New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-17

not be readily abandoned. His efforts 10 maintain his
position challenge admiration, but like q strong man
10 a morass every effort but plunges him deeper.
Referring TO the doctrine Of expansion he said that if
tie South were TO seize Cuba now the act would be
followed by the acquisition of Canada and thus pre-
pOnderance Of Northern influence be preserved. Turn
ing 10 the subject Of Slavery he said he would rffan
from entering upon il now, but ready at any time
- discuss il as practical issue. The African, he
said nowhere more progressive than in the United
States. To the charge that slaveholders swayed
the Government he admitted that It might be
so Seven Presidents have been slavehoders.
Whenever the country deman led the genus ana IN
elect Of her sons, she had not made demand 10 VAN
On the South. While she held the helm, the Ship OF
State advanced in the path of progress. Sectional
dsdgreemens have arisen from time - tlme Dut they
have not delayed our onward march. -
But he foresaw the day when the South would he IN
a minority. We cannot and ought not 10 ignore the
fact and in giving up the ship OF state sne can sur
render it with honor Ii already becomes her to con-
slider her future Her political skies are threatened
but the darkest hour s before the dawn. 1t remains
10 be seen how the South will act when her political
power Is submerged but ono thing ls certain-She "in
lever submit to or voluntarily scquesce under VIC
lated Constitution. r IT..
Mr.. PUGH COhioJ SAID LIE would be brief. his
State lad instructed him how to vOte but Ne "ou'd
state bis convictions. He did not admit the neLres
of an enabling act. The three inst STATES auhi'tsd
into the Union Vermont, Kentucky ana lehhesseel
had none The first admitted with such an act "aS
bis own State and that was under peculai CIeun. u
stances OF the eighteen States admitted, elSht Hao
erahIipo acts and ten had none. Referring theh W
Ksnsss te said that he considered the Lecomptoh
Constitution legal. But the petition from han.p
is not for Congress to examine te e nan Tho
ton of Kansas, bnt 10 aaII' ,he I-nited Ststcs
ons NOT reouire a State to have COnstt ltlOn, al
Least rot written He here instanced the case OF
Rhode Island. The delegates assembled ID lorm' oil
Iaw he contended was an assumption OF the power
e tbe people: the people may delegate to them iull
row,r or they NAV require them to submit their a's
or approval. Referring to tie charge that tne Le-
compton delegates had not fulhiled ther pledseS 10
the neople be contended that that was question with
which Congress had nothing TO do they had no right
to revive the Constitution of the people of Kansas.
lie now came TO his prOpo-ed amendment. |. is pos
.ble he said that under the clause in the LecOmp
ton Constitution providing for its change III l8oi
the people choose they may prevent any change TIL
then. Our republican ancestors held that the power
that could do an act could undo it, Senators have
called the Constitution compact, but compact can
be dissolved by mutual consent He here cited sew
eral authorities in support Of his argument But why,
he asked, need We quote from books, when we nave
the power in our own Charter ! lie here quoted
from the Declaration of Independence, " When
Governments become &C., "t is the right
"of tie people to abrogste and form
"new," &c. Senators had called this doctrine
revolutionary. Against whom Against what
uipbtv sovereign They have forgotten that gov
erbments are made for men, and not for govern
ments The essence Of a republican government Is
that the people can change it peaceaby. Mr. Pugh
now addressed himself to the apostles OF popular SOW
ereignty and asked if the ninety thousand lnhabt.
ants of State who form Constitution can bind and
impose il as an nexorsble law upon two millions of
people who may be inhabitants in that State when 1t
Shall have expanded beyond the widest dreams OF IT'S
founders7 Ii that is popular sovereignty, he would
call it the authority Of dead mems bones. Mr.
Pugh here quoted Judges Cabron and Daniel,
and also Daniel Webster in support of his
views. Referring to the LecOmpton Constitution,
he refuted the statements that the President
or the Judiciary ever interfere wit whatever con-
truction the people of Kansas may choose to place on
their Constitution. The Supreme Court has decided
that it has no power to say which of two instruments
is the Constitution of State But, said Mr.. Pugh,
my principal purpose to state the proposition that
the President of the LecOmptOn Convention ls bound
TO complee bis trust before comes before uS which
hone will be the case before the vote is taken. He
concluded by speaking in favor of the admission OF
Kansas.
Mr. STUART (Mich.) said that he would take an
early opportunity to reply to the Senator from Ohio
Tie Senate then adjourned.