Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-04-21

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.lc. whilst claiming largo majority iuI
lho Ffor State pnti. uMcrl i0nn hlmi
.ion object io nitug lho poorle lhc pow.
cf TO immediately abolish slavery. Thry
omect.nnd yet attempt 40 make the world
believe that ihcy ore the peculiar irioi,E
of frcc State. That is much oiicr. The
plan That their friends 100 Kansas have
used to abolish slavery. They would al
WAYS vote when they could not vote
ariin.t slavery. They would not vote for
Delegates, for their dclcgntcs might have
rejected slavery. They would not po To
the election ON the 2lstpccomhcr, because
they could have rejected slavery.
Now. few words more as to- The popu.
lar sovereignty. There are those who
/ hold that because the constitution was not
submitted to the popular vote as an en-
|tirctv. the process of making II was in vi
Iolation of popular sovereignty rs rccopnl-
zcd i'm the creed of the Democratic party.
/ That is ialacious view, unless our repre-
sentative system bc abolished and a com
Imon democracy bc embraced rs the sys-
| TEN wc prefer. Recognizing the repre-
Sentative system, it is perfectly compc-
tent for the people TO delegate their soycr-
, cicn powcr and authority to n convention
I to make and adopt constitution and
State government. Ny State did this i:
more than half the original States did il.
! Mr.. Fessendcn-will the Senator give
way to motion TO adjourn?
Mr.. Bigcr-Will the Senator permit me
to utter paragraph or two more?
Mr.. Fcsscndcn--I do not know that !
shall want to adjourn then.
Mr.. Biglcr-rhat is another compliment
Tho Senator docs not like my speech.
Mr.. Fcsscndcn-Ncs do; | al enjoy
ing it very much.
Mr.. Biglcr--It is near three and hal!
o'clock in the morning, and have but a
few words more.
The doctrine of non-intcrvcntion seems
to have confused and coniounded some
people lattcrly. They talk as though
Congress has guaranteed that men should
not cheat each other in Kansas; rs though
one political party should not take the adj
vantage of the other; as though represen-
tatiycs should not deceive their constitu
ents. This is more than was bargained for
Congress agreed that they would not inter.
rere with the dome tic affairs of the Ter
ritories and that the States as such
should not interfere; but that was all. 1t ne
yer was pretended that the Federal Coy,
ernment could interfere between the pco,
pie and their proper local representatives
Nor did Congress guarantee that those
who do not voteshoud carry the election
nor yet that the majority should rule, il
they did not do so through the agency ot
the law. It is the right of the law to rule
and the right of the majority to make the
law but the majority is as much bound 10y
the law, whilst it is such as is the minor.
ity.
! intend to vote for Kansas as a State
and in doing this do not wish so much
to signify my approval of the manner OF
getting up the State, and the circumstan
ces surrounding the application. as l do
to declare my conviction that admission,
prompt admission, is the best and wisest
of the alternatives that are before US
There is much in the details of the procee
dings in Kansas that is unpleasant and dis
tasteful-partaking of evident abuse o.
the elective franchise on the one hand, anc
an attempt to supcrscde its lawful use BY
q violence and faction on theOther. Kansas
should not be an example for future
> States; and trust our country may nev
er he required to witness such scenes
again. But, sir, whntevor may be the de
fects ON the Lecompton side, on the 9th
, er is matured, persistent, and avowed in
subordination to the laws, if not rebellion
, to the Government. Between these
= prefer the eformer side
The addition of two members to the ia
= mily Of States should be cause of genera
joy, as an event bringing fraternal atfec
!. ton, energy, power, stability,progress anC
general prosperity to the family of States
f and to our common country. That thcs
: blessings are to follow the admission o
= the two States now on the Threshold O
the Union, hope and believe.
Now. sir, | have done for the present
and as it is after three o'clock, think W
= should vote. Laughter. As have salt
5 nothing for long time, may claim +
e close the debate.