Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-15
MOUTH, INDIANA, THURSDAY, APRIL l5 1865.

"SEc. U. Iile legislative power OF the
Territory shall extend to all rightful sub
ects of legislation. consistent with the
Constitution of the United States, and the
provisions of this act. ~ United States
Lars, vol. 10, p. 2S5.
Do the gentleman from Georgia, and the
other prominent champions of the Admin
istration, dare to stand by their own argu-
ment when applied to the Territory OF
Utah? VIII they maintain, while asking
us for appropriations for the Army which
is to assist in sustaining and upholdng
the new territorial officers there that the
whole territorial government itself can be
superseded or trameled by the spontaneous
formation of a State constitution in Utah,
and the Lecompton-like election, before
even the instrument itself is submitted to
our inspection of a governor, state officers,
judiciary, and Legislature? And yet the
Language of the two acts being identical on
the very point where ho finds the authority
for Kansas, he must acknowledge its fall
lacy, or conccde license to Utah utterly
obstructive of the national authority in that
rebellious Territory. .s.
L leave the gentleman from Georgia to
select whichever horn of this dilemma he
chooses, and ask attention Of the two fol-
lowing extracts from the speeches of dis
tinguished advocates of Lccompton upon
this floor 3o s-sIlhiH
The gentleman from Mississippi, [ Mr..
LAMAR, in his speech on the Sth of
January, lays down the following PROPOSE
ton:
''Thc people act in their sovereign ca
Pacity when they elect delegates; and the
delegates thus elected and convened arc,
for all practical purposes, identical with the
people. Sir. | take higher grounds.
hold that the highest embodiment of sover-
eighty. the most imposing political assem-
blage known to our Constitution and laws
is convention of the people legally as
semblcd, not en- masSe-for such an as.
semblage is unknown in our representa-
tive system-but by their delegates, legally
elected. When such body, with no de
clared limitation upon their powers, are
deputed to form constitution. ipso tacto
become the supreme ia,o Of tie land, an
questionable and mchangeaJie by on,
PVtttf OU tufbt, SdhC WHICH
it,"
cit Kansas is no longer territory o.
these United States. She has, by your owl
authority and permission, thrown off the
habillments of territorial dependence, ant
stands now State, clothed with all the
attributes and powers of a State, and ask.
admission as an equal in this noble con
federation of sovereignties, You may re-
ject her application, if you will; but it vii
be at your own peril. To remand her q
/ her territorial condition you cannot, any
more than you can roll back to'their hid
: den sources the waters of the Mississippi
Kansas as q separate, organized, lem,
State. with all the nerves and arteries o
, life in full development and vigorous &C
tivity. Between your laws and her pcopl,
she can interpose the broad and radian
shield of State sovereignty. and may laugl
to scorn your enabling acts.''
The gentleman from Alabama, Mr.
SHORTER, just month later, declared
t himself also as follows:
, T"When the Kansas and Nebraska bill
|, was passed, this doctrine of the right of tn,
| people in the territory to establish slav,
or a free State, and be admitted into tn,
Union free from all congressional interfcr
ence, was adopted as fundamental prin
eiplc., That bill declares that Kansas, a:
well as Nebraska, has the right of admis.
sion into the Union as a sovereign State
withor without slavery, according to the
legally-expressed will of the majority o.
her people. Kansas to-day presents her
self at the door of this Hall with her con
stitution. and demands admission into the
ion.''
eff the organic act establishing a terrific
rial government for Kansas was, as | con
tend, an enabling act, then she is to-day q
souereign iadePcaieat Stale, and tie Fedora
territorial offers should Be Instantly uitt-
drasca. She IS a free, isdepenaent, sorer-
eign STATE, outside of the Union, and by
the consent of Congress" Eis'l hrn ~
These, sir, arc bold sentiments, daringly
expressed. But when you apply to them
the touchstone of Utah, their monstrous
character, their fatal results, are plainly
exhibited to all men. Even their authors
themselvcswould shrink from carrying them
out No more dangerous blow could be
welded at the authority Of the Federal
4 Government in our Territories than this
Iirdorsc them by your ratification of the
Lecompton constitution, for which they arr
the chief argument, and you. gentlemen o.
Il the opposition side of the House, will be
responsible for the consequences in the
other Territory which you are striving tc
force back to its allegiance. In the path
that these gentlemen have marked cut 70,
him Brigham Young can walk and doubt
less will. With precisely the same en-
abling act that Kansas has, vote Of the
people could be at once taken on the
propriety of forming State constitution;
an election of delegates to constitutional
convention ordered by unanimous vote
of the Kansas Legislature, even over the
Geovernor's veto, as the Lecompton act
itself was; constitution framed, fair and
republican on Us face; the whole compile
ted withina very few months; and if Con
grcss rejected it, the rulers of Utah could
tell you, in the language Of Mr.. LAMAR,
that they arc "no longer Territory of the
United States;" that lyon cannot remand
them to their territorial condition. that
between your laws and her people she
will interpose the broad and radicnt shield