Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-02-05

Kansas they say unanimously they were not their
agent. if the enquiry is made of Border Runians
they assert they were and this is the whole dispute.
very short way Of ending such dispute would be
to submit the Constitution to Kansas, hut this is
denied because everybody knows what the answer
would be
1t is not to he supposed that Congress will be
turned aside from the enquiry after the real qucs-
ton of sovereignty, because artifcc and cunning
may have thrown around it some ENHANCEMENT OF
form. Form may be the basis of litigation in a
Justice Court but in the august tribunal Of a free
people the is to hc the only enquiry regard
less of the form 1t will he indecent in advance to
entertain doubt a. to the course of Congress, and
a contempt to express it, As every man out Of
Congress knows, it is matter Of notoriety that the
Lccompton ordinance is not the act of the people of
Kansas, nor of their proper agents we have a right
to presume that Congress will so determine
Why should they not? On question of this
nature ,pohcpcg i, not to he regarded by Congress
4, the ha,i, of determination. It is with them a
constitutional enquiry involving tho right, Of SOW
reignty Of people, and even if they were not
sworn to support the Constitution honor, elevated
craftsmanship and enlightened sclfrcspcct,
would lead to the same result
1t is Insisted that thi, Constitution i, very good
ono. It may hc .o. but how doe, any one know, it
not having been published But that is not the
question. l. the Ordinance the act Of kan.as' If
may, it is not binding though it contained the whole
dccaloguc, aud should be resisted without any re-
gard to consequences
The denial Of political power to the people is the
the very definition Of dcspotsm. This is the idcn-
tical condition Of the people of Russia. The poo
pie there have no political power, tho it is said
that the Emperor il taking active measures to .c-
cure it to them. If Congrcs, establish a Consti,u.
ton for Kansas without their consent and against
their will, then they reduced politically to the
condition Of Russian scrfs.
If an intelligent stranger, like De Tocquevlle
for instance, who had examined our Constitution
with care and was acquainted with the principles
Of our government, should be told that the propo-
stion before Congrcs, wa. To- introduce a State the
Constitution Of which wn> never submitted to the
people he would be amazed and well he might be-
for on constitutional ground the question has but
one side
They who have observed the march Of event.
know the solution Of this enigma. Self interest.
an insatiatc ambition and unboundcd lust for
power are the moving causes.
The Republic i. divided into two srca, division.
having different objects and aims and agoniscsl
scheme for the attainment Of them. One section
regard, Cotton as the national product and that all
the public measures must be made .ubscrvicnt to
its growth and protection. That, as one Of the
chief means, the subsection Of the blacks as a race
j. national policy, and that the raising Of nccroc.
for sale and for use i, a legal and praisc.worthv
calling, and that if tho home product is not equal
TO the demand other means should be resortcd to
for the supply The other section whilc thoy adj
init the value Of Cotton and all lawful means to
produce it deny the right Of forcihly reducing
race to bondage national wrong subycrsivc of
the principles of the Government and destructive
to it, prosperity. They insist that agriculture,
commerce. manufactures and the mechanic arts are
the true national object, and that the Government
should he directed to their attainment Tcse adj
verse views lead to adverse legislation and hence
the struggle for supremacy.
The slave states are in a small minority. and
though they have long had the asccndancy, it has
been secured by the largcs>es at the disposal Of
the Executive to their allies in the free States
This rcsoursc becomes every year more doubtful
ana more and more troublesome. If they can sue
coedin leading in Kansa. it will secure to them two
more coajiutor, in the South and thus secure to
them one branch Of the Government during all
time.
The friends II freedom in America should pom
der well upon the Importance Of this question and
the tremendous consequences certain to result from
it. Before they consent to invest the South with an
absolute control over the government of this great
the intrinsic right oft, its efficiency in promoting
the prosperity Of the nation, the safety Of subject.
ing the immense numerical majority of the people
Of the free states to the absolute control Of less
than one third Of the people under the dctation of
the oligarchy in the Senate. Nay more. thcv
should enquire whether this nation has or has not
mission from the Almighty, by throwing the light
of liberty in tho pathway Of the world to disscm.
mate the principles Of freedom and elevate man
everywhere to higher purposes and higher pros.
perity We speak as unto wise men, judge We.
The subject is Of immense Importance, but the
reasons are varied and So numerous, that few
only can be stated To make the matter more sim.
pie in its detail consider it with reference to the
states cast Of the Rocky Mountains The states south
If the line have G,lsl,2 ~ white inhabitants and
properly should have sixty representatives in Con.
sress, but through generosity in the North, they
nave ninety. Tho States North have a white pom
Ilation Of l3, 2d4, 1875 and have one hundred and
ory-two representative On this proposition fifteen
states in the North and fifteen states in the South
tand as equals in the Senate. Give Kansas TO the
south, and they thereby Sccuro a legal majority in
me branch of tho Government, forever While no !
ne should complain Of past concessions whereby the
representation Of tho South j. increased from sixty
o ninety, nor that tho States ms corporations are
quals in the Senate that Florida and Delaware |
balance New York and Pennsylvania though the |
coplc stand a 9s372 to 1906 is5, it is not right
hat, in calculations Of political equality the great
majority of the population in the free States should
C disrcgardcd and more than thirteen millions sub
ected to the political control Of six millions Con-
edc to the South the privilege of a shield in the
cnatc for their protection, but do not give, with
he shield political sword To strike down all the
interests Of Agriculture, Commerce. Manufactures
nd the Mechanic Arts, because they choose to re-
ard them As antagonistical to raising cotton and
cgroos
Without pushing this view further it is sufficient
o say that the equal rights Of the people require
hat an illegal increase of the power of the South
D the Senate should not be conceded and the rop.
escntatiycs of the great States inhabited by mil
ions should be slow in placing the rights of their
eoPle in unnecessary jeopardy.
What measure of protection to the free labor Of
thirteen millions in the North can ever he carried
Trough Congress while the Senate is under tho
ictation of the open and ayowcd enemies Of all
zee labor What is to become Of all the great IN
'rcsts Of manufacturers all over the East North