Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-12-10

by us WllHln InuU leTTluOTy llstlI. lJfll u nl-
mage and control its own affairs in its own way
without the pressure Of external influence, the
revolutionary Topeka organization and ali
resistance to the territorial government cstnb-
lished by Congress, have been finally ADAM
doncd. As natural consequence. the Terrific
ry now appears to be tranquil and prosper
Gus, and is attracting increasing thousands of
immigrants to make it their happy home.
The past unfortunate experience Of Kansas
has enforced the lesson so often already
taught, that resistance to lawful authority.
under our form of government, cannot fail
in the end to prove disastrous to its authors.
Had the people of the Territory yielded ohc-
dienco to the laws enacted by their Legisa-
turc. it would at the present moment have
contained a large additional population Of
industrious and enterprising citizens, who
have been deferred from entering it's Dor
ders by the existence of civil strife and or
ganized rebellion.
1t was the resistance to rightful authority
and the persevering attempts to establish 1t
revolutionary government under the Topeka
constitution, which caused tho people of
Kansas to commit the grave error of refusing
:, vote for delegates to the convention to
70 constitution under law not denied
frame Il just in its provisions. This
W DC iair al las been the prolific source OF
re i 10 vote l., have followed In their
an ..e OWLS whloh III government, they
1ostiilty 10 the lerritof,. "bsolutcly essen
disregarded tho principle. t. of Govern
tial to the working of our form vote
ment, that n majority of those VIII ne.
not the majority who may remain at no.
from whatever cause-must decide the result
OF an election. For this reason, seeking to
take advantage of their own error, they de-
med the authority of the convention thus
elected, to frame constitution.
The convention - ai-.1, r."
--.aod TO adopt n constitution unexception-
able in Its general features, and providing
for the submission of the slavery question to
a vote of the people, which, in my opinion,
they were bound to do under the Kansas and
Nebraska act This was the all-important
question which had alone convulscd the Ter
ritory; and yet the opponents of the lawful
government, persisting in their first error,
RETAINED from exercising their right to vote,
and preferred that slavery should continue
rather than surrender their revolutionary
Topeka organization.
A wiser and better spirit seemed to prevail
before the first Monday of January last when
an election was held under the constitution.
A majority the people then voted for a
Governor and other State officers, for n men,
Der OF Congress, and members of the State
Legislature. This election was warmly con-
tested by the two political parties in Kansas,
and greater vote was polled than at any
previous election. A large majority of the
members of the Legislature elect belonged to
that party which had previously refused to
vote. The anti-slavery party were thus
placed in the ascendant, and the political
power OF the State was in their own hands.
Had Congress admitted Kansas into the
Jnion under the Lecompton constitution.
The Legislature might, at its very first ses-
non, have submitted the question to a vote
'f the people, whether they would or would
lot have convention to amend their constr
ution, either on the slavery or any other
question, and have adopted all necessary
means for giving speedy effect to the will Of |
he majority. Thus the Kansas question |
would have beer Immediately and finally |
ettled.
Under these circumstances. submitted to |
congress the Constitution thus framed, with |
III the officers already elected necessary to
nut the State government into operation, ac-
ompanied by strong recommendation in
avor OF the admission of Kansas as State.
n the course of my long public life | have
ever performed any official act which in the
has afforded me more heart felt
atisiaction. Its admission could have in
lcted no possible injury on any human be-
1g, whilst it would, within brief period,
ave restored peace to Kansas and harmony
} the Union. In that event the slavery
uestion would ere this have been finally
titled, according to the legally expressed
Ill ct a majority of the voters, and popu-
If sovereignty would thus have been tinuI-
lted in constitutional manner.
with my deep convictions of duty, could
ave pursued no other course 1t is true,
nat as an individual, l had expressed an
pinlon, both before and during the session
the convention, in favor Of submitting the
clauses of the constitution, as
ell as that concerning slavery, to the peo- 5
lie. But, acting in an official character,
lie power to reiudge the proceedings Of the
invention. and declare the constitution {
hich it had framed to be a nullity. To Z
ave done this would have been IA violation
the Kansas and Nebraska act which left
he people of the Territory perfectly free to
rm and regulate their domestic institutions
their own way, subject only
the constitution of the United
tates." 1t would equally have viola
ID the great principle of popular sovereign
y, at the foundation of our institutions, to &
'prive the people of the power, if they
fought proper to exercise it, of confding to
,legates elected by themselves the trust of
aiming a constitution, without requiring 5
lem to subject their constituents to the ,
ouble, expense and delay of second elect
n. 1t would have been in opposition to
any precedents in our history, commencing
the very best age of the Republic of {
e admission of Territories as States ,
to the Union, without previous vote of =,
e people approving their constitution.
1t is to be lamented that question so in
sniicant when viewed in its practical effects l
the people of Kansas, whether decided one .
ny or the other, should have kindlcd such
Inc of excitement throughout the country. I
lis reflection may prove to be a lesson of h
sdom and of warning Tor our future
lidance. Practically considered the ques-
N is simply whether the people Of that I
rritory should first come into the Union {
d then change any provision in their con- ;
tuition not agreeable to themselves or ac-
mplsh the very same object by remaining
t of the Union and framing another con- a
tuition in accordance with their will? In Il
her case the> result would be precisely the
me. The only difference in point Of fact "
that the object would have been much Ii
Jner attained, and the pacifcation Of S
lnsas more speedily effected, had it been .
mitted as a State during the Last session of
'ngress. {
My recommendation, however, for the i'm O
sdiate admission of Kansas, failed to meet ,
e appreciation of Congress. They deemed
wiser to adopt different measure for the I
Element Of the question. For my own
TT, | should have been willing to yield my u
sent to almost any constitutional measure !.
accomplish this object. |, therefore, cor =
lilly acquiesced in what has been called T.
e English Compromise, and approved the Il
Act for the admission of the State of Kan
) into the Union" upon the terms therein ;;
,h,I |