The Nevada journal., 1858-01-08
FRIDAY MORNING, JAN. 9th, 1858.

ton. But we must be excused from fol-
lowing in the wake of some of our So
called independent confreres, and tax
ing the whole document as sound and
faultless in tone and sentiment through
out We are not willing to pronounce
state paper national solely because it
comes from the head of the nation. and
treats of national affairs to some extent,
but carries with it the indubtable evil
dence of iemagogism. Neither must
we be expected to like the document for
the reason there is not an abstraction in
it, for it were better to indulge in alb
stractions difficult to be comprehended
and still worse to cCnfute, than in tfifing
pettifogging easily sifted and as easily
exposed.
The discussion of the financial crisis,
its causes and remedies, is pursued at
length in the message. 1t is subject
on which minds may well differ, and as
the whole ground has been often gone
over, the various arguments are well
known to all and need not be reproduc-
ed here. We shall content ourselves
with an observation on one remark Of
the President. He says that uulortu-
nately a construction has been placed
upon the Federal Constitution which has
given to State banks the sovereign pow
er to substitute paper currency instead
of coin, but that "the construction has
now prevailed too long to be changed"
The construction is insinuated to be
false, but false as it is the monetary
affairs of the nation are not of so much
Importance as to demand return to the
true principles Of the Constitution. But
when a negro is concerned in any man
her with construction of the Constitu-
ton any radical innovation in the policy
or practice of the government is allow
able and praiseworthy. The right of
Congress 20 legislate on the question of
slavery in Territories was exercised
from the foundation of the government
down to the passage of the Nebraska
act Such construction had not pre-
vailed too longto be changed" ltmay
be lone of the highest and most respon-
sible duties of government to insure the
people sound circulating medium" to
use the language of the Executive, but
will that government assume to estab-
lish safe currency, will it right a
wrong, will it perform one of its "high-
est and most responsible duties it owes
the people? 1t is policy to rip up a
compact Buchanan has himself pro-
nounced "almost as sacred as the Con-
stitution ITSELF" overthrow construc-
ton of the Constitution given by the
authors of that instrument and cherished
down to almost the present moment, and
create domestic discOrd shaking the
whole fabric of Union, but it was never
once thought to put in the plea that a
construction of the Constitution had
prevailed too long to be changed to
preserve the inviolability of a sacred
compromise and continue the quietude
of nation.
That portion of the message treating
of fllibusterism is inst right in senti-
ment. But what shall we say of its sim
terity! How does it comport with the
views of Mr.. Buchanan not President ?
We have not all forgotten the emana-
ton from the extraordinary council that
met at Ostend to plot the larceny of
Cuba.
But to the Kansas part of the mes
sage. The President in his instructions
to Governor Walker took the position
that the Constitution of Kansas under
the operations of the Kansas-N Nebraska
bill should be submitted to the people.
We quote his language which he says
he used in letter of instructions writ
ten in March last: when a Constitu-
ton shall be submitted to the people of
the. Territory, they must be protected
in the exercise Of their right Of roting
.tor,or against that instrument, and the
fair expression of the popular will must
not be interrupted by fraud or violence"
A large party in the South took excep-
tions to the course pursued by Walker
in accordance with the instructions of
the President. The Kansas Conven=
tion failed to provide for the submission
of the entire Constitution to the people,
but of only that portion relating to sla-
very. Mr.. Buchanan says it is right
and desirable that the whole Constitu-
ton be submitted to the people, but