The Washington union., 1858-02-21
THE WASHINGTON UNION ETE nGT1

ing, ana make constitution they may elect reprteu
tyes 10 make one for them they may elect Tepre
atives 10 draft 10 be submitted TO them for ammo
rejection The last method is most approved Of dr
the past few years. though formerly the second mebG
was very generally resorted 10.
The calling OF the constitutional convention of Ka,,
is generally conceded TO have been strictly LEGAL nv
election of its members is also admitted 10 have been
gal lis it not logical to infer that convention I,
called legally elected and clothed with authority TO NAL
"a constitution, can be interiered with by COVE
nor judge, legislator, either TO increase dimiD
its powers to alter, modify nullify its acts THAI
the people could be nterforud with had they assembled
aaSe instead of by representatives, The legislature m
State may not alter annu the constitution thereof nm
less thereto specially authorized by the people
No election of oiicerS under constitution no vote m
the adoption of constitution held day prior or m
day subsequent to the day fixed by the lawfully eonsN
tuted authorities is considered valid in any State or
any Territory, in amy city, county, town in the I
ted States matter how few how many persons no
engage in the lawless proceeding No can be chose
President or governor or mayor, or Justice Of the pe
but upon the days appointed by law and except by Law
less and shameless desperaoes in Kansas, nowhere in t
United States has this doctrine been practically contro
ted If the monstrous practices of the bold bad men a
Kansas exception, 10 be erected into rc how
long will it be au,lacious sectional faction will
find petence for holding presidential election ON dv
other than that appointed by the law And when ele
tions held without law by actonists and on day
subsequent to the day appointed by law their candidate
will always have most votes the legal candidates will BY
them be pronounced the ''mnority candidates" ami
the irregular and illegal will be called the .ma
ority candidates. Then will follow strife blood
shed, and civil war Rights, it must be borne IN
mind, be best and most surely upheld by strict adhe
renee to law outrages and crimes easiest committed
and best protected Ia the midst of civil commotion There
is no real and true safety to liberties and institutions
but in strict adherence to the spirit and the letter Of
constitutions and laws and there is danger to oe
peace and our Union that cannot easily escape W.
will conscenously adhere to them Who ever heard d
legislature, other than that of Kansas which had The
presumption to appoint day, open polis and request
the people to vote for against constitution which hal
been finally adopted by the people two weeks before and
which no body could change but the people, and they
only by formal action to that direct end The action
the constitution the 2lst December 1857 was final
action and that instrument was, that day, compile
ted it be changed all State constitutions can
be but, until formally and lawfully changed it is valid
and its turbulent opponents will find that the validity
that fundamental law cannot be affected by town meet
ing haIangue by an irregular vote ordered by rash
body of heated partsans.
Many generous persons who quite indisposed To
oountenance the violence and contumacy of the abolition
lists sent into Kansas for the purpose of excluding there
from all property not pleasing to them and their abet
tors urge that son,y might be done to lessen the hard
ships that will fall upon them in the event of the ai
sion of Kansas into the Union with the constitution made
at Lecompton that although it is true the abolitoni
violently opposed registration, would not vote elec
tons held sham elections days subsequent to those ap
pointed by law and refused to vote against the e.
tablishment of slavery at time when they pofessed
believe their doing would have excluded it, aud thus
have peacefully settled the question TO their saisfc
tion yet they consider it would be severe to compel
such contumacous citizens though il is their
fault to live under constitution which, however gey
ts provisions may prove to be- they cannot clange
tcHiom rcsoytiag 10 yeroiuon, until the year 1864
To such, without resorting to the ready answer tm
Congress has power to modify alter State cons
tuition and has expressly stipulated that the people
Kansas shall be permitted 10 form esr orls Institutions subject
to the constitution of the United States, two rep
may be given. The first one is this The clause com
planned of in the Lecompton constitution in this
ion, is in these words
SEC a. year housand cgAt hundred and sixty
four whenever legislature shall necessary to am.ni
change this they shal ee
at genera election the member. Of each
house concnng, for calling
convention legislature shall
convention consist OF members there bsh the
house representatives the be chosen
at tie same places and by the same electors that chooe the
after said cccon for the purpose Of revising amending changing
the constitution but no alteration shall be made TO affect the rd
property in the ownership Of slaves.
That this provision is not objectionable TO the abo
tionists, in fact, and is urged by them and Their
friends only for poiaar e5e, is proved by the overwhm
ing fact that the olitionsts of Kansas inserted in their
"1opeka constitution the following more Objectionable
provision, viz;
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE XVI
SECTION Al propositions for amendments the
shall le made by the general assembly
FEC concurrence OF twotirds of the members elected
each house shall he after which such proposed
shall be entereinpon tho Journals with the yeas nays
rotary Of State shall the published
in each county where q newspaper is published
oast preceding next election for senators aud repre-
seaves, when such proposed amendment shall be again rrb
tho legislature elected succeeding publication passed By
the second legislature by majority of wohrds members
elected to each house. such amendments shall repabhc
said for at least six months prior the general
which election such proposed amendments sh be submitted %
people for their approval rejection and If aorty cleo
voting such election shall adopt amendment the
shall become part of the constitution.
SEC g. When moro than amendment Is
time, they shall be submitted %
SEC A. No the formation of new constitution fh
be called and no amendment to the constitution shall b. by the gen
ei assembly, made before the year 1865
years thereafter
The second reply is this Suppose the grievance ra
and that it ought to be rercsscd it is unnecessary Con
gress to unawully interfere for that purpose asmuh
as the lecompton convention has provided full lawful
and perfect remedy for every conceivable grievance and
placed that remedy in the unrestricted hands Of the ma
joriy of the people, by inserting in the constitution
kansas the following distinct and unequivocal recognition
OF power viz
All political power the people and
mens are onndcd on their authority and instituted for their b
right 10 alter Reform abolish government such
manner as they may think proper"
The abotonsts of Kansas have thus far sought power
by methods unknown to the law and by violence, aud
not through the peaceful agency of the baotbox Claim
ing to have majority of the voters Of the Territory, and
therefore able to elect legislatures and conventions, they
yet ask Congress to wrongly do for them what they may
at legal times and legal places igtully do for them
seyesthat is, change abolish their constitution And
Congress refuse to comply with their unconstiu
tional demand they threaten to atlict the county with
attempt at boodshed and revolution Unless Congress
will do for them what they assert they numerous
enough to do for themselves, but which they wfuiy re-
fuse to do they threaten to plunge the country into c
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