Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-07-08
~Ehe-K0HsAS Question. Is it Set
lied! who shall Judge, the lie
compton IN -Anti ~LecOmptOn"
Democrats, OF the Republicans
Judge Douglas on the Stand.

ton Empire, we observe are still in great
tribulation over the settlement of the
Kansas question; and the removal of it
forever from the National politics. No
wonder. 1t was the chief capital they
had in sc, all they could expect in SO,
and they cling to it with a death grasp
insisting that the question shall not be
settled, and that TO oJEiyc them, Demo
Gratis shall guard over it still, whether
they will or not. Poor fellows, what a
pity, their hopes are all turning to "the
ashes of despair" But pray, who shall
determine whether the question is set
tied, and the issue a dead one? Re
publican interlopers and NEW party
outsiders, or the Democrats, who disa-
greed upon the Kansas matter? The
original friends Of the Conference Cor
English) Bill, are, of course, satisfied
aud for union and peace, and if they
among the Democracy who opposed it,
q are now ready to aequiesce and to treat
it as a past and settled question, we
think it marvellous impudence in our
common enemies, to insist that we shall
not be reconciled, but shall quarrel just
for their amusement and to enable them
to slip into power and Office. Now Of
all men in the nation we think Mr..
Douglas the re,y best entitled to judge.
We published on Saturday, an abstract
of his late speech in the Senate, on IL
lInois politics, June Is, 1858. Below
We give the speech as revised and pub
lisheG by himself in pamphlet form, and
for a copy of which We, arc indebted to
him. While denouncing in severe
terms the recent boiling convention
which falsely and ~impudently pretend
cd to represent the Administration in
f~lliBois, he yet acquiesces in the settle
ment Of the Kansas question, and dis
tinctly and positively declares it a set
tied and dead issue, no more to divide
the party. We invite especial atten-
ton to the following extract; and trust
now that those of the Republican party
who have professed so much love and
admiration for Judge Douglas lately
and so great confidence in him, will be
satisfied also, or else be content to stand
forth as knaves and hypocrites whose
only object was to distract and conquer
the Democratic party-a party which
never was and never can be beaten cx-
cept by itself:
Il resisted with all my strength and
energy the attempt TO force the people
of Kansas into the Union with a consti-
tuition known to be repugnant to their
wishes, without first giving them an OPP
p~ortunity to reject; and 1 rejoice to say
that We resisted it successfully until the
attempt was abandoned and the ques-
ton OF admission was referred back to
the people of Kansas, to be decided by
them at the polls. Although the strug-
gle was long, exciting, and exhausting,
it resulted in the abandonment of the
attempt to force the Lecompton Constl-
tuition on the people of Kansas, and in
that abandonment was a clear recognl-
ton of the principle that the assent OF
the people must be first had and obtain
ed before any Instrument q rightfully
become their fundamental law. The
question of admission was rcmanded to
theppeople of Kansas, to be decided by
and for themselves at an election to be
held in pursuance of law, for that pur-
pose; thus again recognizing the prin-
ciple for which I had contendcd during
the whole controversy: that the people
had a right to decide for themselves the
question of admission under the consti-
tuition. When l saw in the bill of rec
egnition4 of the principle, l deeply re-
GREETED that the provisions of the bill
and the form of submission were not
such as 1 could sanction with my vote.
IL expressed this regret at the time
and indicated two amendments, which,
if they could have been adopted, would
have enabled me to vote for the BILL
But when the bill became a law the
whole question was remanded to Kan
sas, to be decided at an election, which
has been fixed for the first Monday in
August. Which ever way the people
of Kansas may decide the question at
that election will be final and c%onclu-
siye, If they reject the proposition
submitted by Congress. the Leeompton
constitution is dead, and there is an end
ofthe controversy. If, on the contrary,
they accept The proposition" Kansas.
from that moment, becomes a State of
the Union, and thus the controversy
terminates Whether they shall accept
or reject the proposition is question
for the eople of Kansas to decide for
themselves, and with which neither
Congress nor the people of the several
States, nor any person, official or other
wise, outside of that Territory, has any
right to interfere. Hence, the Lecomp-
ton controversy is at an end; for all
men, of all parties, must be content with
and abide by what ever decision the
people of Kansas may make.
1t is true that the same question may
arise on the application of some other
Territory for admission into the Union.
l ana prepared now to give notice that
whenever that question may arise 1
shall be found maintaining and vindi-
eating the same principle which 1 have
49, I--I1