The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-04-13
IFrom the Washington Union.l
The Black Republican Suece-
daueum-


There seems to be a great deal more
in the Montgomery amendment nan the
Black Republicans bargained for. The
duIest of them begin to discover that
there is a cat in the meal-tub- It is q
I" confidence" operation which a few wi
ly Democrats have played upon their
new allies. 1t was q "sell" of the worst
sort-a genuine First Of April affair.
The House bill provides that in the
elections to be held under it in Kansas,
those residents shall vote who are quail
fed to do SO under the existing Terrific
rial law. The qualifications prescribed
by these laws are a six months residence
in the Territory and certain test oaths
among these, one in which the voter
is required to swear that he will support
the constitution and laws of the United
States, the Fugitive Slave Law included,
and that he has not ~interposed to OBJ
struct the execution Of this particular
law. Such is the effect of one of the
provisions of the Montgomery amend
ment. It is certainly odd to see the
Black Republican party requiring a test
of fidelity to the Constitution and Laws
of the United States-especiany to the
Fugitive Slave law, aud a solemn abju-
ration of having interfered to obstruct
the execution Of the Fugitive Slave law.
We say, this provision is q novel one to
be inserted in q Black Republican mea-
sure. o &
The Federal Constitution provides
that I" neao States mag be admitted By
the Congress into the Union" but the
House bill improves upon that provision.
While requiring the voters in Kansas to
support the Constitution of the United
States, the House itself takes the liberty
of altering that instrument in a radical
particular, for their bill provides that
the President, by and with the advice
and consent of the border ~ruffians and
aid emigrants in the Territory, shall ad-
init Kansas into the Union by his own
proclamation. Now, the President is a
trustworthy man, and may be implicitly
confded in to do all that an honest man
ought to do in any matter or emergency,
public or private. We are sure he would
not violate the trust reposed in him by
the Black Republicans of the House in
the least particular. But yet we doubt
whether even he ought to be empowered
with the discretion of violating the con
stitution of the United States. Eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty. "The
one man power, is an everlasting buga-
boo with the. ssouts.n We had, there
fore, better stick to tho Constitution
than trust cven Mr. Buchanan. The
act would be i,nprudent in itself; the
precedent would be very dangerous.
We will suppose q case that might
happen, in order to EXP ose another diff
Guilty into which this House bill might
drag the Black Republicans. What if,
with the army now in Kansas under the
Presidents orders with tho "rufhansn
lowering in swarms on the Missouri bor-
der, and fraud stalking sovereign
and supreme over the Territory-what
if, by the united means of these three
dread agencies, a vote should be obtained
favorable to the Lecompton Constitu-
tion; or failing this, what if by the g
same three powerful means a pro-slavery
convention should be elected in Kansas,
which should frame a pro slavery con-
stitutien, and the constitution should be
carried by the potential agencies allu.
ded to-aud what if, in either of these
events, the President should admit
Kansas by the fiat of his own procla-
nation as a Slave State into the Union
Here would be a rare kettle of fish pre-.
pared by the Black Republicans them
selves in this House bill of theirs. The
Herald,s declaration would be realized
and Mr.. Giddings would discover thai
he had at last swallowed a niggern il
his old age. The Black Republicans
would find that their big oaths-worss
than those which they pledged them
selves before heaven and earth that they
would never directly or indirectly, vote
for admitting a Slave State into thu
Union-were all broken into flinders.