Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-03-25
The Presidents Kansas Policy

that there is not a day passes over our
heads but develops the wisdom of the
President in his Kansas policy, when
he says that Kansas has already occu-
pied the public attention too long, and
in recommending the immediate admis-
sion of Kansas into the confederacy as
a sovereign State. Kansas has been for
the last four years the theme upon which
the philosopher, the statesman, the jour
n~alist, the historian, the novelist, the
poet and the divine have dwelt, each in
| their separate and collective capacities,
until the people have become heartily
sick of its agitation, and are wont, if the
agitation must be continued for aye, TO
oonfne it to it's legitimate sphere
namely, among the people of Kansas
themselves.
This was the policy of the Democratic
party in 1854; it was the policy upon
which MIR. Buchanan was nominated
and elected in 1856" it was the policy of
the Democratic party in 1857, and it is
the policy of the party 0 in 1853
that the people of territories were per-
fectly competent to take care of them
selves without the interference of Con-
gress or the people of the States-that
they were perfectly able to regulate their
domestic institutions in their own way,
subject only to the Constitution oft
United States-not as Mr.. Douglas
would have them regulate them-nor as
Walker or Stanton nor Wise would have
them regulate taem---but in their own
way subject only to the restriction that
their laws conflict not with the Consti-
tuition of the United States, and that
when they knocked foradmission, their
constitution be Republican in form, so
that they may come into the Union son
perfect equality with the other States"
This was the settled policy of the
country in regard to the mueh vexed
question of territorial government. 1t
was so uEdrr TODD and advccI ted by
Douglas and Walker and Wise and the
whole party, and was acquiesced in by
the people both of the north and the
south-by a large majority of the peo-
pie of the United States, and recent e
vents have proved that it is endorsed by
the people of the United States at the
present time.
Kansas has knocked for admission
into the Union with a constitution IRE
publican in FORM" framed, adopted and
presented in pursuance of the law and
by the legally constituted authorities
none being so fool hardy as to assume
that the convention of delegates, cleo
ted as they were by the people, was
either illegal or irregular. The Prcsi-
lent in view of ~thcsefacts, recommend
ed her admission under the constitution
presented, regretting that the constitu-
ton had not been submitted for ratif-
cation by the people, and recommending
that in future, as in the case of Mime
sofa, this be the policy for people of
territories to adopt. But however much
the President or Douglas or Walker or
other statesmen or politicians desired
that this be the policy, they had no pow
or under heaven to nullify the act Of
the people who chose another mode
no right under heaven to coerce them
into adopting this or that name Of
forming or adopting their constitution,
at the peril Of the principles Cf on
Intervention and the organic act of the
Territory.
For the carrying out of this principle,
the President and those who conceded
with him, are assailed, not only by
the Black Republicans, but by those
from whom we have a right to expect
other treatment, in the most bitter and
malignant manner. We are accused of
"forcing a Constitution" upon the peo-
pie of Kansas; our principles are styled
ssmonstrous," and the whole action of
the President and the gentlemen who
sustain him, it dubbed, in the classical
language of the opposition, as a "swin-
die" This from Black Republicans we
could cxpcct-but from Democrats, with
whom VIC had fought, shoulder to Shout
der-never!
1t is neither in the powcrof the Pres
ident nor Congress to 'force" a Consti-
tuition upon Kansas or any other Ter
ritoy. 1t is not Congress nor the Presi-
dent who makes the Constitution of
Kansas, but the people, and the only
province that either Mr.. Buchanan or
Congress can exercise is to see that the
be republican in form and
does not conflict with the Constitution
of the United States.
They have no right TO go behind Or
this. They have no authority to
and send back a constitution to
the people of the Territories because
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