The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-11

pointed.
THE SENATE BILL ON THE ADMIssIoN.--THE
HOUSE BII.L-WHICH SHOULD BE PREFERREDs
The Senate bill is statesnanlike proposition. 1t
admits the State, under the Lecompton constitution
with the declaration that the people shall not there
by he deprived of the right they have expressly
reserved in the constitution itself to alter amend,
or supersede their form Of government at pleasure
II simply confers upon the people of Kansas the
rights and digntes Of sovereign State Of tho CON
federacy 1t elevates their right of selfgovernment
to the highest degree rendering that right equal to
the control Of any question of local policy including
that Of slavery But it is said the people are OPP
posed to the Lecompton constitution I; they do not
like the form Of government itprovides The answer
is, that admission into the Union State affords
the most prompt and thorough mode OF correcting
the error, if any exist They then change their
form Of government, az the people OF other States
have done Then again, it is said the people are
against slavery but the bill if 80, let them
abolish il. They only do SO by becoming a State.
In short admission under the Senate bill affords Wr
eyegn remedy for all the evils and wrongs, real OF
imaginary which could result from the dongs Of the
I,ecompton constitution. It even affords to the dis
contents the best opportunity of redressing them
selves from the consequences of their own folly in
resisting the laws, and in refusing to vote The free
State party wonld then have matters their "owp
way II, as claimed they compose large majority
Of the citizens votes if not, then no wrong has
been or will be perpetratcd upon their rights, and
they should submit. ~
But what of the House bill Does it bear the
MARKS Of craftsmanship? We are sorry to say it
does not 1t Ia manifest that il was not shaped with
reference to fair settlement Of the imbrogho 1t is
the product Of political combination. twas intend
ed only to defeat the admission Of the State, and not
to produce peace aud to that fact it owes fvesixts
Of its strength in the House that is to say the sup
port of the entire black-republcan party in that body
A very few facts must satisfy any fair-minded man
Of the truth Of what We ailege.
If it was, indeed intended to settle the ques-
ton fairly, why did ito advocates embrace the
same errors as to the form of voting which they had
charged against tho Lecompton convention? They
said the conventions form of submission a
fraud, because it extended to the people no oppor
tunity Of rejecting the constitution entirely. The
House bill provides that the vote shall be 9 for
the constitution, y or against the constitution, at
the option Of the ecctor. The constitution, snb
mitted contains the slavery article, and thus the
practical question presented to the people is whether
they will have slave State ,p,der The Lecomptoa
constitution or no State at all The free-State party
cannot express their will for free State under the
Lecomroa constitution. They have no alternative
left but to vote for slave State against the
stitution Why not allow the people the opportu-
nifty Of making Kansas free or slave State, or no
State, as they may wish under tho Lecompton
constitution. The reason for this is too obvious
For it was necessary to force the free State party to
vote acsnst the constitution in order to its
rejection; otherwise they might, as we have reason
to believe they would, have made Kansas free
State under the Lecompton constitution, and ter
ninated this fruitless feud. But this is what the
black republicans could not agree to; and the bal
lot was prescribed in shape 10 secure the rejection
af the constitution and thus vindcate all they have
said as to the will Of the majority and secure a
rebuke Of the administration. That was their share
Of the fruits Of combination in the event of posi-
bic success II is perfectly consistent for antslaye-
ry congressman to deprive the free State men in Kan
opportunity Of doing so.
But what nextY Why, in case the Leeompton consti
tuton be rejected, then the bill provides for an ena-
bling act unprecedented and az we have held nm
constitutional in its provisions. And that ia judy
Douglas's share Of the combination. That is his
pound of fesh---that is his triumph. But what OF
the democrats who really for admission bat who
v,aa some further condition? What il left for the,n
Nothing al all. They expected to give the com.
bnation controlling power for the barren glory 81
the act of DISQUALIFICATION.
But let us look At tiiis proposition from another
point of view II is proposed To remand the present
constitution, ON the assumption That " may moi
have been furry made, and yet at the same t'ale
to authorize this same ungovemabe people to com
mence dc IN the event Of the rejection OF The