Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-03-20
Gbe Uermont 49enit.
BRATTLEBORO, VTi
SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 1868.
Then and Now.

About eight years since the people of Calfor
MIA adopted State Constitution by large ma
ioritv. and with it applied for admission into the
Union. At that time Congressional discord was
as rife as it is at this day. Now it is all about
Kansas then California was the apple of discord.
The members of Congress from the Southern
States opposed her admission by every parlia-
mentary device and threat and all because she
presented constitution prohibiting Slavery
Compelled at last to yield to the will of the ma
iority they played "last card' which was ex-
pectcd to tell with great effect at the Southern
elections This was a formal Protest, which
they demanded should be entered in full on the
journal of the Senate. 1t was so entered where
it now stands. 1t is as follows;
P,otes, against the California Constitution.
Firsi-That it gave the sacton Of law and thus i'm
parted vitality TO Unauthorized action by portion
Of the inhabitants of California.
Second-Whout any legal census or other evidence
Of their possessing the number Of citizens necessary to
authorize the representation they may claim.
Third-Without any of those safeguards about the
ballot box which can only be provided by law, md
which necessary to ascertain the true Of the
people.
Iourth-As net having sufficient evidence of its
the people for whom 1t was signed
This protest was signed by Senators J. NJ.
Mason and r. VI. T. Hunter, of Virginia; A. p.
Butler and r. w. Barnwell, of South Carolina;
II. L. Turney of Tennessee; Pierre Soulc, of
Louisiana; Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi; d.
$. Atchison, of Missouri Jackson Morton and
David L. Yulee, of Florida.
-Four of these gentlemen, Messrs. Mason and
Hunter of Virginia, Mr.. Davis of Mississippi
and Mr. Yuee of Florida are still members of
the Senate. But they now advocate entirely
different doctrines. They are moving heaven
and earth to accomplish the very thing against
which they then so vehemently protested.
Their protest has an unexpected bearing up
on the Kansas question. The Lecompton Con-
stitution is tenfold more obnoxious to the above
objections than was the constitution of Califor-
MIA. 1t gives tie sanction of law to unauthor-
lied action by minority of the inhabitants. 1t
does it "without any legal census" 1t does it
"without any of those safeguards about the bal
lot-box necessary to ascertain the true sense of
the people" 1t does not have any Sufficient
evidence of assent of those for whom it was
signed" And what adds greater weight than
all is, that the California Constitution thus OBJ
ected to, was conceded, in spite of all its infor-
maliles. to be the act of large majority of the
inhabitants of the territory, while the Kansas
Lccompton Constitution is VIGOROUSLY confessed
to be a minority vancouver in direct defiance of
the popular will.
This Is only ono moro instance Of tho ahs,,rd
contradictions in which the democracy of the
present day who follow the lead and beck of the
South, are involved. They are compelled to
vecr round like weathercock as often as the
wind changes They must advocate every sort
of constitutional doctrine that is imposed upon
them by the magnates of Slavery, constantly eat
their own words and give the lie to their own
record. There is but one thing to which they
must swear constancy, and that is how to
strengthen and spread the black nuisance of Sla-
very
The time was when the honestly entertained
to consideration in the councils of the party
But Of late years all their platforms, principle,
and resolutions have been framed with sole ref
erence to the exigcncies of the South. 1t is OF
10 use to say that Northern men are selected
to head their committees on resolutions, their
executive committees, and to stand as the lead
ing candidates of the party. These men are Sc
lected from the mass of dough-faces with es-
pecial reference to their fitness as tools for the
work of Slavery. The South must have some
votes from the North or she is powerless Hence
she is willing to give the leading offices to North
for her purpose, but she has a care in selecting
her agents. Marcy would not do in 1852, no.
Douglas in 1856 ; but in Franklin Pierce ant
James Buchanan she found the plastic tools sh,
needed. Such is the democracy of the presen
day compared with that of oden time