The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-03-17
SPEECH
Hon. is. Greens fMissouri
ON fHB
CONSTITUTION OF KANSAS;

iccNcLUsIoN.

iccNcLUsIoN.)
But, sir, We are told that they ought
to submit because they can easily get
rid Of this constitution. The President
says they may change it Immediately
after their admission. All how is that
The constitution formed at Lecompton,
provides that it may be changed after
the year 1864, by q convention called
BY two thirds of the Legislature. I
hold it to be . principle of law, that
which a constitution provides for its own
change at a particular time and in a
particular amer, that excludes all
other times and all other modes. I un-
4derfake 10 say that o court in Chris
tendon would thus eonstrue this coDsti-
tuition. When it says that it may be
amended at one time, it excludes all
other times. When it says it may be
amended in one mode, it excludes all
other modes. VIII you tell me that tho
Constitution of the United States can be
changed By a town meeting, or a mass
meeting, or in any other mode than that
pointed out in the instrument itself?
No, sir There is no constitutional
mode by which this constitution of
Kansas, if once in force, can be changed
before 1864. There is another mode
revolutionary mode. 1t is by the Leg
i~slature FIRST coming together, taking an
oath to support the constitution, and
then proceed to call o convention to
change it, in violation of the constitution
and of the oath. Suppose they should
do this, and the convention thus called
should make a constitution ard establish
new government. and the old govern.
ment should refuse to surrender the pcs
session., who would be @Governor-the
one elected under the old constitution
or the new7 You would have two gov
ernmenfs In operation at the same time,
one under tho old aud the other under
the new constitution, aud you would call
on the Army to decide between them.
The scheme Is a scheme of civil war.
Itleads directly to war. If I ever vosed
for it, | should expect to vote also for
an increase of the Army, and for sup
plies to tho Army, to enforce it at the
point of the bayenet. It near violence,
or it means the subsection of the major
ity to the minority I beseech Senators
10 PAUSE before they commit themselves
to so fatal a step. / beseech all to
Dc US1 6Qu set H4ElutE Ills ID Ilkab -
wrong, for on this matter we are free
from party ties. Tie Senator fIon
Missouri aud myself agree that the
President has not made it an Admins
trati5n measure. We agree that he has
noe recommended it In bis message
We agree, therefore, that every man or
this floor is at liberty to go for or against
It without changing his party ties or af-
fecting his party relations. Why, then,
can We not stop and pause before We
rush on to a step that not only rends
asunder the Democratic party, but
threatens the peace and perpetuity OF
the Unicn itself.
It will not do tell me that the Presi-
dent is in favor of it. Sir, 1 believe the
President to be . frank, a bold, an hon.
est mar. will not believe that be will
make any measure q party one which be
does not recommend in his message. ]
will not believe that he would ask bis
party { o go for a measure to which be
would not commit himself on paper. /
MOI -sEss 10 70 run
our neeks into the halter of disunion and
civil war before he takes the lead and
points the way. The absence of a rec
OmA1aQdtlOu III tue Mc66dR0 SHO06 Eudt
10 man can, consistently with the Pres
ident's dignity Of character, assert that
he IS lin favor of this measure. Then
say, let us restore peace to the country
by ignoring the irregular convention al
Lecompton, BY ignoring the irregular
convention at Topeka. By passing an en-
abling act In proper form, authorizing
the people Z form a constitution and
State government for themselves. Such
an act will restore peace to the country
In ninety days. In fact, the day you
piss It everything viii be qaiet in Kan.
eas.
The people of Kansas viii then set
that Congress is going to carry out IL
good faith the principle of seif-goYern,
ment. They viii see that Congress i.
going to allow them to have slavery, i
they want It, and to prohibit it if they
do not want it. They will see that Cos,
gress is going to allow them to make
their constitution and laws in their way
The moment they discover that imparti
Atty isto prevail, and justice is to be
carried out, they will be content al
will be quiet there will be peace at tbs
North, peace ct the South, peace N The
Democratic party, peace throughout the
whole country. | trust that We stall
discuss this question in calmDess, in
good hunor, and in a kind and respect.
full spirit, as VIC have discussed it to day.
Mr. GREEN. Edo not propose t.
notice the ezhortation Ct the honorable
Senator. It is only his argument and
the points OF difference between US thai
deserve investigation, and to them /
shall direct my attention. He mistakes
entirely whenhe ssumes that l admitted
that the slavery branch of this eontro
yersy must, of necessity, under the faw
be submitted to the people. 1 said JUS
the contrary. l said it was a question
with the convention of the people o
Kansas Territory. They were undeI
no responsibility or Obligation, legal o.
otherwise, to submit any branch of tn,
result Of sheir labors to a s~ubsequen
vote of the people at the polls; but / re
marked that if they saw proper, if the,
deemed it a matter of propriety to sub
NIT that questions as II had been a mat
ter of controversy, there was more pro
priety in submitting it as a seperat
question, for that was the only way t
submit it in order to get q If decision
of that question, and nothing else. Tha
was my position.
But tho Senator saws that fonr a6tb