The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-05-08
THE ENGLISH AMENDMENT.


lis seldom that any principle, however just Is APP
piled TO particular cases in its abstract completeness
and purity It has never happened, we think, in the
political annals of this country that any measure,
In practice has fulfilled the ideal Of its ndvocatcs.
Approximation to the theoretical standard is all that
has ever been attained Men are subducd to ;hat
which they work in. ln political and governmental
matters they are, to great extent the slaves oi the
machinery they use. Crcumtanccs but too oileh
mould their policy and fashion their legislation into
con crete results in which the essence of pure right
aud Justice may be scarcely dscoycrablc. And Tor
tunar il s If enough Of these elements are lett in
the effect of measures which are adopted, to make
them more sauary than noxous. II is well. indeed.
if the poison with which the root is saturated does
mol infect all the fruit Of the tree.
II il can bc proved that the general effect Of the
English amendment tn The Kansas bill. would l'c to
produce the earliest possible pacicatua oi the Kan.
sas dincultrs; would br TO secure the admission OF
the State on terms substantially just would be to
mnct no actual wrong upon the rights aud Interests
Of any class OF citizcns or Of any section Of tho Tn
ion in word if offer the probability of becoming
in effect what the original lccompton bill with the
Pugh amendment. imported more directly ia i, form,
then wc can understand how The Lccompton men in
Cuns W, Of both sections, may have supported ii.
without any fatal sacrifice Of consistency.
II can not hc disputed that Eugli-a'- bll Involves
4 sacrifice of The very principle on which W. have
supported thc admission " Kansas, That principle
may bc expressed IN very concise term -tlat Cou.
ernss admits States aud does not form constitution
that il assent 70 any particular constitution /. art
a necessary preliminary t. The admission ot state,
thr creation oi constitution 4 fundamental law,
or lr organization Of 4 Government being purely
act. Of sovereignty and therefore not requiring rx-
terror sanction. 1hi-, if MT o.ten-hiy hc ground
assumed ly tie Senate. Wa II least tn onls ground
upon Which the Senate iii could w successfully IT,.
tcndad Tile position taken W The House nfrrtd
the right of Congress to dictate hu manner Nv Which
u ncw State should construct is organic law by pre-
scrhiug the qualification, Of electors aud declaring
who, under Tho term people, should constitute Tie
privileged electoral baly. This doctrine i rquya
lent, as We have heretofore shown, to an assumption
. hy Cangr Of those functions Of ,oyorrigntv which
can lc exercised only ~ The States, I'll oIi.r' ot
the Committee Of Conference wa, IA reconcile ihi-
difference. The difference ITSELF II fundamental
and, therefore ab,ractly irgroncMhlr Tho alter
natives which presented Themselves ~cro Simply
thlsr: 'o yield thc abstract principle aal -ccur th,
admission Of Kansas rs desired by ihc : nate or ia
.i.t on tia prucipla onI cNrlndo Kansas NJ appear
70 hn ho desire of tho IIau-c. Nr En4'.h- rIau
ace p, thn ALTERNATIVE Of concession and admission
IN -pto or thc almost unanimous adhesion = IF.
south ra member, to,hat plan. thercca u, 10 douht
that Il cnac.de-, thol. upoa 4 a collateral ava IN.
important ,-sno t4a li1ht oi Congress 10 pass unan
the constitutional State. aud 10 require thnt suc
coH.tuipa be submitted 70 what /. called pop'. E,r
vote The assent Of tic people Of Kansas to certain
i stipnlWons concerning thc public lands is made a
condition precedent 10 the admission OF the SraI,
with the iocompton Constitution. II /, clear hat
iaa-mncl as this involves the whole question or nd
mission, il is equivalent to direct poteou the con.
stItutiou itself, and that the vote o the people
would. in the abscueo Of other inducements. be COY.
"mcd by their opinions With reference q t5at con.
-itution This is lo concession male by thc senate
to the House. Tho counter concession that whica
@lyes the bill the character Of compromise /. tha
provision which fpe5d The holding Of another CO.'S
renton, and consequently procludes another arrli-
cation for adm -.ion. Wtil census shall .h9w lh#.
Kansas contains number of Inhabitants N. lal o III
ratio required for representative in Goneraaa \
number which is $1,000, and after lsG0 will pro.
baby be at least 10000. II i supposed that the
desire Of the people Of Kansas or imml ,iate alm-
sion, and the very remote prospect, under this re.
.ricye clause, Of any admission at all, will induee
an acceptance Of the propositions submitted aha
thus secure the admission Of tie State With the Ie.
compton Constitution
In this shape the bill ha, passed Congress. aud If
the effect be such as is anticipated the South will
have victory in the result, though she may not yet
Il -