Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-02-25

agency of the ballot-box. Claiming to
have majority Of voters IN the territory,
and therefore able to elect a legislature and
convention, they Jet ask Congress to
wrongfully do for them what they may al
legal times and places rightfully do for
themselves-that is to change or abolish
their constitution; and in case Congress
refuses to comply with bloodshed and rev.
olution. Unless Congress will do for them
what they assert they are able to for them
selves, but which they fully refuse to do,
they threaten to plunge the country into
civil war.
This conduct is so exceedingly unreason-
Bile as to force the conviction on the mind
that they are concious of being in power
less minority, and only expect to be able
to compass their uuwarrantable ends by de-
parting from the general ways of peace and
quiet. If your committee are not very
much mistaken, these reckless men mis-
Judge the American people, and will be re-
auired to seek peaceful methods for the re-
dress of all their grievances, whether they
be real or imaginary. The bill recites that
the people of Kansas have framed tor
themselves constitution and State govern
ment, republican in form, and that the Le-
compton Convention has, in their name
and behalf, asked Congress to admit her,
therefore it Is declared that Kansas be ad-
mitted into the Union on an equal footing
with the original States in oil respects
whatever. The bill also prescribes the
boundary, contains the usual regulations
relative to grants of public lands as in case
of Minnesota, and gives Kansas for the
present one Representative in the House of
Representatives.
DEMCRARTIc ANTI-LECoMPToN REPORT.
Mr.. Douglas, in his report, dissents from
the views of majority for the reason, among
Others, that there is no satisfactory evidence
that the Constitution framed al Lecomp-
ton is the act and deed of the people of
Kansas, or embodies their will. He shows
that the convention was not clothed with
competent power to establish Constitu-
ton without the assent of Congress, which
has been expressly withheld in this case
Hence, the Constitution only had such pow
er as the Territorial Legislature could
rightfully confer, and no more, which was
to form a Constitution and send it to Con-
gress as memorial for admission, which
could be accepted or rejected, according as
it embodied the popular will. That all the
proceedings of the Convention should have
been held in strict obedience to the au-
thority of the Territorial government,
while, in fact, it was declared to be in force
and to take effect in defiance of the Terri
torial government, as well as without the
consent of Congress. That the only law
full election held on the adoption of the
Constitution, was that on the 4th Of Janu-
ary last, which was in obedience to the law
passed by the Territorial Legislature estab-
lished by Congress, with full legislative
power on all rightful subjects within the
Territory.
REPUBLICAN, REPORT.
Messrs. Collamer and Wade submitted
their views. They say that the territorial
government of Kansas was never organized
as provided for in the organic act, that is,
by its own people, but was usurped by a
foreign force, and conquered and subdued
by arms; and that the minority was in
stalled in power, which has ever since been
sustained by the general government In
stead of being examined into, and correct
ed, this has been done to establish per-
petual slavery. The Lecompton Constitu-
tion is the result of these proceedings, con-
trary to the will of the great majority of
the people legally expressed, and for Con-
gress, in its discretion, to consummate this
practiced atrocity, and especially for such
a purpose, is violation of the fundament-
al principles of a republican government,
and can produce no permanent peace and
satisfaction to the people of the Territory.
In the late Territorial election, they have
reclaimed their rights, and the Territorial
government is, for the first time, now NOV
ing peaceably in its legislative freedom
The Lecompton Constitution and its adop-
ton, was concocted and executed to super
cede, and to triumph over justice; and to
admit it by Congress, is but to give sue
cess to fraud, and and encouragement to
ini1uities, and to turn over that people,
not to an election fairly and legally con-
Quoted, but to such State officers and leg
islators as Gen. Calhoun shall hereafter
proclaim, and in such contingency as he
Shall determine; and bis long, mysterious
and inexcusable indecision and reserve but
encourage expectations in both parties, one
of which is certainly doomed to disappoint-
ment.