The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-02-24


vete fer or against the instrument and the
fair expression of the popular will must not
be interrupted by fraud or violence"
But the letter and Instructions, a. quo
ted, are proef of q much more important
matter than that for which I had used
them, for they conclusively established
that there was then an anxious wish on the
Ipa.t of the President that the people Of
the Territory should be fully protected in
exercising their right to vote upon their
constitution. repeat his words. "They
must be protected insthe exercise Of their
right to vote for or against the instrument.
Net in their right to vote for sr against
| a part of the instrument, but the instru-
ment-ths whole instrument.
The Union, the organ Of the Admins
tration, of the 7th of July last, seems full
ly to appreciate the ground then held by
the President, and, in defending that po-
sition, gives most satisfactory reason for
assuming it. I will read al extract from
that paper Of the date named: ...1
aWhen there is no serious dispute upon the
constitution, either in the convention or among
the people, the power of the delegates alone
may put it in operation. But such is not the
case in Kansas. The most violent struggle
this country ever saw, upon the most import
ant issue which the Constitution is to deter
mine, has been going on there for several
years, between parties so evenly balanced that
both claim the majority, and so hostile to one
another that numerous lives have been lost
in the contest. Under these circumstances
there can be no such thing rs asosrtaining
clearly and with eat doubt, the will OF the
people in any way except by their own direct
expression of it at the polls. constitstion
not subjected to that test, no matter what it
centains, will never be acknowledged by its
opponents to be anything but a fraud" -
awe do most dsycut-
ly believe thatunless the constitution of Kan
sas be submitted to direct vots Of the people
the unhappy controversy which has heretofore
ragged in that Territory will bs prolonged for
An indefinite tine 10 come" m -
It is no answer to all this to say that
other States have been admitted into the
Union without submitting their constitu-
tions to q popular vote. Itwould not be
an answer if such had been the case with
each aud every one Of the eighteen admit
ted States. 3Ifthsre were thousand pre-
cedent cases of States so admitted, where
there was no serious dispute among the
citizens ss to the particular form of their in
situations, they would fall short of afford
ing an argument for the admission of one
where such difficulty does exist. Kansas
is case standing by itself; it has no par
allels; IL is not to be illustrated by prece-
dent. Its features are peculiar-anonal-
ous: and the circumstances surrounding it
such as never before surrounded the in
choate State. To it popular sovsrsighty
most specially applies. Congress, the
domiaant political party, the President oi
the United States. the Governor Of the
Territory, all declared the people should
havejast such rspublican Institutions as
they might desire. All looked to . vote
Of the people as the meaas to determine
the populsr will. The people now ask
that sneh vote may indicate their wishes.
Altsevereignty resides in the people, and
no admitted principle refuses its exercise
in the mode desired. Why shall they not,
then, speak at the pollsi
Here / pause for moment. In look.
ing back frem the point now reached. We
see the Democratic party and the Presi.
dent have alike pursued comparatively
new, yet well-de6ned and strongly marked
policy. The Missouri compromise line
after continuing for years, is found to be
too restrictive; the common territory oi
the nation should be open to the occupan-
Icy of our citizens in common The Ne
braska- Kansas bill is enacted, and the
people Of the Territories are to .forss" as
they are to regulate" their domestic in.
stitutions.n In the North and in the South
the doctrine is accepted, and eagerly they
push forward their respective schemes for
colonizing Kansas. for now numbers shall
csntrol the, institutions there, By river
and BY land the emigration hastens fer
ward, asd the cabin is scarcely prepared
for shelter before the struggle 70. power,
for control, commences, and il is grasped
and held by the friends Of the South j: IT
lis alleged that strangers to the soil, Mis-
souri, bordersrs, decide the. contest: the
reply is, you shall not inquire as to, that,
or any other matter; the people rule
The hasty and superficial observer declares
the South has gained an andue advantage
over the North. aud sound of exultatien
isheard around as and in the distance.
Thus bafied in the Territories. will the
North, aspiring to executive power, still
adhere TO that sovereignty which has fail.
ed her? She must do SO, or abandon her
long cherished object. The pledge is pre-
sented to her; she accepts it boldly, and
repeats to the werld what the faint -hsart-
ed believe is to degrade her frse-born and
|undaunted sons: ..;.s.s...5.....s4 -.
.We recognize the right Of the people of all
the Territaries, including Kansas and Nebras-
ka acting through the legally and fairly ex-
pressed will Of the majority Of actual residents;
and whsneysr the number of their inha ahitaqts
(justifss il, to farm constitution With on
without donestic slayery, and be admitted in
to the Union upon terms Of perfect equality
with the other States.' .--a
There ID hand to-hand encounter
Now, again, the CRY, as one Of victory .e-
sounds throughout the land. s.the will of