Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-12-14

into operation, accompanied by strong
fecommendation in favor OF the admission
Of Kinsas as i State. In the course If
my long public life. ! have never per-
formed any official act which, IN the ret-
respect. has afforded me nore heartfelt
satisfaction. Itss admission could have
inflicted no possible injury on any human
being. while ID would, within a brief be-
riod. have restored peace 10 Kansas aud
harmony 10 the Union. In that event,
the slavery question would eretthis have
been finally settled. according to the le-i
gally expressed will Of amaiority 81 tile
the voters, andlpopular sovereignty would
thus have been yindicateI Id 4 constitu-
Htional manner. s1+s sstA
With my deep convictions Of duty, I
could have pursued no other course. 1t
Fis true, that as an Individual. / had ex !
pressed ali opinion, both befsre and dur
ing the session of.the convention, III favor
Of submitting tle remaining clauses DC tile
constitution. al we'll as that concerning
slavery, ii the people. But acting in ali
official character, neither myself nor any
human authority had the power to re-
Judge the proceedings Of the conyention.
and deehtre tho constitution which it had
framed toHbe hpllity. : 70 have done this
would have been d violation of the KAN
sas and Nebraska act, which left the peo-
pie oil thu teHrilOry !" perfectly free 10
form and regulate their domestic iustitu-
lions 10 atheir own way, subject only 10
the constitution The United States"
I. ItsWould equally have violated the great
principle pf popular sovereignty. al the
foundation Of Our institutions, 10 deprive
The people of the power, il they thought
proper tolexer@ise it, oil combining toIdel.
egates elected by themselves, and trust
tho framing Il construtien, without re-
Equiriny chem I'd subject their constituents
to The trouble, expense, aud delay Of d
second ELECTION. 1t would have been III
Opposition ITO many precedents IN our his
Etofy, commencing ia the very best age
of slhe republic,Eof The admission Of Ter
ritories as States into the Onion, without
Il pfeyioas vote of9 die people approving
their constitution. E i7ttt 7
| IL is to be laalenSed kliatla question so
iiisi.sni6cantwhen viewed III It's practical
effects on the people Of. Kaesas, whether
decided one way or the other, should
have kindled such flame of excitement
throughout The country. This reflection
may prove To be i lesson Of wisdom and
of warming for our future guidance. w
Practically considered. the question is
Isimplywhether the peopleof that Territory
should iirst come Into the Union and then
change any provision in their constitu-
ton not agreeable to- themselves, Or ac-
conlplish the very same object BIZ re-
manning out Of The Union and framing an
other Constitution IN accordance with
their wiils Hi either case, the result
you'll De precisely the same. The only
difference IN point Of fact is. that the OBJ
lect would have been much sooner at,
tanned, and the paeifieation Of Kansas
more speedily effectetl,I had it been adj
mited as a stale during the last session
ef' Congress.
Nv Recommendation, however for the
imme Hate admission ofEKansas, failed to
meet theapprobation Of Congress. They
deem il Wisest to adopt a different meas
rire for the setilementof the questions
For my own part would have been will
ling TO yield my ASSENT to almost any
constitutional measureEt Ito accomplish this
object, i. therefore, cordially acauiesce
IN what has been called the English COM
promise, and approve the act for the ad /
M IL on "a s III, ~ fEa iii ,rian I1Yian the