Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-02-12

III I'll All - st.
baum to submit this all important question
Of slavery co the people.
Ii was never however. my opinion. that
Systematically of this act they would have
been bound 10 submit aBy portion of the
constitution to q popular vote in. order to
give it validity. Had / e~nteTtaiaedsuch an
segnisn, this would have been in opposition
&c uaany presidents in eur history, com
mencing in the very best age OF the repub-
lie. Il wogld have been in opposition to
the p~riaeip!e which peryades our institutions
and which is every day carried into practice
that the people hase The right TO delegate
to tho representatives chosen by themselves
their sovereign power to frame constitutions,
enact laws and perform many other imsor-
tant acts, without requiring tiIst these
should be subjected 10 their subsequent ap-
pfoh4sion. Il would be a most Involvement
Limitation of their own power, imposed by
the pespLe upon themselves, 10 exrlude
them from exercising their sovereignty in
any lawful manner which they might think
proper. Il IS true that the people Of Kansas
might. if they had pleased, have required
the Convention to submit the constitution. to
= popular vote, but this they have no; deae.
Yhe only remedy: therefore, in ttis- case,
is that which exists in all similar cases. IL
the delegates who framed the Aansas Con-
s~iitution hare in any manner violated the
will of ieir constituents, the people always
possess the power to change their cofistltu-
ton or laws according TO their own pleasure.
The question Of slavery WAS submitted to
an election OF the people on the 3lst of
December last, in obedience to the mandate
of the constitution. Here again q fair op-
poFtaBity was Fsesentedsto- tho adlleren:s of
the Topeka constitution, if they wefe-tie
majority, to decide this exciting question .sin
ssfheir own way" and thu. restore peace to
ths distracted Territory; but they again re-
fused to exercise their right OF popular SOW
efeiRHty. and again suffered the election to
pass By default. ] heartily ~rejpice that q
wiseFead better spirit prevailed among q large
major.ty of these people on the first Monday
of January, and that they did on that day v5te
underline Leconpton constitution, for a Gov
error and other State officers, q member
Of Congress and members of the Legislature.
This election was warmly contested by the
parties, and a larger vote poiled than at any
previous election in the Territory. We may
now reasonably hope the revolutionary To-
peka organization Will be speedily and fin
ally abandoned, and this will go far towards
the fnal settlement Of the unhappy differ
ence in Kansas.
IL frauds have been ~eorsnirted At this cleo
ton by one or both parties, the Aegislaturc
and people Of Kansas, under their constitn-
ton, know how to redress themselves and
punish these detestable but toe ommon
crimes without outside interference. The
people Of Kansas have then Gin their own
way, and Instruct accordance With the or
eanie act, framed u constitution and stare
Government, have submitted the all i'm
portanl question of Slavery to the people,
have elected q Governor. a member of Com
gress, members of the State Legislature,
and other State officers" and they now ask
admission into the Union this Constitution,
which is republican in its form. II Is for
Congress to decide whether they will admit
or reject the State which has thus been crc-
aied.
For my own part Fam decidedly IN favor
of it's admission, and thus terminating the
Kansas question. This will carry out the
great principle of non-interyention sanction
ed by the organic act, which declares, in ex-
press language, in favor OF the non-intersen-
ton OF Congress with slavery in the States
aud Territories, leaving the people perfectly
free TO form aud regulate their domestic in
stitutious in their own way. subjected only
to the constitution of the United States
In this manner. by locaiizing the question of
slavery and combining it to the people who
80 Immediately concerned, every patriot
anxicusly expected that this question would
be banished from the halls Of Congress,
where it has always exerted a baneful in
auencc throughout the country 1t is prop
er that Isheuld referto the election, heh an
der the actof the Territorial BegisIatorc, on
the first Monday of'January, on the bscomp.
ton constitution. This election was held uf-
ter the Territory had been prepared for adj
mission into the Union asa sovereign State,
and when no authority existed in the Fer
~ritorial Legislature which. could possibly
destroy ifs existence or change its cliarac-
ter.
The election. which was peaceably con-
Quoted under my Instructions, involved
strange Inconsistencies. A large maj 1rity
of the persons who voted against the Lee
compton constitution were at the same time
and place recognizing its valid existence ir
the most solid and authentic manner by
voting under its provisions. | have yet re
.eeived no official Information Of the rcsull
of this election. AS a question of rxpedf
eucy, after right has been maintained, ii may
be wise to reflect upon the benefits 10 Kan
sas and the whole country that will result
from its immediate admissiol into the UnioF
IS well as the disasters that may follow it:
rejection. Domestic peace sill be the hap
py consequence of the admission, and tina
fine Territory, hitherto torn by discretion
will rapidly increase in population am
wealth, aud speedily realize the blessings ant
comfort which follow agricultural and afe
chanicalindustry. The people, then, will b
sovereign. and regulate tt,eir affairs in thei
own way. Ii the majority of them deslr'
to abolish domestic slavery in the State Their
is no other possible mode by which it can b
effected so speedily as by its sprompt ndmis
SIGN.
The will of the majority is supreme an
irresistible when expressed in a lawful an
orderly manner. It can unmake constitH
tioSs at pleasure. 1t would be absurd TO 81.
thar they could impose letters upon thei
W power which they cannot afterward re
move. It they could DO this they might ii
their own hands just as well for a hundre,
as for ten wears. These are the fuRdamen
tai principles of American freedom, and ar
recognized in some form by every STATE
constitution, and if Congress in the act c
admission should think proper to recogniz
them 1 can perceive no objection. This ha
been done emphntically in the constitution
OF Kansas. II declares in its bill OF right
that all political power is inherent in tn
people, and all free governments ar
founded on their authority and instituted fo