Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-03-06


meDt If the Lecompton constitution be the
aet aud deed of the people Of Kansas and If
II be accepted by Congress as such, and the
State be admitted into the Upion under IL, ]
hold that there is no iamfM mode on eafihto
change or amend it, except the one provided
and authorized In the constitution itself i
agree that 'dhe will OF the majority is su.
! preme and irresistible when expressed in ut
orderly aud lawful manner Bot the ques.
ton s, when constitution has once become
the supreme law OF a State, what "lawful
manner is there OF changing it, except the
one provided and permitted 10y the coislitu.
ton? / agree with the President, also, that
| "the people can make ard unmake coustitu.
tions at pleasure" But how-in what man.
ner is this to be done There are two modes
the one iawttd. and he { ther revolutionary.
When constitution has once become The
fundamental law of State, there ia no claw
iui manner," there can be no lawful manner
OF offering, changing, or abrogating il except
IN pursuence of its provisions. 1t is true
that the right OF rerolutton remains--that
great naienatle right To which our fathers
resorted when submission was iniolerable,
and resistance less eSi, than Submission.
Hence. if the Lecompton constitution be
accepted by Congress aud the State admitted
under il, while there will ha no "lawfu meu-
ner" OF amending or abrogating ii until after
The year 1854, and then only by the concur.
/ renee or two-thirds ui each branch OF The
! legislature, in the first instance, followed 10y
u majority vote Of all the citizens Of the
State ond the concurrence OF the two houses
! OF the next legislature, oil prior 10 The el,c
iion Of delegates and the assembling oil a
convention yet the revolutionary right will
remain to the people of Kansas, to he resort
ed. to or not, according as they shall deter
| min, Tnr hpp latyae that IA ia n less evil 10
resist than to submit 20 a constitution Which
| was never their act nBd deed. and never oid
| emhody Their WILL 1T may be true that,
uader this terrible right Of revolution, al u
majority OF the people desire TO abolish do
nestle slavery in the State, there is no utber
possible mode by which tins can be effected
So speedily as 10y prompt admission ! bnt IL
tins mode" be rssorted to under the lmpr's-
sion that il W i'll abolish slavery m Kansas
more speedily" than any other possible
mode, it must be understood 20 mean ievolu-
tou ii successful aud rebellion IN cage oi
failure. But suppose the line OF policy iudi.
Gated by the Presideut should DO pursued
that Kausas he admitted uedsr the l.ecomp-
ton constitution that Congress- III the act
Of aduissIou. recognize the right cf The
legislature already elected ut its very trst
session to submit the question to vote oi
the people. whether they will ur will not have
u convention 10 amend their constitution
and adopt all necessary measures To give
5 effect 10 the popular will" Suppose all this
10 have been done. OF what relief VIII II be &c
q the oppressed people oil Kansas. unless Mr
Calhoun shall set aside the Fraudulent returns
from Delaware Crossing. or 60 behind ib'
returns and reject the fraudulent votes al
kckapoo, Shawnee, or Oxford, or ut othei
n precincts, in order 10 insore majority il
/, both branches OF the legislature opposed t'
, the Lecomptop constitution, and in favor o
an immediate change?
Unless the President is prepared TO inform
us that this is ;us sbe JoEe, il is worse thai
L mockery 10 talk about the right Of the legs
l. ature, "at ;,s very first session." 10 subn,l
!, the question to the people, aud to insert
@ void clause in the act of admission deeiarator.
i. OF right which eau be exercised ony in viu
I lation VI the constitution, aud by revolution
E. and especially il it is understood that, b.
forged returns and fraudulent votes, major
ity OF members are To be declared elected il
r. both branches of the legislature who are de
e termined to maintain the l. compton consti
,r tuition, aud resist any and all forts to chang
it. BY the express command Of the coostitu
)" tOn, the returns Of that election we're 10 h
p made TO the president OF the conventio
e. within eight days" after the election. U
,r the ninth day after the election, to wit: o
the l3;h day Of January the returns wer
opened and couuted by Mr. Calhoun. as az
n pears by the proclamation Of the presdin
- officers of the two houses Of the Legislature
I. who were present by his invitation to witnes
D, the opening and counting of the votes. Nor
than q month has elapsed since the return
were opened aud votes counted, and Nj
!; Calhoun being in this city, We ere not PEI
mitted TO know the result Of his deliberations
u whether The rumors Of yesterday that th
ut antiLecompton members we're elected. {
the rumor of today that the Lecompto
=, party have triumphed. or whether the pole
~ is 10 withhold the decision until the Sta,
os shall have been admitted, aud, leaving eao
~ party 20 iufer that the decision is in the
~ iayor. compel Congress TO act in The dar
. and wait patiently to ird out the result el i
!, action. But suppose there should be u m
al jorty in both houses Of the legislature q
,,a posed to the Lecompton constitution and
~, favor OF q change, what cnn they do towar'
y relieving the people Of Kansas from coust
tuition they abh0r, since il is well understo'
IS that in consequence Of large number
= votes east for the anti. Lecompton tick
= having been returned to Governor DENY
5 instead of Mr.. Calhoun, the, Lecomptt
- ticket for governor aud State officers Is 10
: declared elected, thus rendering it moral
3 certain that any bill which the lygisiatu
might pass, having for It's object chan:
z in the constitution would he defeated by 4
governors veto, it not being anticipated
any contingency that the opponents OF q
Lecompton constitution would have u majC
iiy OF two-thirds in each branch Of the leg
luture Hence, it must be apparent to
that, in the event that Kansas is admit
under the Lecompton constitution, every |
gumept or proposition founded on the ID
that tue people OF Kansas will have the O
portuniiy OF changing the constitution
peaceful means through the instrumental
of The legislature, must, in all proSabli
prove deceptive aud delusiye. In tie eve
that the deed shall be copsummuted, tn
only alternative will bc Submission or reyo
ton. Revolutions are. sometimes, peace
aud bloodless. Constitutions and COVE
lnents have been changed by revoluti
l without violence or bioodshed but this
the case oniy where the public sesiimeut
favor of the change is unanimous or