The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-16

OF the errltory. lhey nave ueclueu the queS-
ton for themselves, adversely to the Presidents
wishes, and by an almost unanimous vote; and,
notwithstanding, the President admits, as we
quoted from him in the commencement of this
article, that peace and prosperity reign in
Kansas.
The President says:
Under these circumstances, submitted to
Congress the Constitutions thus framed, with all
the officers already elected necessary to put the
State Government into operation, accompanied
by strong recommendation in favor of the adj
mission of Kansas as State. In the course of
my long public life, have never performed any
official act which, in the retrospect, has afforded
me more heartfelt satisfaction. Its admission
could have inflicted no possible injury on any
human being, whilst it would, within brief
period, have restored peace to Kansas and har-
mony to the Union. In that event, the Slavery
question would ere this have been finally settled,
according to the legally-expressed will of ma
jority of the voters, and popular sovereignty
would thus have been indicated in a constitu-
ton manner"
The Lecompton Constitution was stepped in
fraud, violence, bribery, and tyranny, in every
stage of its progress. The body which framed
it was gang of political and social outlaws,
called together without legal warrant, held to-
gether by "the cohesive power of the public
plumber" and its wholh existence, aim, and end
was a usurpation of the rights of free people.
1t was abhorred of the people of Kansas, it
was twice rejected by ten thousand majority
and even now, after the foul monster has been
dead and buried for months, it would not be
safe for those who were actively engaged in
bringing it forward to visit the Territory Such
is the measure with which the President ident
fees himself now and for all time, by the deca-
ration that the Recommendation oft affords him
"more satisfaction than almost any other act
of his long life.
Well, tastes are different, and it may be that
the odors which make Lecompton rank in the
nostrils of most men, are those which give it
its peculiar fragrance to the President. Even
Mr.. Hammond, South Carolina Senator and
therefore not likely to fall out with any scheme
for the extension of Slavery, and who was
compelled by the necessities of his position to
support Lecompton, now declares that it should
have been kicked out of Congress" But the
faithful heart of the President knows no change,
and the dead monster, reeking in the putres-
cence of dissolution, is dear to him as if the
child of his old age But we pass on.
The President has convictions of duty"
Hear him:
with my deep convictions of duty, I could
have pursued no other course 1t is true that,
as an individual, had expressed an opinion,
both before and during the session of the Con
vention, in favor of submitting the remaining
clauses of the Constitution, as well as that CON
corning Slavery, to the people. But, acting in
an official character, neither myself nor any
human authority had the power to reiudge the
proceedings Of the Convention, and declare the
Constitution which it han framed to be nulli-
ty. To have done shis could have been a VIC.
lation Of the Kansas an Nebraska act, which
left the people Of the Territory perfectly free
to form and regulate their domestic institutions
in their own way, subject only to the Constitu-
ton of the United States-"
If the whole proceeding relative to the forma-
ton of the Lecompton Constitution had been
regular and fair, the Pre- sident might have al
legged with truth that his convictions of
duty" constrained him u present the Constitu-
ton to Congress. Butuader no circumstances
was he under an obligation to insist upon its
adoption. For, let it no, be forgotten, that the
Convention, whether regular or otherwise was
not authorized by An " eiabling act 4" of Con
gress, and thereforeits &C ion could have no sort
of validity, until accepted by Congress. The
President not only earnestly recommended the
adoption of the suppoatitions bantling, but
made it test question of party fidelity. All
who ventured to differ Fl ON him were uncere-
moniously displaced and read out of the party.
When, therefore, the President talks of his
" convictions of duty in this connection, We
are prone to understand him as referring to his
party, rather than his constitutional obliga.
tions.
We conclude our excerpts from the message
with another specimen of Presidential candor
and uprightness. He says:
"This excellent provision which Congress
has applied to Kansas, ought to be extended,
and rendered applicable to all Territories which
may hereafter seek admission into the Union
"Whilst Congress possesses the undoubted
power of admitting new State into the Union,
however small may be the number of its inhab-
itants, yet this power ought not, in my opinion,
to be exercised before the population shall
amount to the ratio required by the act for the
admission of Kansas. Had this been previous
ly the rule, the country would have escaped all
the evils and misfortunes to which it has been
exposed by the Kansas question.
"Of course, it would be unjust to give this
rule retrospective application, and exclude a
State which, actirg upon the past practice of
the Government has already formed its Consti-
tuition, elected its Legislature and other officers,
and is now prepared to enter the Union
The President having laid it down as an
indefeasible principle of Democratic policy,
that all new States asking admission into the
Union must bring with them the evidence of
census return that they contain 93,420 inhabit
ants, we felt curious to know how Oregon was
to be made an exception to the rule. Oregon
has less than half the required population, but
she has sent to Washington two faithful Dem
ocrats " as Senators, and one equally faithful
as Representative and this state of things
takes her out of the rule. Accordingly, the
President tells us that " it would be unjust to
give this rule retrospective application, and
exclude State which, acting upon the prac-
tice of the Government, has already formed its
Constitution, elected its Legislature and other
officers, and is now prepared to enter the
Union"
This is pitiable apology for an act of gross
partiality, and exhibits the President of the
United States in the attitude of an unscrupu
lous partisan, who is ready to prostitute his
official character to the basest necessities of a
desperate and decaying faction 1t is we'll known
that Kansas has more population than Oregon,