The Washington union., 1858-02-27
Prom the New York. Journal u Commerce
PUBLIC SENTIMENT on THE LECOMITON QUES-
fTpN


most clearly the wisdom Of the policy which the friends
of the Union have consistently pursued relating the
admission OF Kansas into the family of States The ex
element which followed the announcement Of the
which Judge Douglas and few other prominent demo
Gratis, had determined to take the assembling of
gress has IN great measure subsidized and the country
has had opportunity to consider the subject in all Its
bearings, and to form correct judgment in the prem
ises
II is not province purpose to pronounce
upon the motives of the fe prominent whose action
has strongly complicated the Kansas question during
the present Congress. They have doubtless acted III
view of their relations TO their constituents and the
try, and leave them to settle their political oblga-
tions, and their future political course their own
judgment shall dictate and tbeir present peculiar ccum
stances shall permit The masses of national with
whom they have formerly acted and whose interests
they have shy jeoarded, will be slow to rely again
their fidelity, to place confidence in their Judgment
questions such moment that which they in
great emergency endangered not to say betrayed 1t
will require long service in behalf of sound principles
and in support of calculated to strengthen and
cement rather than sunder the Union of the States to
enable them to regain the confidence and position which,
until few months ago they occupied before the country
Seldom has determined and concerted movement
been entered upon by political adventures that which
the anIecompton democrats in Congress- and the anti
Lecompton democratic papers, inaugurated just before the
present session of Congress Engaging in desperate
political movement they the necessity of resorting
to desperate for promoting its Begin
ming with declaration of adhesion TO the democratic
party they at first claimed the democratic
insisted that it mbocd the wishes and the opinions
of the great body OF the democratic party but time
passed on the absdi,y of this claim became apparent,
through the distinct declaration of the democratic press
and subsequently the action of nearly the entire demo
cratic representation in Congress Driven from the
founded pretcnsion that they representing the dem
ocrac party of the country this question they have
gradually become the associates and allies OF the rcpubli
cans and been forced to resort to the arguments
and TO sustain the which and they and
all the national of The country have been combating
In
ing absorbed in the sectional party which supported Col
Fremont in the last campaign, it is fast becoming moot
cd question: whether they not already part and par
Gel of that political organization.
The verdict of the country has been most unequivo
cay adverse to this anti -Leoompton movement In the
northern and eastern States the sentiment lis all but
unanimous. The press in New York and New England
has with scarcely exception sustained the President in
the views presented in his special esage and the peo
pie have everywhere indicated the distinct appro-
val of the principles enumerated In that able State pa
per OF except the republican press and party
but it is worthy Of remark that outside of that ogani
zaon there haze been to applaud the extraordinary
proceedings by which it is sought to prolong the discus
sion Of Kansas affairs and to keep that Territory longer
out Of the Union 1t affords pleasure to witness the
extraordinary unanmity which prevails throughout this
section of the Union, and the utter discontinue which
has awaited the aSitators New York has presented
nearly unbroken front and have reason to believe
that when the final vote taken her congressional dele
cation will give unanimous response in favor OF receiving
Kansas under the Lccompton constitution.
While there is such happy mcnt in this quarter,
advices from other sccti Indicate decided
ton and encourage the expec lion that several
bers of Congress who voted for the resolution of Mr.
Harris will also give their votes for the admission of the
Territory with the constitution presented by her conven
ton called for the purpose of framing that instrument
If not misinormed with regard to the sentiments
of the people the constituencies OF several of the
bers who counted anti Iecompton few weeks
ago will enlghten their representatives to induce
them to cast their votes the final question in accord
with the national sentiment of the country There
is longer doubt in the minds Of well informed men,
in Congress out of political pnrty that the meas
will pass Congress without unnecessary delay and
substantially in the form proposed by the President We
think the Senate will pass the bill for admission
ported by the Committee Territories 1t may and
think ii likely 1t WILL be amended in the House, by the
addition of decaratoy clause relating to the power of
the people of Kansas to amend the constitution at
time after admission instead of waiting until after the
year 1864. This would be mere surplusase, but if it
thus be made acceptable to Congress and the
country there be serious objection to such add
tion to the bill We hold, that neither the Lecompton
constitution, which provides for amendment in par
ticular after 1864 the Topeka constitution,
which contains clause rohrly Irohi5ag amendments
Me yeqr 1865, if adopted the organic law of the
State prevent the people from exercising that
regnty which is their undoubtcd right at any time after
entering the Union.
We are not sure that the delay which has been caused
by the opposition to the Lecompton constitution in Con-
gress will not in the end be profitable and advantageous
to the of the measure and to the acqicsccnce in
its adoption, which must follow. There has
been time for reflection among minded men, and the
verdict of the country is clearly in favor of early ad
iustment of the controversy 1t is due to the cause of
fairness and sound principles, to the relations which the
different sections of the Union to each other and to
political honesty and morality that this angry conro
versy be removed from national councils, and that
peace and concord shall again exist between the northern
| and southern sections of the conle1eracy.
The fate of politicians is secondary consideration
when compared with the peipctuy of institutions
We would not have who had earned national repu-
tafi., laf
that all aspmnts for political honor should fail
than that the country should he convuscd and its very
existence endangered to crafty their incrdinate
| bition.
| RUSSIAN VIEWS ANuLo- PRUsstAN INITIALS = One
of the Paris correspondents of lie Nord of the 2s of
January, endcavors to appreciate the political import
Of the family alliance just concluded between the royal
families of Prussia and England with view of showing
that the sombre reflections of of the continental
journals the subject without foundation The
respondent ccnbats the notion of AngloGennanic al
lance with the alleged object of constituting counter
pose to supposed Russo French alliance To render
such policy possible the relations between France and
England on the part and Russia and Prussia the
other must undergo great alteration. But these fca
phs been better than at the present moment
The relations between England and Russia were it is true
for time less satisfactory than could be desired but
this is now passed and the correspondent Of lie Nord
adds II you and You know am not in the
habit OF hazrng assertionsthat very shortly the rea
between England and Russia will be re-estblished on
footing cordality which well suits tho reciprocal
interests Of the two countries and the peace and prospe
y of Europe. Far from regarding the union of a-
gust houses of Prussia and England germ Of division
amongst the great powers 1t ought to be considered as