The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-03-10
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ton OF the convention, that the consntion had
been clothed with full authority to make q con.
stitutlon; they well knew that the bill peoTit
ding for the election Of members of the conVear
ton had been vetoed by the governor upon the
express ground that it enabled the conyention
to make a constitution, and that it had bsea
made law after a full consideration Of such
veto They knew that the governor and the
officers of the Territory in various ways, had
made great exertions TO induce them to 90 10
the polls like honest, law abiding citizens and
vote for men who would respect their wishes,
and that they had refused to heed these solicita,
! tions. ... - ,g
! They also knew that the convention had not
only afforded an opportunity for the good eiti-
zens who had registered themselves as yoten
according to law to decide whether slavers
should or should not he established in Kansas
as legal institution but had also allowed even
those bad men who had disobeyed the laws,
and who had combined to prevent a full regis.
tration, to vote with the registered voters upon
this vital question; and they also knew that
/ they refused to vote, even under such crcHm>
stances, upon this proposition!
| The convention wass called By direct vote
! OF the people in direct pursuance OF law,
the people in pursuance of law Subsequently
elected a convention to make constitutions and,
! in strict pursuance ofall the forms observed by
such conventions, that convention, thus legally
called and thus legally elected did make a con-
stitution. That constitution, thus legally cres.
ted, is if recognized by Congress, the supreme
law Of Kansas, and can only be changed by the
people Of Kansas, who through their legal rep
resentatives, have thus formally created it. No
| Legislature of Kansas after the people had, in
pursuance of all the forms OF law, called and
4 elertnd constitutional convention tn voaka
constitution could legally interfere with it either
to increase or to lessen its powers. The CEN
ventioh, being the direct official representatives
ofthe sovereignty of the people, could no more
be restricted in its legitimate action by legis
lature than could the people Themselves be re-.
! stIicted had they been assembled, in person. in
Que great mass meeting to make constitution
for their own government. Hence the work ox
that convention wass final and complete, eTd
must so remain, in all parts, until changed By
the people thai called and elected the conven-
tion that made it. The vote on the single
clause submitted on the 2lst December, 1857,
was final vote; the convention ITSELF il reas4
semblcd, could neither change the constitution
nor order second vote. The power with
which it was intrusted by the people Is exhaus-
ted. Its members are now only private. ..ictizens,
and, like other private citizens, must obey each
and every requirement CT the constitution which
they seycrally helped to create. Far less can q
thereto unauthorized executive, judiciary. or
/ legislature change, alter, modify, or nully the
constitution made by the people through their
selected ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS elec-
ted by the people themselves, and clothed with
special, direct, and positive authority foI that,
and for no other purpose. a aqa
Good citizens and representatives OF good
citizens, cuaIiot consistently do anything ex-
pressly to uphold violators of Law and known
distulbcrs of the public peace. 1t IS alike i'm
political and unjust to grant the turbulent de-
mands of the disorderly be they few or many;
it is wrong to aid them to ovelturn constitu-
tion made by the law w-abiding supporters ofthe
government and laws Of Kansas; the more espe-
cialiy, when the habitual disturbers would not
have any cause Of complaint ofary kind, AS THEY
THEMSELVES LOUDLY ASSERT, if they had listen.
cd to the earnest counsels of the President Of
their country and the governor OF their Terrific.
ry, and exercised their right, and honestly per-
form their duty, by voting upon either OF three
occasions--1st, when the vote was taken upon
calling conventions; 2d, when the convention
was elected; Sd, when the question wass sub
mitted whether the slavery clause should or
! Sl,Ould not be retained in the constitution. Ii
the aholtionsts were in majority, as they so
loudly boast, and aC0ltI mt u0te against the ss-
tablishment Of sla'cryin IN Kansas, but allow those
who would vote TO establish it, they have no
just cause Of complaint. they were in mi
nOrity, as there is reason TO believe, they have
no cause of complaint; for the majority Of the
people voting, in accordance with the theories
Of all, ought to rule. Notwithstanding the noisy
and inccssant claims Of the abolitionists to be
considered a minority Of the people Of Kausas,
the truth Of hose claims remains to be shown.
arms such as Sharpe's rifles, Colts revolvers
and bowie knives, ard been trained for tw or
three years to their use, and to move in concert
and in masses, the idle and the lawless men sent
into Kansas by the fanatics Of New England
have become can -erous and formidable. But
Mc5r nuallegs have been, it is believed, greatly
Icxaggerated their power consists in their superb
or organization aud arms and in their Icing
supported in dleness When called upon to
vote for or against the calling efa convention to
!olm constitution, these mcrcenarles ofpolti-
cal priests did not venture TO measure strength
at the polls with The democratic 1Jsrty Of Kansas,
but allow the election to go by default,
So again, when the members of the ednven-
ton were elected, the ajolitio1iStS shj11iik from
the contest; SO, also, when the question came up
whether there should or should not he cause
retained in the constitution allowing slavery to
be established in Kansas, tey again 8lratak ffon,
taec contest, conscious Of their weakness, or from
sinister political design. 1t is possible thsra
may be majority of the citizens Of Kansas
from the non-savehodng States, but all ofthsn
are not abolitionists or fanatical on the slave
question. Why this continued absence Of tho
abolitionists from the polsif they had the real
strength with which to take possession of thu
Legislature and thus peacefully end all Difficult.
) ties by having everything their own 'iwayg'
at The late election of State officers they ex-
Ierted their strength m union NTH cestaia Japor-
ing elcniepts, and 50 close was the contest, even
when thus aided, that the result is as yet nn-
known.
The only election they ever carried was that
which was held last fall, and their success IL
readily accounted ier without resorting 10 th
supposition that the abolitionsts compose ms
ljority, or even ourth, OF the voters Of Kansas.
As to their vote upon the constitution. given
, upon the 4th of January last, two weeks after
the day appointed by the only competent sE-
thority to appoint q day, little need be said, for
it was utterly irregular, and was thrown upon
day other than the legal one, for the purpose
of casting contempt upon thegover iinent. Votes
east without lawful authority upon q question
decided, and with a purpose to unfayorably
affect what is lawful, orderly, and rightane en-.
titled to no consideration at tho hands Of those
who do not claim to favor lawlessncss and an
archy. m al VI r te4s gSs.4g WYNN,
That men who habitnaly set all law st deIf-
! lance, and who coesideralb restraint uT0u tIaoir
wisheRas tyrany, should report that they havc
Ifagt tan Thousand votes aoa fsqt