Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1858-01-28
Gov. Wise on che Leoompton Constitu-
- ton.

1OVefnOT VI NIRlHlh, 70 uHtslNcW tOIk
ny Society, in reply to an lnvitahonto attend the
Society's celebration Of the Anniversary OF the
Battle of New Orlenps,l ~ 80 -
When we North and South happsnto
meet in the common Territories, TO make
new homes and neighborhoods there, all
we have to do is to respect each others e.
quail rights. II we are Southern slayehold-
ers, don't let our property be invaded or
taken away. from us; don't allow any pow
} er to prevent us from settling upon common
! lands, or don't driveus away from the set
Elements we have made upon a domain pur-
chased or won by common treasure and IL
nited valopr. On the other hand, il you
prefer that slavery shall not be incorpora-
!, ted in the new body polite Of which you
are to become members, we promise you
81 that shall not be imposed upon you, With
our consent, either by force or by fraud
1--WE propose 20 60 tUgetherte the polls as
b, equals, justly respecting each other'srights,
and there Determine, by legal votes, what
shall be the ldw of the case? II property
be established in one form or another, it
ID shah be respected; and If forbidden in any
particular form, it shall not in that form ex-
ist in that part Of the community. Now,
has this Just, fair and equal course been
observed in Kansas? fearlessly say that
81 it has not been observed. Force and fraud
both, on both sides, have been attempted,
and have to q shameful extent prevailed
And it is the great vocation Of Democracy
10 put down both fraud and force in this
and in all other cases. How? The case
divides itself into two categories one
aade jure in the Territory, as between the
a b Convention and tho people; and the other
& de facto in the country at large, as between
Congress and the Territory. In the first,
in Kansas there was an Enabling Statute"
1.-THE Kansas. N ebraska Act did not enable
the people 10 hold Convention. or to make
laws for their,own self-government, it has
ne virtue in it at all. The Kansas Nebras-
ka bill organized Territory, and the peo-
pie thereof were enabled thereby 10 govern
themselves. BY their own laws they or
ganized Convention to frame Constitu-
ton of State Government. That Conven-
ton was, therefore, de jure legitimate. II
formed Constitution, and had right to
form it. That was its function, and there
it, power ended, except to submit it, as a
proposed organic law, 10 the fair and free
election Of the sovereign people,'to be adop-
ted or 10 be rejected by them. They, in their
organized being Of legal voters, are alone
sovereign. The entire Constitution ought
TO have been submitted to their lawful
voices at the polls. The power was moi
delegated to the Convention 10 proclaim and
establish a State Convention; it had TO be
approved by Congress, and much more had
il to be approved by the sovereign princi'
pals for whom the mere agent, the Conven'
ton, acted. 1t was not a mere statute Law
repealable at will, by Legislature 10 sit
yearly, and to be chosen by the pracints q
annual elections. 1t was the great fanda
q mental organic law under which titles and
tenures and franchises were 10 be held
and Judges and Legislatures were 10 sit
and Executive authority was to WELD TIL
arms Of State; and offices were TO be filled
and justice was TO be administered; and law
was 10 be enacted; and confederate station
was TO be assumed; and it was to be ire
pealable by legislation, and 10 be, in a word
the Supreme Constitution Of State, unde
which she. was TO be received into the mos
. glorious Union Of States which ever pro
teeted and fortified the liberties of mankind
What!-tell US that an instrument Of thi
dignity, that Republican Government itself
was not to be submitted, in its form an,
plan proposed, to The only lawful soye
reigns-ihe organized people-not a msr
mass ofpersons, but the bona fde inhabi
-1tants and legal voters Of the State 10 be gov
erned, for their election, to adopt or rejec
it! De jure, say it ought to have been S
submitted. Pure and undefiled Republi
canism, conservative Democracy, require
that it should be so submitted. There
no mobocracy in that idea. 1t is even, just
steady, organized, free republican action
the law OF popular liberty, defined by cili
zenship and the rule Of election. and is tn
true example OF essential sovereignty in III
people. Instead Of so submitting this pro
posed Constitution by the mere agent, III
Convention, defefeDtially 10 the principals
the organized sovereign people, there wa
usurpa,ion, Withholding from them Of
fair, free, full ard equal election to choos
ornot to choose their own Constitution G
selfgovernment. 1t was er parte; it VIC
oil on one side; it was, in gambling phrase
the foul "Heads win tails you Lose; Ii
Constitution was obliged to be adopted
with the clause or without the clause; III
vote was bound to be "tor the Constitution
it was all pro and no con; and we say th'
was no submission to an election at all
Election is a choice Of alternatives, TO adoI
or to reject to reject as well as adopt, TO
dopt as well as reject.
There was no choice in this case, and n
equality of voters in the case. Three Inc
went to the polls: A said, II vote for Il
Constitution, with or without the clause
but B and C said, ave vote against it, wi,
or without the clause" AS vote wa
counted, BIS and C's were not to be coun
ed, and thus one was made not only to offs
two, but to be sole substitute in fact {,
three against the majority of two to one o,
of three. Now this was but the veile
tricksry and shameless fraud Of a so.calls
schedule. There was neither right NJ
Justice in it, The Democracy of Virgin
at least scOrns title Of any sort founded Q
fraud, occult or palpabIe, like this. "
hat, Kat n . I .