The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-02-10

tlameS Ct civil war IN hanSaS aud pfoduced uan- /
eerOus and sectional party striie throughout the
cOnieleracy. Il was character so pzramonnt
IN respect to the eondtion OF Kansas IS TO rvet
the anxious attention oithe people Ofthe whole
cohnlry upon It alone, No person thought Of
any other question. For my own part when
instructed Governor Walker, in general terms,
in favor Of submitting the Constitution to the
people. had no object in view except the all
absorbing question OF slavery. In what manner
the people OF Kansas might regulate their other
CONCERNS was not the subject which attracted
my attentmh. IN fact, the general provisions
Of recent State Constitutions, after an experience
oi eighty years. are so similar and excellent that
it would be difficult to go Ear wrong. at the
present dsy, in Trainings new Constitution. i
then believed, and still believe, that under the
organic act the Kansas Convention were hound
TO submit this all important question Of slavery
to the people.
Il was never my opinion, however that in'le-
pendently OF this act they would have been
bound to submit any portion the CONSTITUTION
10 populae vote in order TO give II validity
Had entertained such an opinion, this would
hive been in opposition to many precedeutS IN
our history commencing in the very best age OF
our Republic. II woald have been in Opposi
ticn to the principle which pervales our inSti-
tutons, anil which is every day carried into
practice. that the people have right TO delegate
10 the Representatives chosen by themselves
their sovereign power to frame Constitution,
enact laws, and perform many other important
acts, without requiring that these should lie sub
jected TO their subsequent appreciation, ~
| would he most inconycnient limitation of their
own power, imposed by the people upon them
selves. to exclude them from exercising their
| sovereignty in any lawful manner which they
| think proper 1t is true that the people OF Nan
Sas might, if they lad pleased, have required the
! Convention to submit ti.e Constitution to pop
/ ular vote, but this they haNa not done.
The only remedy, therefore, is this case, i
] hat which exists in all other similar cases. II
! the de egates who framed the Kansas Constr.
/ tuition have in any manner violated the VIII OF
their constituents, the people always possess the
power TO change their constitution or laws nc
cording to their own pleasure The question
Of slavery was submitted to the election Of the
people, on the 2lSt Of December last, in obedi-
cnce 10 the mandate OF the Constitution. Here
again fair opportunity was presented 10 the
adherents Of the Topeka Constitution, if they
were the majority, to decide this exciting queS-
ltion in their own way" and thus restore the
peace Of the distracted Territory; but they again
refused to exercise the right Unpopular sovc-
reignty and again suffered the election to pass
by default.
I | heartily rejoice that a wise and better spir'
it prevailed among large majority of these peo
: pie, on the first Monday in January and that
they did on that day vote under the Lecompton
:, Constitution for a Governor and other State Of
ficerS member Of Congress- and members o
the Legislature. This election was warmly con
tested by the parties and larger vote polcd
than at any previous election in the Territory
We may new reasonably hope that the revolu'
tlonnry Topeka organization will he speedily and
finally abandoned and this will go far toward a
final settlement of the unhappy differences ir
Kansas frauds have been committed at this
election by one or by both parues, the Legisa
ture anu people of Kansas, under their eonstitu
ton know how to redress themselves and pun
ish these deteStable, but too common crimes
without outside interference,
The peopIe oil Kansas have then tin theil
own way, and in strict accordance with the Or
tganic Act, framed Constitution and Stat,
government have submitted the al-imp0rtan
question of slavery to the people, and have elec
: ted Governor. member of the Safe Legisla
ture and other State officers aud they now aSl
admission into the Union under this ConStitu
ton. republican in it's form. 1t is for Congress
E to decide whether they will admit or reject th
e State which has thus been created. For IN!
own part am decidedly in favor OF its admission
! and thus terminating the Kansas question. =
# This will carry ont The great principle ofnon
G intervention sanctioned by the Organic Act
E (which declares, in express language, in favor Q
G the non Intervention Of Congress with SLAYER
: in the States and Territories, leaving the peo
t pie perfectly free to form and regulate their dd
e ncStic institutions in their own way, snbjec
G only 10 the Constitution OF the Unite States.
e In this manner, by localizing the question {
:. slavery, and conining it to the people who ar
u immediately concerned, ever patriot anxio1Sl
i expected that that question would he banishe
o from the halls ofCongress, where it has alway
!. exerted banefu influence throughout th
{. country. 1t is proper that should refer to tn
i. election bcld under the act of the 9'errioris
v Legislature on the first Monday of January, o
1t the Iecompton Constitution. This election wa
1t held after the Territory had been prepared f
= admission into the Union as a sovereign Stat
l. and when no authority existed in the TerntC
II rial Legislature which could possibly destroy i
,e existence, or change its character. The elet
OF tion, which was peaccably conducted under IN
ID instructions, involved strange Inconsistencies.
D. A large majority OF the persons who vote
t. against the I.ecou,pton Constitution were at Il
m same time and place recognizing its valid exis
n ence in the most solid and authentic nanne
II by voting under It's provisions. have yet j,
a. &C we'd no Official information Of the result
a. this election. As question Ot eXpedienc
n after right has been maintained it may lie VII
Is to reflect upon the benefits TO Kansas end Il
is whole country that will result trcm its inm
ir dinte admission into the Union, as well as Il
I'd disasters that NAV follow it's rejection. Dome
We tic peace will bo the happy consequence of II
Id admission, and that fine Territory, hitherto to
III by dssenslon, will rapidly increase in popul
St ton and wealth, and speedily realize the bles
rd Ings and comforts which follow agricultural al
he mechanical iEdustry. The people then will
IN sovereign, and can regulate their affairs in the
D. own way. 1.-THE majority OF them desire oabc
in Iish domestic slavery within the State there
&C no other po, sibe mode by which it can be {
al fcc'ed so speedily as by IL prompt admission.
i'll The viii oflhe majority is supreme and irr
sisibe when expressed in an orderly and lay
I'd ful manner 1t can unmakc constitutions
ry pleasure. Itwould he absurd to say that tht
ur can impose cttcrs upon their power which tn
es cannot aferward remove. Ifthey could do til
to they might tie their own hands just as well
cd hundred as for ten years, These are the fI
OF lamental principles OF American Eeedom, al
OF are recognized in some torn by every State co
he stitutioD, and ilConsless, in the act OF ADM
is son, should think proper TO recognize them,
ng can perceive no Objection. This has been do
III cmphatically in the constitution ol Kansas.
n declares in is bill of tights that 'all polite
~ lpower is inherent in inc people," and all r
I'd governments are founded ON their authority al
re Instituted for their benefit, and therefore, ha
he at all times an inaienable and ndcicasable rig
er to alter reform and abolish their form COVER