Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-04-16
Afraid TO Trust the People.

h'N' Wv NNN'TN fNi'NNN ~ WV S'~N-
democracy, It Is very eviden, tina, they are
afraid Of tie people. Ever since the pass
age Of the KAnsa.-Nebraska hill, their great
argument has been 10" leave the people per
feetly free to make their own constitutions
and their own laws. To use a common eI'
preston, this has been their great !" knock
down argument" in all the irco States,
1.-The people! the people, leave the people tc
act Tor themselves. !" has been their morning
and evening song.
With this sreciOus argument, carrying
upon its fare apparent airne-s, they have
induced thousands upon thousands TO hang
on TO the old democratic organization, and
vote with that party. This argument car
ried the Buchanan electors IN Pennsylvania,
New Jersey. Illinois, Indiana, and Calilor-
mia. and thus decided the presidential con-
test. Thee pledges to the people made
Buchanan President. Now how have they
BEEN redeemed. The Leeompton COnstitu-
ton was framed nv a Sandi,ti Of usurpers,
elected by fraud and villainy. The in''ru'
msnt itself was the quinte$sence OF despot
ism-a monster, hiddeous and internal,
framed to curtail African slavery upon Kan
as. in total defiance Of the known and often
eIrressed will OF the people Of that terri
tory. The people Of Kansas ought to have
hung every scoundrel in tina, Convention,
and then burned IL. illesitiuate bantling
and scattered it, sshcs Ia the wind. Bot
through their forhearancc, one John CAL
houn was suffered TO depar, from the terri
tory with the Lsrompton swindle in his
pocket. together with the returns OF the
territorial election in that same depository.
The monster was presented TO Congress.
And now IL is interesting to look over the
course Of the administration and the black
democracy, upon the great question OF pop
ular righi,. involved in this bill o, abomi-
nations. The support Of the fraudulen,
measure. was an open, shameless abandon
men, Of every principle Unpopular sovereign.
". This will appear from the fact that
the Lscompton Constitution was never sub
miticd 10 the vote Of the ?eople Of the terri
tory. and another fact that every man in
Congress ENrw that IL wa. not the enbodi.
men, Of their will. Yet the whole force Of
the administration was brought to bear 10
cram the monster down the thros,s Of the
people Of Kansas, aslins, their expressed
will. and in thi. despo,ic, tyrAnnical act
the democratic party joined the President.
Such total. wanion disregard Of the sOS-
ereiEn,y Of the people never was before
known since the government was founded
The authors Of the Lecompton fraud were
afraid TO submit; il To the people, for the
rcason that they knew il would h. rriected.
Bot how stands the record in Congress
Mr. Cuiicnlcn's amendment, In the Senate,
admitted Kansas As State, and provided
that the Lecompton Constitution should be
submitted e the people for vote a, the
polls, and ifrcjccted, made provision Tor a
new constitutional convention. who should
submit their doings 70 a popular vote.
Against this the party in the senate, with
three exceptions, voted. In the House,
(thc Douglas democrats excepted, the whole
party voted the sane way. What an out.
mage Tor a party, headed by the National
Administration, 20 attempt TO fore, SAFE
iaio iIs Uaioa riih SLAVERY agasR ne TI-
rRrssIp Will 4 an orrrrhsiHiag majority
ofiAs P,op!s' Sieh open, un5lushing con-
temp, for the will Of the people never before
was manifested by political party since
the formation Of the government.
The black democracy are now laboring to
subvert the rights belonging TO the people,
TO withdraw from then al sovereignty. and
eentr.lire the whole power in Congress.
The black democracy seem OF late to have
supreme cOn,emp, for the pcopls, and thi.
may in part account Tor the fact ,ha, the
people have contempt for them. As a
party they deny, in all their legislative and
executive action. the RICH, Of the people to
be heard upon any question involving their
dearest interests aud liberties.
But the black democracy, not only 10
matters involving the question OF slavery.
but IN other things. repudia,e the sovereign
~ Of the people. We have a striking eIhi.
bition Of this feeling in their opposition to
a submission Of the liquor question to a vote
Of the people. They know that the course
pursued by the Republicans in the las, Leg
islature. in referring the new and old liquor
laws 70 the vote Of the people, will r,sul, in
the settlement Of this exciting question. Bot
they fear the people; fear TO trust them, or
20 allow them an opportunity to express
their opinion upon a great aud vital issue,
affecting the dearcs, interests OF the whole
State. This dis,rus;, on the par, Of the
black democracy, OF the popular will ,hi.
eoutemp, Cor the sovereignty Of the people
is unmi',Akable proof tina; they are wrong,
and feel their own eriminality and guilt.
In republican form Of government, no
party can long eIis: unless it has a stron:
hold upon the affections Of the masses; aud
just in proportion as it shovsa want Of
confidence in the people, jus, in the same
proportion will i, grow weaker and weaker,
until !, is numbered with the things iha,
were. Under our form Of government, the
people are the .s,vcreigns. and they will