Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1858-03-11
From the "Brunswicker & Gazette"
To the American Party.

10 the American Party.
The application Of Kansas, for admission
into the confederacy Of States as an indie.
pendant State, under what is commonly
called, the "Lecompton Constitution" has
given rise 10 diversity of opinion among
Democrats, respectieg the merits of thai
application, and from the present indica-
tiens, will also occasion difference Of SEN
timent among the members Of the Ameri.
: can party, in this State. AS an humble
member Of the latter party-one who ha,
proven himself true to lis principles, by his
defence of them, when they were most
fercely and bitterly assailed-I desire ts
address some cons iderations, to the men,
bers Of thai party, in relation to this new
question. .,- -s
II there be one principle 10 which the A.
merican party ia committed, and upon
which its members-hsve uniformly eonduc.
ted every canvass, in which they were en-.
gagged, it is The principle Of firm, and uni.
ted opposition, 10 the agitation of the ques.
lion Of slavery, in Congress. A portion Of
the members of that party, opposed the re-
peal Of the Missouri Compromise, not be-
cause they regarded the Compromise, as a
fair and Just settlement Of the rights of the
two sections, involved in interest, but they
were free 10 admit, its provisions were un.
Just to the South, yet believing lis abrega.
lion, would reopen sectional strife, whose
evils no one could forsee, they preferred tc
submit to the conceded injustice, as the
least Objectionable and dangerous alterna-
tive. Other members of the party, who
were not prepared TO submit to the injustice
! Of the compromise, frvored or sanctioned
IFS repeal, but condemned the measure
substituted in its place, as an excited
cause TO the agitation Of the question
The measure itself. being so worded, as. TO
allow Northern and Southern men to appeal
to 1t, as favoring their peculiar nototions on
the subject Of slavery, and thereby bring
ing the question beforeath people directly,
and setting up Kansas az prizetp fought
for by the North and The South, through aid
societies, in each section Of the Union
Differing only as to the mode however, they
could all heartily unite in the sentiment Of
Opposition to the reckless and unwise pol-
icy Of the present Administration Pierce's J
in tbs resopening of sectional agitation, as
one tof the principles Of the party. Re-
gardN6 the incorporation Of this principle,
into iAs platform ofshs party, not as the Off
spring Of Q. mere captious spirit, or the de-
sire to find fault with the Pierce admins
tration, but emenating from pirer and more
patriotic feelings, the question may be asked,
how can we as party, consistently oppose
the application of Kansas? All will admit,
as Kansas is now the only 'sbene Of centen-
tion," as sosn as it is off the hands Of Con-
gress, and under the government Of state
organization, just so soon will it cease TO
occupy the time Of Congress, end gil The
public mind with apprehensions Of danger
to the Union. And who, / would ask. that
loves his country, and has witnessed the a.
farming effects which The sgitation Of this
question has slready produced, that does
NOT anxiously desire to see an end of such
controversies, and our government again
zSestored to Che harmony and peace, Of its
carrier and better days. Why oppose then
measure which promises to give US pea.e?
Why oppose measufe, which if defeated,
will again revive with greater intensity,
tthat sectional strife, which as a party, we
have so uniformly deprecated? Is the sgi-
Ttstion Of the question under the present sd-
s,inistration less likely TO do harm, or less
offensive to you, than under the adminisira-
iion Of President Piercs9 Great indeed,
whl be the responsibility Of those, who a.
gain plunge the country into this sectional
warfare, By keeping Kansas and its affairs
continually before Congress, as an exciting
eauseD Nothing short of the directs neces-
sity, can and viii excuse such from the Just
and righteous Indignation Of the people,
That any such reason exists, no one can
support from the facts connected with the
application. The position that no enabling
act had been passed by Congress, authoriz.
ing the people Of Kansas to form a con,titu-
ton, as well IS the other objection, that the
entire constitution was not submitted TO q |!
vote CT the people for ratification. in the
absence Of other reasons, senator Douglas,
the leader Of the opposition, now admits,
does not furnish any reason or justification
for rejecting the application. For waving
the position that The treaty of cession and
the subsequent act Of Congress thereon, a.
mounted 10 an enabling act, and waiving
the further position, that The territorial or
gsnizaiion itself, under our government,
necessarily carries with j. the right 20 form
a state government, when having tne re-
quisite population. waving all these posi-
lions which cannot be successfully contro-
verified, The practice Of our government in
majority Of instances, has been, not 10 re-
quire an enabling act, or 10 make an objec-
lion to the Application for admission, upon
the grounds that the Constitution was not
submitted to the people. The admission Of
The Slate Of Michigan was under eircum-
stances, far worse, than Kansas now pro-
poses 10 come in. The convention which
framed her Constitution, il is true, was
called by the Territorial Legislature, as in
The case OF Kansas, and Congress objected
10 the application, noi however, for the rea.
son that no enabling act had been passed
by Congress. or for the reason. that The
eeasiituiion was moi submitted 70 The peo-
pie. sut the ground Of opposition was laid
IA the ba,,ndaries which were defined hv