Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-30
The New Phase of the * Kansas Ques-
ton.


The New Phase of the X ansns Cues
Weregard the new programme OF the Kan
s,s patomirne. as published in full in yester-
davis PATRIOT, as more the work of politi-
clans than of statesmen. 1t is much more in
penious than ingenious. 1t is an evasion of
the question of admission under the Lecomp-
ton constitution, yet conceding by implication
that that instrument is all that is desired;
that if the preliminary ordinance were out of
the way Congress would have no option to
reject the application of Kansas to become
State 1t is diversion from the constitution
to the ordinance. The conference have agreed
to ignore the constitution, saying, we VIII adj
NIT that. but the demands of the Lecompton
ordinance are inadmissible; we repudiate it,
aad submit you a proposition, which if ac-
cepted. your admission follows, if not, your
application is rejected. The energy and eff
cheney of the instrument and the entire pro-
ceedings connected with it are thus made to
hinge on a matter outside of the constitution;
which is no part or parcel of the constitution;
which has neither power nor force in the Or
ganization of State government, or in the
functions of State government after it is
organized, and without as well as with which
a new State may exercise all the rights and
powers Of any of the old States of this Union.
Neither was Congress bound by written or
unwritten law, by statute or usage, by gene
rosty or good faith, to submit such PROPOSE
ion to the people of Kansas. The lands OF
all the territories are the property OF the
Federal government or the States col
lectively and in dividing it off, or
making gifts of it, it i'll becomes the donee
to measure the bounty by the demands of his
acqusitiveness or avarice. Congress might
just as well have admitted Kansas, and given
her the usual quantity of school lands, and the
5per cent indemnity for taxation. This would
have been all that she in justice could demand,
and all that Congress in justice could have
granted The conference is also lax in its details
and peripharstic in its terms. In all these re-
spects it challenges objection, and affords an
opportunity to keep the alavcry question open
as an arena for the dgladiation of dema-
gogues, in another Presidential contest.
But while this is true it is also true that
without proposition of this or some other
sort, modifying the Senate bill, Kansas would
have been rejected, and its affairs and destiny
left in darkness and uncertainty, perhaps in
confusion more alarming and ineXtricabe
than any that has heretofore clouded it. In
submitting this proposition, the conference
has opened up one further chance to settle
and be rid of the Kansas imbrolio. The peo-
pie may reject the proposition or they may ac-
cept it, If they reject it they will not be adj
mitted until they have sufficient population
to entitle them TO representative in Congress
under the lawful apportionment. "a prin-
ciple which, en- passaia, we believe should
be established by positive law, applicable in
all cases.) Their destiny will be fixed
for that term at least; in which event
the conference bill operates as an ena-
bling act, and provides for taking the census,
a fair election of delegates, naming the Off
GERS of election, and Furnishing fraud. 1t,
Furthermore, restricts the right Of Uoting 10 ctti-
Gems of The United States, which, though 1t may
be charged by its enemies, WAS inserted as
-- -'--, - a very proper lure
to catch the whole country; al,i - 49,. -. =.
self will tend to bring about a fair adjust
ment of the final question. But if, on the
other hand, the people accept the proposition,
it makes an end of the business, robs the abo-
litionists of their vital substance, and restores
the country to peace and quiet. In that event
Kansas enters the Union rs a slave State; and
thus the principle of slavery extension, and
its practical operation will be sustained. This
would make the bill even more acceptable
than the Senate bill, which apparently recog-
nizes the doctrine of Mr.. BUCHANAN, that the
people have the right at any time to alter or
abolish their constitution. and upon which
this bill is silent. In this view of the subject,
though dissatisfied with the work of the con-
ference committee, were we in Congress, we
should vote for its adoption. As southern
men and patriots, having no alternative, we
should feel ourselves bound to vote for the
proposition.
The keynote to the objections to be urged
tee, and to be made the gravamen of the
argument against it in Congress, was sounded
in the Senate by the free soil Mogul. Mr.. SEW
ARD. They are "that it practically involved
a re-suhmission of the Lecompton constitu-
ton, which had already been rejected by the
people of Kansas; and that the proposition
contained in the amended ordinance was I'M
fair, inasmuch as it offered at once "A bride
and a threat to the people" This is infinitely
worse than the multiplied charges of fraud
made by the black republicans in the main
debate; because ii contains the exploded
humbug that the Lecompton constitution was
legally rejected by the people of Kansas, Goa
pied with new fllschood that il is bride
and threat to the people. The amended or
dinance is in the very words of the PROPOSE
ton to Minnesota. contained in the Act of
Congress to enable her to form State consti-
tuition, and for which Mr.. SEWARD and his
followers, We believe, voted. If it is bride
to the people OF Kansas, it was also bride
to the people of Minnesota. 1t proposes to
give to Kansas just what il given TO Mime
sofa, and what Kansas is entitled TO, neither
more nor less. The Lecompton convention
preferred an exorbitant demand for lands,
amounting in value to nearly thirty millions
OF dollars. ABOUT nine times as much as had
ever been granted or proposed to be granted
to any other State on admission, and the COM
mittee propose to cut of about twenty-five |
millions Of this amount. and is thus charged /
with holding out bride! So flimsy an argd- |
ment was never addressed to an intelligent |
body concerning an honest people-and is
unworthy OF any but blind and bigoted |
partizan or an inscriptions demagogue. |
And how can a simple act of Justice, both 10