New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-04


Gown way" TO send into the Territory and TO
maintain there an army Of two thousacd men. for
the very purpose Of preventing the people OF the
Territory from organizing State Government
framed BY them On the strength Of this very pro-
vision.
While the President thus gives Congress the
most unquestionsbls proofs that the Topeka Consul
tuition is the choice and wish Of the People OF Kan
sas, which nothing but armed force from abroad
has prevented them from carrying into effect st the
same time be confesses that the Lecompton Con-
stitution has been the work of minority OF the
people and that the majority studiousy refrained-
and indeed, in the choice of delegates to the Con-
ventiou, were excluded-from taking any part In
the preliminary steps for framing that instrument.
This bare statement furnishes in itself most un'
AnswerabIe reason why the Lecompton Constitution,
after il had been framed, should have been submit
ted to the popular vote. Had that been done, and
had the Constitution come before Congress sane
toned by clear majority in ts favor, that might
well have been taken as curing all previous defects
and making the proposed Constitution the act OF
the people Of Kansas In that case, the admission
of Kansas under it might well have been expected
to be followed by the peaceful results which the
President Processes to believe will now follow such
step. But the very fact that the Convention re-
fused TO submit that Constitution to the popular
vote, is itself conclusive proof that they recognized
Themselves as the representatives Of minority,
and knew that the people would not sustain it. In
fact, the people have since rejected it by an over
whemiDg majority, at an election of which even
the President does not attempt to deny the legality
In this state of the case, should Congress adopt
his insane recommendation, one of two things will
follow. Should he withdraw the troops as he init
mates wish to do, the whole Lecompton Con-
stitution would be instantly swept away by the
uprising of an indignant people only kept under tor
two years past BY the presence OF standing army
among them. On the other hand, should the Presl-
dent keep the troops there, he ntimates that he
expects to be obliged to do, We shall then have the
new spectacle of sovereign State occupied by
Federal army, and compelled by mercensry bayo-
nets to submit to have Constitution forced upon
"by express authority of Congress" and in spite
of its own recsmations regularly expressed both by
Legislative resolutions and authorized popular vote
If if be so absolutely essential to the Presidents
peace Of mind to put a stop to any further aglta-
ton in Congress Of Kansas affairs. We can suggest
to him an eypedient much more likely to produce
that result. For Congress to attempt to force the
Lecompton Constitution upon Kansas and to uphold
by Federal bay yonets such State Government Mr..
Regent Calhoun may fit to return as elected
under il, would be only throwing ell upon the
flames. What the President says of the benefits to
Kansas and TIE whole country to result from its
immediate admission into the Union, would be all
well enough if the admission could take place with
out having tied to the tail Of it this frebrand of
the Leconpton Constitution. Why not, then, simply
admit Kansas as State-witbout reference to any
Constitution "The people them" to borrow the
Presidents words "would be sovereign, and can
regulate their affairs in their own way" If
it 10 not essential as the President argues that the
Constitution under which they are to live should be
submitted 20 tina people of State, Congress GER
tainly might be able to dispense with such sub
mission to itself Indeed, Mr.. Buchanan himself
tells us that "the general provisions of recent State
Constitutions after experience of eighty years,
caro- so similar and excellent that it would be diff
"cult to go far wrong at the present day in framing
"a new Constitution. If, then the admission of
KanAss is 80 pressing, why not simply admit
it, leaving the new State at liberty to settle the
question for itself of its own Constitution