The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-01

formed in this way. The Senator from Louis.
lana did not tell as what he would In a matter
Of this kind. It was rough spot for him. /
believe he did not intimate whether be thought.
IT there was majority in favor of this Consti.
tuition, we ought TO regret il or not I believe
his speech is barren on that subject The San.
ator from South Carolina, finding himself press.
cd to the wall, came to the conclusion that, in
framing Constitutions, minority ought to rnla
That was a new discovery Minorities sbouId
rule, because you have not got majority he
spoke that which seems to be acted ont by
many others. y
| =, REVOLUTIONARY IDEA
NOW we are told, as a kind of salyo. bv the
President of the United States. after he .bas
consigned us, soul and BODY to the Soutb and
70 slavery, that this Constitution can be changed
ne seems not to have single idea of the North !:
ne mas forgotten that there is North; and vet
ne turns around in his message, and finally
says 10 US, Two or three times over that the best
way Is 70 ADMIT Kansas into the Union as a
otate, because they can then make q free State
80 much quicker than they could if Won referred
the whole matter back to them. Was there anv
sincerity IN that2 Is there any Southern gen.
tieman on this floor who is going to contend
that this Constitution shall be crowded down
the throats OF thatpeople, because then they can.
WIFE greater speed and facility, make Kansas a
tree State? Is that it? Was that view of Il
designed tor the other side, or was il to cheat
us? 1t was not designed for both, everybody
Knows and nobody will vote for it with that
view.
The President, however, has said that the
people can alter their Constitution when thew
please. That point has been so ably argued by
otner gentlemen, that am not going to enter
into 1t deliberately. / will ask Southern gentle
will 10 !.
1t the Constitution prescribes the mode and
| manner OF Its amendment, can you, without
revolution, go across roads, run counter TO II.
ana amend 1t In different manner from that
pointed out In 1t Southern gentlemen have
an equal representation on this floor. gentle
men OF the small States on this floor com pete
with the largest but if bare msiority can
alter Constitutions at our will, how long will we
submit to be outvoted by mere minorities who
In this body govern. so far as they can govern,
the people of the United States? 1t was a
compact made, it was part and parcel of the
constitution OF the United States; it cannot
be abrogated without revolution, and he who
should attempt 1t would be rebel and yet your
Chief Magistrate is preaching mp to us such
doctrines as these, and telling the people that
although your fundamental law prescribes the
mode OF Its amendment, all such restrictions
are void, and bare majority can rule. He
says these limitations in the Constitution are
no more than limitations upon a municipal
corporation; a majority can alter it at their
will.
Sir, the doctrine is as new as it is revolution.
airy and dangerous. Other gentlemen have
limited that this could be done. Nv colleague
MIR. PUGH upon this floor has presented an
amendment, which contemplates that we can
help people to make their own Constitution
that we may say they shall construe it for
themselves. L know very we'll that my honor
able colleague did not intend to deceive any.
body when he offered this amendment but
know that If 1t be adopted, it's only effect will
be to deceive thousands of unsophisticated men
who are not lawyers. Will State rights men
Oh this floor contend that we can modify
Constitution for the people Of State? You
who have repudiated the old Jefferson proviso,
many OF you who claim ever that State of
this Union may secede at will do you hold that
you may force State into tie Union against
her will, on just such conditt ms as you please +?
Sr, such doctrines as these I'LL hardly answer
with the American people. You can no more
force people into this U ion against their
will, with a Constitution viii they repudiate.
than you can force them at of the Union
against their will; nor any n4Sre than they can
secede of their own will. Both attempts are
stltution; and l am amazed that mau of the
age of the President of thee United States. a
man OF the conservative ideas that he has been
supposed to entertain, should have put forth
doctrine that would root up,snd overturn, at
the mere will of the maj ority, not only the
Constitution of the United States, but every
Constitution in the States of the Union.
There Is one other idea that has been con.
stantly put forth here by many gentlemen who
are attempting to justify the admission of this
Territory into the Union under the Lecompton
Constitution. They say that other States have
been admitted without an enabling act Sir,
all that Is said on this subject will not say is
mere sophistry; but it ought to deceive no
BODY. Perhaps more than half the new States
have come into the Union without any enabling
act. do not think that such act is at ali
essential. Here are people all homogeneous,
all having the same interests having no matter
OF contention between them; they could get
together, and, without any dissent frame a
Consultation, and ask us to admit them under
1t. The evidence must be SUCH always has
been such, In every instance, that there has
been no reason to doubt that the Constitution
had the appreciation of the whole people, or of
vast majority. Why do you require pop.
ular vote on that point? Because, when there
is dispute, it is the only means of ascertaining
where the majority is but if there is no dis
pute, you can have that evidence in another
way, and 1t is just as legitimate. What has
that to do as precedent with a case where
ciyll war even ia raging in regard to the Con-
shtution that is presented where strife, con.
tention, and arms, are invoked to settle the con-
roversyY You are hkening that to a peaceful
gathering OF homogeneous people, all agreed to
hX their Institutions in their own way Sir
there 10 no parallel One throws no light on
the other. The people of Kansas, in three
days, can settle this matter, if you will let them
GU are CONFUSING the WHOLE nation by the
attempt to force Constitution on the unwill-
ing necks of people, which they ahhor and
cetest. Withdraw your force, withdraw your
coercion, say to that people, " assemble your
selves together peacefully, and determine what
Constitution you choose to live under :" and my
word for it, sir, the hour you do so, peace and
tranquility will reign throughout the whole of
Kansas. Every man knows it.
WHAT WILL YOU GHOOsEl
This contention is kept mp for no other
reason than to hang on the necks Of that
people this pet institution of Slavery. In |
one hour you can make peace. Adopt the |
other course, and God only knows to what |
it will lead. / do not kneR what may be |
the result now; bat it has never vet been |
found that by external interfe ence BY force, or
by fraud, you could coerce an set of American |
people to submit to Governm mt they abhorred. |
and detested. If they do it ,ow, it will only
mark the degeneracy of Thu age and of this |
people, and show that we ar, verging towards
Slavery and Despotism. Ia " judgment, it il
as necessary for as to rebuke md overthrow the
frauds to which l have allude as ANYTHING else
we possibly can do. If there il anything more
dangerous to this Union thar another. il is the
Il =