Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-03-19
The Forms, versus the Rights.

Now, sir, we are about to have this Le-
compton Constitution forced on the people
of Kansas What will they do? God
only can tell do not know. have no
advice to give them. But can say this:
the people in that country have cone from
all sections; they embrace the Huguenots
of the South, who left their country to en-
JOY religious freedom on this continent, as
well as the Puritans Of the North they
embrace the Cavaliers Of Virginia, who
came into this country to establish n Gov
crnment which should secure them il their
rights and do not believe that the spi-
lit Of the Puritans, the Hugucnots, or the
Cavaliers is yet quite extinct. If Con
gress shall undertake, in its power, to
f5rce It constitution upon that people,
when it has only a riyht to admit Stats,
not to make them, they are people who
are only fit to be slaves, and they will
be slaves il they do not resist it to the
last extremity. Iput it to any Senator
who is going to vote for this wicked
thing, and ask him what would h. do,
standing in a community where be knew
Federal bayonets wcro about to force up
on him government which was to de-
privc him Of his rights? | ask any one
who is about to vote for this great wrong,
what would he do Would he not resist
it, to the bitter end, and to the last cx
tremity? If he would not, the blood of
the Anglo-Saxon race does not circulate
in his veins. l believe they will resist it;
believe they will do what is their duty
and if they DO, only desire to add, that
the respoasiO't'y mass oc 'oaa r'svSo "ao'
hare placed them IN such an emergency Ii
men fight for their domestic affairs, their
hearthstones, and their wives, you must
not complain of them for doing it, when
you have forced that emergency upon
them, nor let me add, must yoa U,me
those rho shall rally to their support
But can not enlarge upon these matters
as | would | must leave them, with a
brief allusion to one other point.
Mr.. President, this is all to be done un-
der the "forms of law" | have heard
this phrase "forms of law" until it has
become painful to my car. Forms of law!
VIII you tell me of the worst despotism
that ever existed, that did not rest upon
forms Of 3dp? Will you tell Inc Of the
wickedcst act that has ever been perpetra-
ted by any government, that has not
been done under the forms Of lap ? We
sit not here, sir, in the capacity of
court to adjudicate and TO construe the
laws that have been made We are here
for the purpose of exercising our power
upon broader principles or cqaiy than
those which belong to courts; but still
all courts which administer laws are cloth
cd with equity powers to prevent great
eI wrong
alt is common SAYING and true,
That strictest law is OF the highest wrong
Forms of law Let US rather sec 10 it that
the SUBSTANCE of the law is executed, and
justice done.
Sir, we are clothed with equity Porcrs,
beyond those which obtain in a court; and
we are maLiay laws-not administering
them. We ought at the mere suggestion
of wrong to these people, to 90 to the very
basis, and ascertain whether VIC are about
to perpctrate wrong, and force upon
them government which is not their
own. Rui, sir, instead of that, We aro
here day after day with petty juggling
and lettitogging, proceeding, under the
forms IF lag, forgetting the substance.
What is the substance ? What is the
yiyht? What care here in making laws,
for what may he a form 2 What is the
suJstance9 ? What is the great equity of
the case; and, as legislator, it is my
duty to apply myself to that. What Is
rjgdt' what is Just , Let that be done,
and all will be well
Forms Of law God knows there is
nothing but y5rm in it Forms of law
Long years ago the mother country un-
dcrtook to oppress these Colonies by
forms Of Tax, but not as unjustly as We
have ruled the people Of Kansas and she
executed that great and noble patriot,
John Hampdep, under the forn,S Of latg,
and for his love of liberty
There is one other act which has been
perpeiratcd under the forms Of lar, to
which will alludc, and then | shall have
done. Under the forms Of ld,o, despotism
is created. Under the forms Of lu,c, all
the wrongs of which the mind of man can
conceive, have been perpetrated Under
the forms of lac, and in the name of LID.
erty, liberty itself has been stricken down
In the name and under the forms IF LIlc,
tho Son Of man was arraigned and stretch
cd upon the cross. Under the forms OIL
h,o you are about to do an act here, une.
qualcd in turpi,uie By anything that has
been recorded in all the progress of time,