Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-15
~ SPEECH or rtsErf 81
HON. SCHUYLER COI4EAA.
ssiffH M ESQ., on THE
q Lecompton Constitution.
DELIVERED on THE 20TH ULT.
DELIVERED on THE 20TH ULT.

IcCUWpLUu OUloLlGut1OAs
DELIVERED on THE 20TH ULT.
CONCLUDED.
An important point must not be omitted
in this rapid review; that no instance exists,
during our entire history as a nation, that
can find by the most ,liligcnt search, where
special clause of new constitution was
submitted to popular vote. that the whole
instrument was not also submitted to the
same ordeal at the same time. And the
reason is, that nowhere else in this whole
land have the trainers of a constitution
sought or desired to impose it upon thu
people against their well-known hatred ant
detestation of its provisions. Where con.
stitutions, in previous generations, have
not been submitted to the people, 1t has
been where the assent to their principles or
the part of the people has been well known
and undeniable This Lccompton fraud
is. rejoice to say, the first instance of the
kind in our country, and L trust that it will
be so utterly repudiated that it will lie the
last. My views in regard to the extension
of slavery are known to my fellow mem
bers, and need not be repeated; for this Is
not question whether Africans are to bC
slaves. but whether freemen, of your own
race and color, are TO be made the serfs ol
the Lccompton usurpers; whether, IN q
word, the majority of the people in Kansas
have any rights that Congress is bound to
respect.
Resuming this almost completed history
of Kansas elections, l must quote re-
markable admission of the President, where
he is speaking of the future power OF the
people to amend the constitutIon-an ai-
mission which destroys the whole case ut
terly and irretrievably:
1.-The will of the majority is supreme and
irresistible when expressed in an orderly
AMI lawful manner. They can make and
unmake constitutions at pleasure. 1t would
be absurd to say that they can impose fet-
ters upon their own power which they can
not afterwards remove Lseompton Mes.
sage, p. 4.
The Presidents whole argument, previ
ous to this admission. was that the Legis
lature, having passed an act calling con
stitutional convention had thereby surren
,lcred to that body all power over the in
s:rumcnt they were commissioned to make
but meet him on this new ground thai
he has taken, and ask. in his own language,
iii is not "absurd to say that they can i'm
pose fetters upon their own power which
they cannot afterwards remover" Wha
are the facts? Before any vote was taker
upon the constitution-bcforc, by its owl
terms. it had gone into effect. or possessed
the slightest vitality-for. by section six
teen oe the schedule, 1t was 'fo be in fore,
from and after its ratification by the peo
pie a. hereinbefore provided same
legislative authority which called it into ex
istcncc, convened and ordered a vote of tn,
people for or against its adoption; anil, or
the 18th Of January, majority of ten thou
>anl of the people of Kansas branded il
with an Indignant repatriation. II theil
! previous action, therefore, had been con
>trucd to impose any "fetters" upon the
people, their action before the convention.
.lection on the 2lst of December removed
these fettcrs, AMI enabled the pcop'e to spcal
their will Enthusiastically.
But again: if Legislature OF the people
after constitution has been adopted, rat
| flied, and confirmed. both at home and b,
Congress and the Executive, have then tn
power to proceed, contraryto the terms o
the instrument itself, in the necessary step
to amend or overthrow it, as the Prcsiden
argues 1.-THE Legislature already elccte,
may, at its very first session." proceed I,
do. is it not extraordinary that they hav
not this same power before it has gone int
i force at all! Is not this position. to us
the Presidents expressive language, cab
| surl?'' y 3.Tssu5 k4 hieii t
But have still another point to make,
on this heal, which will leave the Prcsi
dent and his friends no room to escape from
the position he has taken above. The,
may say that the language is that 9Th
will of the majority must be ''expresse,
in an orderly and ia,cfa manner" and tina
the election Of the 4th of january does no
comply with this condition. The Presi
dent. in his message, though refusing, a
he did also in his instructions 20 Govorno
Denver, to recognize its result as material
says, "it was peaceably conducted, undei
ng Instructions" But still more conclu
sive is the following extract from the in
sfructious to Governor Denver, which wer
datel December Il, 1857. ten days befor
there ha 4 been any voting on the constitu
ton at all, In full view of the fact that
bill would probably be passed by the Leg
islaturc authorizing the people to vote 70
or against il. Speaking of the Governor
duty, the instructions say: 3ses si''
ut extends, of course, to the protection
of all citizens in the exercise Of their jus
rights, and applies to one legal election a
sssH as another The Territorial LcgisIa
turc doubtless convened on the 7th instant
aud while it remains in session its mem
bers are entitled to be secure and free il
their deliberations. III r;sktfai action mus
DO respected. Skostd Il authorize an eler
aon ~ ne people for any pnrpose.. fiis elec
fioss shosid be held scifkosa fnferrupfion, n,
issssh6a those asahorized 6yfhe contention
While the peace of the Territory Is pre-
served and the freedom Of election is secure
there need be no fear Of disastrous consc
orauees - - ssFroue ,xb,f