The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1858-03-27

luton, or ordsin the governments which
followed X. The action OF the people vs..
controlled entirely by mslc'i,iss. ciIi'
zen Of tho United States, therefore. cannot
be properly said to owe allegiance to
government which he assisted in forming,
or denominnted Subject when his voice
can be heard In determining the sovereign
viii. Our forefsiher very properly SUBJ
silu,ed the words obed'cncc and "c':i,
zen" We owe obedience TO laws which
we nssls, /, forming. aud are citizens Of
country in which the voice Of the people J.
omnipoien,. We believe i, WAS Patrick
Henry who said that hs aeyer heard The
words allegiance and subject" as sp,
piled TO American citizens, wi,bou, alarm.
They grated upon b,. ear.. They were
associated With tyranny and oppression.
Bu, what would Col Wgfall substitute.
in the place OF popular so'ereigniy' The
sovereignty OF Conventions, Constitutions,
aud Government. II we understand him
correctly, n Convention hss tho right to
make Constitution aud to prohibit tho
people sfom altering 4 except in The mode
which it may select. IL other words. II n
State Convention were called, it nigh, IN
siiiute government, ailising no mode, or a
manner Of alteration that would Involve a
term Of years, aud no matter how obnoy,
ious 1t nigh, be, It would have to be en-.
dured And, to use Ills own language. I'll
a mob. composed Of the entire population
was to attempt to ove,lurn the government
Of Texas. aud your capital were beseeed
so that your Legislature could not cons
veue, one man could call the entire military
aud naval Ioree OF The Union TO his aid to
sustain the government, by his mere ap~
plcation" Such doctrine ia mons,rous
1t is at war with the genius aud 'pirI! OF
our institutions. aud the immu,able prnci \
pies By which our liberties are secured
Admit II, aud our State aud Federal Govern.
ments, instead Of deriving their powers
from the consent Of the governed. are con
ver,ed into de,po,i.ms No such doctrine
we contend, Is 10 be- found ia our Federal
Constitution. and we solemuly prote.,
against charging the illuslilous men VINO
framed that instrument, with having sane
toned it.
We may safely assert, hat a, lsa-: three.
fourihs OF the people Of this State are
opposed to the call Of Convention to
amend or abolish the present Constitution
The resolution before the Senate to which
Cot Wgfsll refers, was introduced simply
as an element OF agitation, aud 10 provoke
discussion. without any hope Of immediate
action. Ills speech had reference to the
condition OF Kansas. The Lecompion
constitution provide, that 1t shall not be
altered or amended before 1854 /. such
provision b,ndirgi II 50. VIII, might
no. 4 Convention have extended the time,
twenty, thirty. ora hundred years, or iudef
intel, ifiIhsd seen proper Perhaps it will
be answered, FRAT Of course the tr>e must
be reasonable. Blu, who is to Judge OF
that Certainly not "a Convention, nor the
people of previous time but "ihe su,
preme ultimate authority from whence all
power is derived" the people Of to,dsy.
We do not menr by this, that bare ma,
loriiy Of the Legislature OF Kansas. under
the operation Of the State Government.
can call Convention; but. that whenever
il ia clearly ascertained by vote. that Il ma
jority of the people are in favor of such
movement. that 1t i. the imperative duty
the Stats Government, 10 act upon 1t.
1t has been unfortunate for the South and
Tor the Administration, that the men who
have been sent to Kansas have been con
tfolled or intmidaed by The ireesoil party.
We may believe indeed. that the President,
to some extent. has been wanting in prompt
mems aud decision in ,uppressing aud pun>
ishiug rebellion. But does it necessarily
follow thai he merits unqualified condemN
nation. We think not lie has been en-,
deavorins 10 promote peace, to establish
domestic tranquility, to alsy sectional ex,
element, aud to save ,he Union. lie hns
recognized our tights in thsir fullest extent,
and has been their warm advocate in all OF
his official acis. Some consideration must
be made for the delicacy OF his position and
tho circun.lsnces by which he wa. sar,
rounded II the Scalh has los, Kansas she
ia herself most to blame. She has made no
effort to populate il, The whole contest
has been left to Missouri, Tha, State has
had to contend almost alone against the
populoas States Of the North, with dlrec,
State aid an d aid societies.
But rs important a. We believe Kansas
is to the South tsnd we feel sure we do no,
undefrs,r its worth, we appreciate more
highly the principles established in the bill
which gave it a territorial government II
these principles are maintained, the South
will be secure IN ito rights, il not another
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