The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-03-11

ceSSary, LOT IL mas oceh shoWh ICY ohu
all controversy that il was declared TO
take effect and be in force in defiance
of the authority of the Territorial Lee
gislature, and without the consent Of
Congress. But the speedy admission
of Kansas is urged by the President
as a question of mere expediency, in
order to restore peace and quiet to
the whole country "and prevent
revival of the slavery agitation
Upon this point the President adj
dresses a plausible and ingenious ar
gument to that portion of the anti
slavery feeling of the country which,
overlooking the great principle Of
selfgovernment involved, opposes
the Lccompton Constitution mainly
upon the ground that it recognizes
and establishes slavery in Kansas,
and is willing to adopt the shortest
and quickest mode Of abolishing
slavery and making Kansas Free
State.
In order to reconcile this Anti
Slavery feeling to the admission Of
Kansas under the Lecompton Consti-
tuition, the President presents and
enforces by argument the following
propositions
l. That it has been solemnly adju-
dicated by the highest judicial tribu.
nal known to our laws, that Slavery
exists in Kansas by virtue of the
Constitution Of the United States, and
that Kansas is therefore at this mo-
ment as much Slave State as Geor-
gia or South Carolina.
ii. That Slavery can, therefore,
never be prohibited in Kansas ex.
cept by means Of a constitutional
provision, and in no other manner
can this be done so promptly, If a
majority of the people desire it, as
by admitting it into the Union under
the present Constitution.
III. That the people will then be
sovereign, and can regulate their
own affairs in their own way. fla
majority Of them desire to abolish
domestic Slavery within the State,
there is no othor possible mode by
which this can be effected so speedily
as by prompt admission, and that
the Legislature already elected may
at its very first session submit the
question to the vote of the people,
whether they will or will not have a
Convention to amend their Constitu-
ton, and adopt all necessary means
for giving effect to the popular will.
". Inasmuch as the Lecompton
Constitution provided a mode Of a
mendmcnt after the year 1864, and
thereby excludes the possibility of
any lawful change until that period,
the President suggests that Congress
may remove this obstacle by insert
ing clause in the act of admission
annulling 80 much Of the Constitution
as prohibits any change until after
the year 1864, and requires two
thirds Of each House of the Legisla-
turc to authorize the people to vote
for a Convention, and declaring the
right of the Legislature already
elected to call Convention by ma
jority vote, in violation of the Con-
stitution under which its members
were elected, and which they were
sworn to support
Let us read the Presidents Ian.
guagc on this point
"lf, therefore, the provisions
changing the Kansas Constitution
after the year one thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four, could posi-
bly, be construed into prohibition to
make such change previous to that
period, this prohibition would be
wholly unavailing"
And again:
'1f a majority Of them the people
Of Kansas desire to abolish domes'
tic Slavery within the State, there is
no other possible mode by which this
can be effected 50 speedily as by
prompt admission The will Of the
majority is supreme and irresistible,
when expressed in an orderly and
! lawful manner. They can make and
unmade Constitutions at pleasure. II
would be absurd TO say that they
can impose letters on their own pow
er, which they cannot afterward re
move. If they could do this, they
might tie their own hands for hun.
dred as well as for ten years. These
are fundamental principles Of Ameri
can Freedom, and are recognized,
believe, in some form or other by
every State Constitution; and ~ CosI
GgEss, IN THE ACT oF ADMISSION, sHoriG
THINK PROPER TO RECOGNIZE THEN, ] cAs
PERCEIVE 40 DIRECTION 10 srcH ,
COURSE
The President can perceive no Oh