Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-02-12

had haon 49,. terfiio,.
completed his term of ssrvis. ~ :
previous to my inaugura,in
The propitious moment for..., i@
difficulties of Kansas. Til.
tor abandoning the revolu,;o0.,o'
organization and for the eneni..
existing Government to conform :.
laws and unite with It's fr;.n1 - o
a State Constitution. Ba M, y
fused to do, and the consequ. .,.' ny >,
refusal to submit to the lawful y, Q
and vote at the election Of al.
yet prove to be one of the n,,,
bic character. Would tia, "A.
Ter the laws of the land, which =. ,,l''
emily distinguished the men - :, 10
generation, could be revi,.5, aels
disregard and violation Of law vs'..,
for years kept the Territory ., r ~, =
state of almost open reh.ll;. '''''a's
its Government is the sam. ''' =
which has produced actual ~ 'Pa
Utah. Our only safety consist ,'''a :.
dlence and conformity to tbebw o. .
a general spirit against il, o.e '"'0a
prevail, this will prove fatal,o or y.
ton. - as ana
We acknowledge no na,,.,,,
and should we cut loose from i, ,.,,.I -
and every one do what seen.a
his own eyes, our case womb -
hopeless. The enemies of the r..
rial Government determined Sin -.
sist the authority of Congress.
fused 10 vote for the delegate, !, - =
Convention, not because, FROM -.
stances which I need not delal lsm
an omission TO register the o.,,t1
few voters who were inhabir,.
tain counties in Kansas in Il,
Spring of 1857, but because lhsyhsss. {
termined, at all hazards, to adhere 10th.
revolutionary organization, and deleats. /
establishment of any other Consti,pt,
than that which they had framed At.
peka. The election was Therefore Il
fered to pass by default, but Of ths :
suit the qualified electors who relu,3s
vote can never justly complain.
From this review it is manifesttbaA
Lecompton Convention, accordingag.
cry principle of constitutional Law, ~
legally constituted and invested vi
power to frame a Constitution. Ties.
cred principle of Popular Sovereigaga
be exercised in this country if not throa
the instrumentality of established as
In certain small republics Of aads
times, the people did assemble in pan
ry meetings passed laws and direa
public affairs. In our couufrv nj,
manifrStly impossible. Popular Soy
eighty can be exercised here only tlr0,
the ballot box, and if the People will
fuse TO exercise it in this manner, as d
have done in Kansas at the election
Delegates, it is not for them TO conn
that their rights have been violated.
The Kansas Convention thus lawfr
constituted proceeded to frame Con
tuition, and, having completed their v,
finally adjourned on the 9TH of Move
Der last. They did not think proper
submit the whole of this Constitution
a popular vote, but they did submit
question whether Kansas should b.
Free or slave State to the people.
was the question which had conyuI
the Union and shaken it to the very G
ter. This was the question which
lighted the flames of civil war in Kai
and had produced dangerous seciaa
parties throughout the confederacy?
was of a character so paramount in
spect to the condition of Kansas, Is
rlvet the anxious attention of the Pep
of the whole country upon it and aIae
no person thought Of any other quests
For my own part, when | instructed u
Walker in general terms in favor Of g
hitting the Constitution to the PeoPe
had no object in view except the al'i
sorbing question of Slavery. 10 VI
manner the People of Kansas might II
ulate their other concerns, was not
subject which attracted my aiieLas
In fact, the general provisions Of oa'
cent State Constitution, after an eIP'
ence of eighty years, are so similar d
excellent that it would be dltieaa 20
far wrong at the present day 10 iTani''5
new Constitution. / then believed q
still believe, that, under the orSaaS .
the Kansas Convention were o0ua4
submit this all important question
Slavery to the People. II was a'''
however, my opinion that, indepe'aS"
of this act, they would have been w