Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-02-23


ment, In i774. II Gov. Walker found
dIscon tents there, the promises Of equity
which he madeih the name of theP President
.quelled rebellion by means of the ballot
box. The waves never rise unless the
wind blows If the menace of the Lee
compton Constitutin seemed likely to ex-
cite disturbances, Governor Stanton, 70
his honor be it said, lulled the rising com
motion. not by calling in the Army Of
the United States, but by peacefully con-
voking the legal Legislature of the Ter
ritory
There is now no insurrection In Kansas;
there is no rebellion there Cease to dis
pute the unquestionable right of the ma
jority, and the star of peace will rise Sc
.enely, the storm will be hushed, and
the waves subside. The Government
will not find rebellion there; let it not
provoke one.
And what contrast between Cover
nor Of a Territory restoring peace through
the representatives of the people, and an
officer ofthe General Government, calling
himself President of a Convention
taking an escort from the Army of The
United States, to make his entry into the
Capital of Kansas amid the murmurs Of
its people.
II to the question between the Iecomp-
ton Constitution and the people Of Kan
sas we apply the test Of princinciple, we
find that the enforcement of that Con-
| stitution will be an act of power against
right; of the Army against The people;
of force against 'feason Of usurpation
against the rightful will OF majority =
II will be violation OF the fundamental
principle of free government, which is
government! by consent. 1t is directly
at war with democracy, whose cardinal
point is the power of the people. The
supporters of the Lecompton Constitution
have not one square inch of democratic
ground to stand upon. A constitution for
its validity needs the concurrence of the
majority of the people, either silently by
a general acquiescence or by an appeal to
the polls. Shall full and doubled evil
dence be required for deed of foot of
land or gift by will of shilling? Shall
a merchant or banker have power to stop
payment of check frauluently held,
} and shall the people have no power to
stop their servants from sequesterng
their rights? Shall the most insignif.
cant treaty of Minister Plenipo!entiary
want validity ill it is ratified? And shall
the highest treaty of the people with
} themselves be made in corner by their
servants without their assent? Is fo,m
everything and substance nothing? Is
: appearance everything, and truth and
: right aud reality nothing?
: There is not precedent for enforcing
Constitution against the consent of the
f people. The principle of popular ratif
+ cation is sanctioned in the Minnesota act
1 The President in his annual message
= emphatically declares that the example o
submit ting Constitution TO the people
is founded on a correct principle; SO that
! his instructions to Gov. Walker on tha
.subjec, were properly expressed in quail
G fed terms.
t Again: Congress has power to almi
States, but no power whatever to make ;
Constitution fora State; still less to impose
@ ON Stale a Constitution which the ma
a iori:y of its people loathe and rejec:.-
a frhe tendency TO Capitalization of powe
in TIE General Government is rapid and
4 dangerous. We potest against its furthe
increase and against It's present excess
9 The true basis OF political organization be
D tween ali parts of The Union was, from it
S beginning, the rights of the States, ant
}. that basis offers for the future, AS it ha
d for the past, the most perfect guaranty fo
It security and Union.
: REDRESS must come from the people 0
the United STATES. They in theiIstrengtl
r must remedy the existing evil, by dis
f tnct expression Of their will. The mo
o ment is fraught with dangers, which tn,
e adoption Of tie Lecompton Constitution
# would only aggraya'e.
A departure from the principles OF
e which Government rests, is an evidenc,
It's decay. The violation of the pruci
!, pie Of Popular Sovereignty wasted tn
e life blood of the Republic.
y Again. it is a popular Government
II where the rulers arc but servants, anarch,
/. steps in when principle is forgotten AM
y expediency is made the guide.
y Again, the concentration of power in
n the Bands of Convention like that @
y Lecompton, is not an American idea. |
o is borrowed from those repsbllcs q
!? Europe which were not capable OF eXjstin
IS long, for the very reason that power wa
l. so contracted. 1t is derived from tn
al worst examples Of the worst periods G
a revolutionary France, when mlnoritie
) usurped power over nation by terror ant
l. reckless daring Ifthe rule OF the minori
is ty Convention is now formally sanctione,
II by Congress, it will be most dangerou
It precedent; an instrument of wrath, treas
e ured up for a day of wrath. We appes
:. against this system to the whole Demo
s. racy Of the country; we appeal to all pee
e pie who love order, and justice, and free
u dom.
Il
W We will not make an anappeal to the Sou
), as such; but ifany part OF the Union ha
n cause for alarm at an increase of tn
n power of a convention suddenly called tc
g gether. we should say it is the South; an
e were Jefferson alive, we should on thi