courss
been observed in Kansas | tearlessly say that 1t
has not been observed. Force and fraud both, on
both sides have been attempted and have 70 shame.
full extent prevailed. And 1t IL the great vocation ol
Democracy to put down both irand and force IN this
ard IL ali ott er cases. How The case divides
itself into two cateeOrcs-the one dc Jur III the Ter
ritorv a. between the Conv enon and the people
and tie other dc idctO i'll the country at large "a
between Congress and the Territory. In the fret, III
Kansas there was an Enabling Statute. II the
as-Nebraska Act did not enable the people to
hold convention or to make laws for Their own sell
a. bad, .-,rt,.. inif NJ all IN.
sas- Neb. sha bill organized Territory, and the
people thereof enabled thereby to govern thcm-
stlycs. BY their own laws they organized a Con
VentOn to frame Constitution Of state Government
That Convention was, therefore, dc Jurc 6gt'-
mate. ID formed Constitution and had right
10 form it. That its Junction. and there hs power
ended except 10 submit IT, as proposed organic law,
the fair and tree election OF the sovereign people TO
he adopted TO be rjccted by them. They In their
organized being of legal voters are alone sovereign
The entire Constitution ought 10 have been submitted
to their lawful voices at the polls The power WAS rot
delegated to the Convention 10 proclaim and establish
n state Constitutions ii had to he approved by Con-
gress, and much more had II TO be approved by IN
sovereign principals for whom the mere agent, The
Convention, acted. Ii was not mere statute law ~
pcalabe at will by Legislature to sit yearly. ana 20
BE- chosen by the precincts of annual elections itwa'
the great fundamental organic law under which t4es
and tenues and franchises were 10 be held ana judges
and LEGISLATORS were TO sit, and Executive authority
was 10 WELD the Of State; and offices were t. oe
filled; and Justice to be administered; and law
was to be enacted and confederate station wac 70 De
assumed and il was be irrcpealable by legislation;
and 10 be- ina word the Supreme Constitution OF q
state under which she was to be received into tho
most glorious Union OF States which ever protected
and fortified the liberties of mankind. What tell
us that instrument OF this dignity; that lie.
publican Government itself, was not 10 be submitted
ID Its form and plan proposed, to the only lawful
S0Nereighs-thc organized peoPle-n0t Mere mass
oi persons, but the bona 6dc inhabitants and legal
voters Of the State to he governed, for their eiec-
ton, to adopt or reject ii De jurc, say it ought TO
| nave been 30 submitted. Pure and undt1ed Repub-
hcHhSin, conservative Democracy required that it
| should be 80 submitted There is no mobocracy in
| that ,Jta 1t Is evcn just, steady, organized, free
kcpuDhcan action the law of popular liberty defined
by ctiLehsnp and the rule Of election, and il the
example OF essential sovereignty in the People. In
stead Of 50 submitting this proposed Constitution by
| the agent the Convention dcfcrentially to the
principals, the cTg1%ized sovereign People there was
| usurpatiOn. withholding from them of a fair free
f and equal election 10 choose or no, 10 choose heir
own Constitution OF scl,goNcumcnt. 1t was cr Dqcfc
/, was all on one side; il Wa, IN gambling phrase the
nul Heads win and tails you lose" the C,n.,t.
| ton wa obliged TO be adopted, with the claus or
| without che clause; the vote was bound 70 be- for
| he Co.t,latio5. - i wu- al o|o aud cor.