The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-03
THE BLACK REPUBLICAN sUocEDANEUM


THE BLACK REPUBLICAN sUccEDANEUM.
There seems to be good deal more in the Mont
gomery amendment than tho black republicans bar
gained for. The dullsst Of them begin to discover
that there 10 cot in the mealtub. It is conf
denes" operation which few willy democratic have
played upon their new allies 1t isa sell" Of the
worst sort-a genuine First of April affair.
The House bill provides that in the elections to be
held under it in Kansas those residents shall vote
who arc qualified to do under the existing terrific
rial laws. The qualifications prescribed by these
laws are six months residence in the Territory and
certain test oaths--among these, one in which the
voter is required to swear that he will support the
constitution and laws VI the United States the fugi
tiveslave law included, and that he has not inter-
posed to obstruct the execution Of this particular
law Such is the effect Of one Of the provisions Of
the Montgomery amendment 1t is certainly odd
to see the blackrepublican party requiring test
of fidelity to the constitution and the laws Of the
United States especially to the fugitive-slave law,
and solemn abnegation of having interfered to
obstrnct the execution of the fugitiveslave law.
We say, this provision is novel one to be inserted
in blackrepublican measure.
The federal constitution provides that new States
MAY be admitted by the Congress into the Union" but
the House bill improves upon that provision. While
requiring the voters in Kansas to support the const
tuition Of the United States the House itself takes the
liberty of altering that instrument in radical partic
ular for their bill provides that the President, by
and with the advice and consent of the border
fufians and aid emgrants in the Territory, shall
admit Kansas into the Union by his own proclama-
ton Now the President is trustworthy man, and
may be implicitly confded in to do all that honest
or private. We are sure he would not violate the
trust re posed in him by the back-repubcans Of the
House in the least particular. But yet we doubt
whether even he ought to be empowered with the
discretion Of violating the constitution of the United
States Eternal vigilance is the price Of liberty,
''The one-man power is everlasting bugaboo
with the "outs." We had, therefore, better stick to
the constitution than trust even Mr. Buchanan The
act would be imprudent in itself; the precedent
would be very dangerous
We will suppose case that might happen in or
der to expose another difficulty into which this
House bill might drag the blackrepublicahs. What
if, with the army now in Kansas under the Pres-
dent orders with the "rufians towering in swarms
on the Missouri border, and fraud" stalking
sovereign aud supreme over the Territory-what
it, by the united means Of these three dread
agencies, vote should be obtained favorable
to the Lccompton constitution or failing this, what
if by these same three powerful means pro-savsry
convention should be elected in Kansas which should
frame pro-slavery constitution, and this consttu
ton should be carried by the potential agencies al
luded toand what it, in either Of these events, the
President should admit Kansas by the fiat Of his own
proclamation as slave State into the Union! Here
would be kettle of fish prepared by the black
republicans themselves in this House bill Of theirs.
The Herald's declaration would be realized, and
Mr. Giddings would discover that he had at last
Swallowed anigger" in his old age. The blackrepub-
iicans would find that their big oaths-worse than
those which the army swore in Flanders-by which
they pledged themselves before heaven and earth
that they would never, directly indrestly, vote
for admitting slave State into the Union--wcre
all brokon into finders.