The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-06


ter and is it the constitution of Kansas No complaint
Is made thar II is not republican In form We have but
one question left Is it the constitution Of Kansas We
have already spoken Of the objection to the power of the
legislature to call the convention which framed IT, II
does not enter into argument here. We speak now
Of the objection that ii not submitted to the people
for adoption. If the Lecompton constitution failed TO
become the organic law of that Territory because 1t was
adopted by direct vote of the people then Congress
should not and could not recognise it but the other
hand If submission to the people be not necessary to its
validity q constitution Congress has power 70 go
behind that institution to inquire by what particular pro-
cess was framed under what particular law OF repre-
tentative government it derived its efficacy what
might be lbs possible fate subjected 10 popular vote
We think Senator Douglas radically wrong upon the
points which he has made. He Is equally wrong In the
policy OF his movement We will pass by the injury he
does the country by creating disseson in the only
ona party and infusng life and vgor into the dead
CARCASS OF black republication. These matters
discuss hereafter. But he is wrong a statesman, wrong
as paci6cator The President has hit upon the true
pedient Let have Kansas into the Union just
she possibly get there. Let the bone
OF contention among the sister States Let loaise
and immediately those troubles which threaten to become
national and may overwhelm the country This is the
only safe practical and cxpedient method of saving the
country from another perous crisis of which she has al
ready too many Weare sorry that Senator Douglas has
lent his hand to movement which gives aid and encour
agement to most INSCRIPTIONS and dangerous enemy
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Neither the Kansas nor the Cincinnati platform
qued that the people of Kansas should regulate their do
mec institutions in the way that Congress might say or
the people of any State might DESIRE but In the that
suited themselves If they thought best to make their
constitution majority of the Territories had done be-
FORE by the direct action of delegate convention, with
out any reference to them for ratification 1t was their
business and not that of Congress and If they
required the convention should submit to them their
work for ratifcon that also their business, and
eses In either way the popular will would be
pressed those directly Immediately interested de-
sired it should be- and in strict conformity to the letter
and spirit Of the Kansas act and the Cincinnati platform
Both the right to do and the way to do declared to
be with them alone s'i
The alacy of those who insist that popular sovereign
y requires that constitution law be submitted to the
people for their approval before they should be bound by
it, is that they think the people cannot express their
will directly through the agency of representative
delegate body We hold that though the most perfect
way of exercising popular sovereignty by direct vote
of the people, yet that it be- and in nine out
of tcn exercised and expressed through the represent
ativcs If the people, and that therefore, neither the
Kansas act the Cincinnati platform required that the
people should adopt particular plan of expressing their
will another but left them perfectly free to exercise
their sovereignty in their own way
From the Hamilton Telegraph
President Buchanan was the first choice of Butler
county and of the third congressional district the
Cincinnati Convention. We participated in that prefer
ence and proud TO say that act Of the Prcs
dent since hs Inauguration has strengthened and confirm
ed IT, The opposition which he encounters inside
lht .,. ,,o, !. Ma H;ctorv, II tha laws ,,f tho
IIt st.ts RonL ,r,n,c and The promnt action of. Old
+, i;sosn ~ ransgades and hoo boos: warrants
tbs hsf that bc has taken Jackson for his model He
could not we'll find better ono.
Neither wishing hoping expecting any favors from
the President rejoice in the free opportunity afforded
Of declaring belief that upon the Kan
question, and believing, we mean to defend him
to the extent of humble abilit ssNK SWIM. I"
We have taken this position after careful review of the
matter and upon rising from the pcrsal of the speech of
ing that can DO made by the opposition.
From The somer,c, Democratic Union
,,,... =, 49,, , - ,,,a a,
forced to vote for the constitution before thew can vote
for or against slavery.
Our answer u.s. that slavery Is the ONLY issue made
that WAS made, between the people of Kansas
and therefore the people directly enabled to vote up
on it.
Had the whole constitution been submitted this would
not have been the for where fifty subjects sub
mtted together, the people may vote for ALL, while
condemning more than one-haf Of them, and thus
fair expression will not be had upon either of them.
But when single question Is presented, TAR ex-
preston may be had Who demands that each and every
subject contained in the constitution should have been
submitted separately Nobody And yet this is the
only way Of testing the real sentiment Of the peo-
pie.
The great absorbing issue OF Savery--the only one
which divided the people OF submitted by
the Lecompton constitution Let them them decide n
their way subject only to the constitution OF the
United States and let Kansas then be welcomed into the
Union with or without slavery, as Its people have de-
'einio' am" no y, 20 M Gnu " .,
tbwnrted forever