The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-11
THE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON, D. Co. MARCH H. 1858.

8 CONDITION, IN the case Of new State apply.
ing for admission-but, this condition is a mat
ter of inference, net express provision.
New States can be admitted only by Con.
gress; and Congress may Judge for itself
whether to admit them or not. The language
OF the Constitution is, new States n.ay be ad-
rnitted by Congress-" not "shau be-" not.
" Congress shall admit new States" en- such
and such conditions. If Congress authorize
the People of a Territory to form State Con-
stitution, preparatory to admission into the
Union, and they proceed in conformity to the
act, in their organization, it is bound in good
faith to receive the new State into the Union,
provided it have established "a republican
form of government bound, however, BY its
own act. If the People of a Territory proceed,
without authority, to form State Government,
they may petition for admission, but Congress
is not bound, therefore, to grant their petition.
1t may reject the application, for various rea-
sons, even although the form of government be
republican: for example-because such action
is an irreguarity that, if sanctioned must work
S'A3 S--N NONouSS u 40 pcllcr 10 establish Inc
rule that an enabling act must precede the
organization of State; or because the bound
aries are improper or because the Constitution
contains provisions encroaching upon the pro-
prietorship of the United States or because
the population ia insufficient or because there
is ground for believing that the organization of
the Constitution has been effected in derogstion
or fraud of the will and interests of the majority
of the People; or because such is the division
of sentiment in the Territory itself in regard to
it, that its adoption by Congress may lead to
violent and bloody collision between opposing
part es. We repeat, the power Of Congress to
admit or reject is discretionary, and, where the
new community applying for admission has not
acted under authority of, and in conformity to,
an enabling act, it may reject it's application
for admission, for any reasons whatsoever, which
do not involve injustice 10 the people of the
Territory or of the States-and of this it must
be the Judge
Because it was framed by a Convention,
sanctioned by Congress, and elected by a ma
jority of the people"
There are only two false statements in this.
Congress never sanctioned that Convention :;
and that Convention was not elected by a ma
jority of the People.
Because it was adopted by majority Of
TIE people in the mode authorized by the Con-
veution, in whom, by delegation of the people,
was invested supreme authority"
Two more false statemente. 1t was not
adopted by majority of the People, and the
solid men know that it was not. No au-
thority, supreme or subordinate, was invested
IN the Convention, By delegation of the Peo-
pie" Mr.. Calhoun, the President of the Con-
vention, himself admitted that it represented O
minority of the People, and the solid men !"
know that this is the fact
Because the mode thus authorized fairly
and substantially submitted to the popular will
the only question which really divides the peo-
pie OF the Territory"
. Two more false statements. The question
OF Slavery ID not the only question which really
divides the People Ct the Territory. There is
another question, no less portant-Shall the
rule Of a minority prevail against the will of a
majority-shall the right Of selfgovernment be
trampled under foot by usurpation? The "sol-
il men cannot lift themselves to the compre.
hensicn CT this question. And it is false, that
the question of Slavery was " fairly and cub
stantially submitted to the popular will" The
only question submitted was, not whether Sla-
very should continue to exist in Kansas, but
vhether more slaves should be introduced
ttereln-and this was submitted in such way
that no voter could say yea or nay upon it,
without saying yea to the Constitution, whether
he disapproved Of it or not. The solid men {"
may think this a masterpiece Of cunning, al,
most equal to some of the sharp practices on
Wall street.
"Because the allegation that large body Of
the people, known as the Free State party, sup
pcrters Of another Convention, and in actual
rebellion to the constituted authorities, did not
vote upon tie Constitution, and if thy had voted
would have shown majority Of the people to
be opposed 10 il, is an allegation, under the cir.
cumsIances of the case, entitled to no consid.
Grafton these who reuse TO go to the polls
have 20 right to complain Of the result Of an
election
LSach an allegation certainly is entitled to
no consideration from those Who believe that
Power obtained by violence, and supported by
Fraud, is entitled to respect and obedience
but the " solid men" are guilty Of misrepresent-
alton. The People were not allowed by the
Convention to vote Tor or against the Constitu-
iion-ihey could not vote on the question sub
mitted by the Convention, without voting for
that nstrument-therefore they refused to go
20 the polls; and all but the " solid men," and
men OF the class called sharpers," will admit
tina, they had q rightto compllin of the result
If the election. The moment an opportunity
was opened TO them, "by the constituted au-
thorities " of the Territory, to vote upon the
Constitution they went to the polls, ard voted
down that instrument. The solid men " NAV
sag that this fact is q entitled to no considera.
don 9-but in SO doing, they repudiate the
sound Democratic Principle that the People
possess the right Of gelfgovernrnent.1
Because the Constitution thus adopted be.
ing regular upon the record, Congress should
seize the opportunity Of Incorporating Kansas
az State under is provisions thereby in
ves;ing its people with sovereign power 70 alter
or amend 1t at their pleasure, securing to
a distracted Territory peace and oniet. and
driving from the halls of Congress a dangerous
snd useless agitation.
because the Industrial interests of the
country, now suffering extraordinary depres-
sicn, impeFiously require repoae from the dan.
gers OF sectional agitation, and that intestine
cV'slons winch threaten the peace of the Con-
federacy shalt no longer be permitted 10 de.
press enterprise, and to cast their baIefnl in6u.
epce upon The credit and commerce of the peo-
n lIhese TWO resolutions reveal the aaimus
OF the meeting. They show that Mammon is