San Andreas independent., 1858-07-31

matter how odious it might be, or how
great its deformity; the only vote that the
peo, lie could give, was " Constitution acith
.Slocery.' or Z. Constitution aciM no S2G-
regy;' and the principal reason given by
the Delegates composing that convention
for not submitting the whole constitution
to direct vote of the people, was that
an overwhelming majority of the votes
would have been given against it. This
! Constitution was left to a vote of the peo-
ple for ratification and not rejection, at
which election many did not vote because
the whole Constitution was notsubmitted
] for their approval or rejection. None
could vote except those who were in fa-
vor of it. Through fraud and corruption
the majority of the votes was proclaimed
in favor of the Lecompton Constitution
with slavery; and during the last session
of Congress the friends of that Constitu-
/ tion were at Washington urging upon
Congress- the admission of Kansas into
/ the Union as a State, under it. In his
message to Congress at the commence
ment of the last session, the President
dwells lengthily on the affails OF Kansas,
and among other things, says:
ain the Kansas Nebraska Act however,
's this requirement, as applicable to the whole
' Constitution, had not been inserted, and the
Convention were not bound by its terms, to
submit any other portion of the instrument
q to an election, except that which relates TO
g the domestic institution of slavery"
How does the language last quoted
compare with the language used in his
letter of acceptance, and in his letter of
instruction to Gov Walker, quoted still
further above? Has not the President
changed his ground and is he not CIV
ing in his message different interpreta-
tion of the Kansas Nebraska Act, and of
the Cincinnati Platform, than he gave
previously? Why is so large a part of
the message devoted in advance to the
affairs of Kansas, except to explain away
his previous position, and to prepare the
way to throw the whole weight and inhu-
ence of his official position in favor of
admitting Kansas as a State under the
Lecompton Constitution?
1t is not our purpose in this address to
attempt to fathom the design of the
President, in changing his position, and
in departing from the great landmarks
given in the Kansas-Nebraska Act and
the Cincinnati Platform, for him to fol-
low in his administration of government
1t is enough for our purpose that he has
changed, and by a misconstruction of the
principles laid down for his guide, has
used all the power of his position to force
upon the people of Kansas the Lecomp-
ton Constitution without being first sub
mitted toavote of the people. This, fellow
citizens, is the issue; the President holds
that the question of slavery or no slavery,
was the only question to be submitted to
a vote of the people; while we, the pop
ular sovereignty Democrats, hold that the
entire Constitution should have been sub
mitted to the people for their adoption or
rejection; and that the letter and spirit
of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and of the
Cincinnati Platform, when strictly con-
strued, required an entire submission
The latter Interpretation is the cue given
by the President in his letter of accep-
tance, and in his letter of instruction to
Gov. Walker; and is the one sustained
by Senator Douglas, of Illinois, and his
compeers in the late debates in Congress
on the admission of Kansas under the
Lccompton Constitution, and as we be-
lievc, is the only true Interpretation of
one Of the most vital principles upon
which the institutions of our country are
founded. The sovereign power is in
the people, and that power is expressed
and felt through the ballot-box. Close the
ballot-box against them, and anarchy and
revolution must follow, or despotism have
sway.
You will be told, fellow citizens, that
this whole Kansas question has been set
tied, and that the Lecompton Constitu-
ton has been sent back to the people of
Kansas, to decide by their votes whether
they will adopt or reject it. After the
Administration had used all its power iii
attempting to force upon the people of
Kansas the Lecompton Constitution, and
had failed in that attempt by the opposi-
ton of Senator Douglas and other Dem
ocrats in Congress, the greatest conces-
sion that could be procured from the Ad-
ministration side, was the ubiquitous
provisions of the English-Bill The pro-
visions of that bill are, to vote upon
certain proposition, namely: Kansas is to
have certain lands; is to have certain
number of salt springs, and is to have
five per cent. of the nett proceeds of the
sales of all public lands lying within said
State, &C., with certain restrictions on
the people in connection with these gifts.
The people of Kansas are to vote on the
question, whether they will accept the
proposition offered by Congress or not.
"At the said election the voting shall
be by ballot, and by indorsing on his bal
lot, as each voter may please, PROPOSE
ton accepted, or Proposition rejected. ;"
/ If the proposition be accepted by a
vote of the people, Kansas is to be recei-
we'd into the Union as State under the
Lecompton Constitution; but if the prop
osition be rejected, she is not to be re-
! coi x-a1 in4o Al low.