The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-13

NiNINger LyCeSGHl.

ttse NiNinger LyCessisi.
Notwithstanding the unpleasant stare of the weather
ana bad condition of the streets, the turnout 1t the
meeting last Monday ey nins '"a4 hiahly e,naplimentary
10 ae Lyceui. the roofu was 50 tndl rs 10 n,ake il ne
tossiry 10 aa,e larger quarters provided. The change
u room will not take place, however, untli after next
meeting might; the sorio'y vi therefore meet as usual
in Tremoat Block, neat Monday evening.
Soae delay occurred in opening the meeting by the
unayoilahie ahsenc, q tho worthy President and Vice
President Alter calling the society co ottie,, aod
thv trausasting Vi the usua. preliminary business,
the chairman ~nn9pnerd ,aa. an essay would he read
!, .}os. iintsouSe. FSq The gentleman then came
iorw. "a apd without any Of the usual common place
ard silly excuses, usual on such eocsSions. stated thai
ho would iay;se rha attsntion Of the audience for a few
minute~ - some remarks on Human Natvre and / "a
man Passions
Che ,,hiett wis 'audled with great ss;.. and lis
prac zeal hints were d a kind to be usetuliv applied ~
everyday life The 2,ntleraan sought rather 10 instruct
than amuse his hearers. anl the satisfaction express 4
b. tieu justified hi expectations, that his efforts were
appreciated. We canuo: speak OF the subject just now.
but expee, 10 preseat it in ful at some future time.
The lebate followed the reading of the essay the
ques:ion t7y .ic evening, Il The Doctrine Of Popular
Sovereignty IN its ex5rclue bearing, fen&bio 2 was then
stated, and t." hair called Mr.. Donnelly to the aoor
As the ieading ~disputant on the Affirmative side. Dir.
D. preferred % assert. in opening the debate. that the
position lie was to man' ain was impregnable, and was
.fe Foundation stone If oar government, aud inherently
jnst anu right, ana i'll maintaining this, It was for his op-
pouents, and no: him, to show that the doctrine he adj
voeatei had any extreme bearing thai was untenable,
AZ NoSu-pE ttan ial "A ~, 4hn eiya ado f.k-
Ing ground that popular Sovereignty III IFS extreme
tendency was a ta1acy--sn ahsardity; he cited tie
position Of kans,s where tie majority q, one time bad
rnale Jaws to maintain their authority after another and
larger inanx nj e~migrants should have placed the con-
troll il the hands al their opponents. In this case an
accidental majority might make Jaws that should give
tie power forever thereafter in the hands q g minority
-and they could BY enactins odious laws drive from
their borders the large class who might seek to enter
and form different Institutions. Communicating vices
ana vile practices could at any time he established by
az extreme Interpretation of the doctrine Of Popular
S~vereignty, by q few misguided q wicked parties, and
forever hold in lawless subsection a large territory
cases that were to be cited in the career Of Kansas
and Utah. These, he held, were instances OF the doc
.rine that were untenable. g
r Several gentlemen followed IN either side, but they
had evidently left the main weight of the argument to
be advanced by their respective leaders; what they did
say was to carry out the points already stated, without
aiding in the exposition OF the question.
Mr.. Dnnneliy reioined, and with adroit language ap.
peared 10 have disposed of all the objections ; and from
them even sought to strengthen his own side. A new
speaker, by permission, gave it as his view, that a NIB
might override constitution and laws, because IN a tenn
porary majority, and were ju>ti6able, if the doctrine Of
the affirmative were right. This and kindred illustra-
tons were disposed Of by the Affirmative as excrescenees
warts and wens on a we'll formed body-and not pro-
perry pertaining to the system.
Bat q declaration Of one gentleman on the affirmative
could not be overcome he thought that the atolitionists
should not be allowed TO rule even if they were in the
majority, When the question On the merits Of the de.
bate was put to the audience, it was given 70 tic mega
tive.
Some fine sallies Of wit and repartee eniiyened the
debate, and caused peals Of laughter from the audience.
So delighted were they all that the hour Of eleven ar
rived before they broke up. Seventeen new members
were added to the Society.
The following question was selected for next weeks
debate, g Is Capital Punishment j~ustiiahle = Dispu-
tants-J..H. earle, affirmative Anthony Reed, Mega
sive--with six assistants on each side.
Henry Calef was invited and accepted to deliver an
essay at the next meeting.
Among the audience were sone ladies, many others
| snow that had just fallen.