, 1858-04-02

Dec. when they might, as they claim,
have stricken slavery from the constitution,
should now reject the State because slavery
remains In the constitution, it is manifest
that the agitation upon this subject will be
reneWed in a more alarming form than
Il has ever before assumed
Every patriot in the country bad indulg-
Cd the hope that the Kansas as-Nebraska act
Would have put iinal end to the slavery
agitation In Congress, which had for more
than twenty years convulsed the country
and endangered the Union. This act in
volved great and fundamental principles,
and n fairly carried into effect will settle
The question. Should agitation again be
revived. should the people Of sister States
Be again estranged from each other, with
more than former bitterness, this will arise
from a cause, 50 far as the interests o:
Kansas are concerned, moro triaing and
Insignificant than has ever stirred the ele-
menls Of great people into commotion.
To the people Of Kansas the only practi-
cal difference between admission or rejec-
ton depend simply upon the fact whether
they can themselves more speedily change
their present constitution Il il does not ac-
cord with the will OF the majority, or frame
q second constitution TO DO submitted to
Congress hereafter even il this Werc9 q
question Of mere expediency and not OF
right A small difference Of time one way
or the other is not Of the least Importance
when contrasted with the evils which must
necessarily result to the whole country frOm
the revival Of the slavery agitation.
In considering the question, it should
never be forgotten that in proportion to its
insigui6canee, let the question be what 1t
may, 90 far as il affects few thousand in
habitants Of Kansas, who from the begin
ming resisted the constitution and the laws
for this very reason, rejection Of the con-
stitntion will be 50 much the more keenly
ielt BY the people Of fourteen States Of the
Union where slavery is recognized under
the Constitution Of the United States.
Again the speedy admission Of Kansas
into the Union will restore peace and quiet
10 the whole country. Already the affairs
Of the Territory have engrossed an undue
proportion Of the public attention, aud
have sadly afflicted the friendly relations
Of the peopls Of the States with each other,
aud aroused the fears Of patriots for the
safety Of the Union.
Kansas once admitted, the excitement
becomes localized, and would soon die
away for want Of outside ailment, and then
every difficulty could be settled by the bal
lot box. Besides, and no tri1ing consid-
Grafton, shall then be enabled to with
draw the troops from Kansas and employ
them on service where they are much
needed. They have been kept there on the
earnest importantly Of GoV. Walker, to
maintain the existence Of the Territorial
government and secure the execution Of the
laws He considered at least 1000 regu-
lar troops under the command Of General
Harney necessary. Acting upon this rsli-
able information, have been obliged, In
some degree, to interfere with tho Sxpedi-
tiou to Utah, in order to keep down the
rebellion in Kansas, which has involved
very heavy expenses to the government.
Kansas once admitted, Il is believed that
there will no longer be occasion there for
the troops.
have thus performed my duty IN this
important question, under deep sense Of
my responsibility 10 God aud my country.
Ny public life will terminate in q brief
period, and have no other object Of
earthly ambition than to leave my coun-
Try In a peaceful and prosperous condition,
and TO live in the affections aud respect Of
my eonnlrymen-
The dark and ominous clouds now i'm
pending over the Union eonscientiously
believe win be disssipated with honor to
every portion Of II, by the admission Of
Kansas during the present session Of Con-
gress whereas, II she should be rejected
greatly fear these clouds will become
darker aud more ominous than ever yet
threatened the Constitution and the Union.
JAMES BUCHANAN.