The daily Butte record., 1858-08-05
The Past Issue.

"Lecomptonism is past ISSUE" say
the tools Of the Administration. "Why
make disseniion and disunion of the
democratic party, for this Why
should portions Of the party be class,
ed as Lecompton democrats and anotb-
er portion as anti-Lccompton demo-
Gratis 2"
The dissension and disruption is
made because the action of the Admin
istraiion, and Of the chivalry party in
this State, belle every word Of peace
they utter. So far as Kansas is con-
cerned, if the people of that State see
proper to sacrifice all for which they
have been contending, for the con-
temptible bribe offered by the English
Bill-to sell their birth-right for mess
of potiage--the issue is indeed settled.
But if the people of Kansas send back
to the President bis bribes and his
threats, and say to him that the people
of Kansas can neither be bought nor
bullied then tho issue is not past
even as to that State.
The principle of Popular Sovereign
ty-the principle that freemen have an
inalienable right to form their own in
s'iintions, is living, breathing prin-
ciplc the life and soul of republican
institutions and government And,
whether this shall be a rule of action,
or whether il shall give way to the die
tation OF policy Presidents, who may
choose to abandon principle, is now the
issue before the American people, even
if the question rs to Kansas is past
The issue is now made, and must be
settled, now and forever.
The election in Kansas is past-even
now the people of that territory are
questioning not if there is a majority
of votes against the bribes and bully
ings Of the Administrations how
great is the majority. We have faith
in the people. And we doubt not, that
when the news of that election shall
reach us that we shall still have faith
in the intelligence of the people, and
that they are capable of self-govern-
ment.
Nothing but settled conviction in
the minds Of the leaders Of the friends
of tho Administration in this State, can
account for their action. IF Kansas
rejects Lccompton, she will apply for
admission into the Union at tie next
Congress, and il refused, at the next,
and the next. And if the friends
of the administration can whip into
their ranks sufficient number of syc-
ophanfs and pap-eaters to carry the
next Congress then we may expect to
see Kansas again refused under a con-
stitution which is the choice Of the peo-
ple--and to hear the fat of the fire.
eaters of the South from the halls of
our National Legislature, proclaim to
the laborers of the North, that it re-
quires ninety-threc thousand freemen
to form State with the powers and
privileges possessed by thirty thousand
Shareholders. If this is past issue,
if the democratic party throughout the
Union have given their assent to such
doctrine, then indeed there is no
need for disscntion in the party.
But We do not think such assent has
been given, and the Administration and
its friends in this State, boldly an
n ounce that those who do not give
their assent to this doctrine, and sur
render their own convictions, to the
OF the President, are "bolt-
prs"-- and that there can be no peace
for the party, until this is done, and
and that without reserve.
We cannot see how ihe issue is past,
,n the contrary, think il still to be dc.
decided.
q