Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-02-17
VOL. ). NO ID.

| tue DleSSlDES 6Hu CCuiOTtS Wnlcn I0liOW 8grl-
cultural and mechanical industry. The peop-
| lc thea sill be sovereign, and can regulate
their own affairs in their own way. If the
minority of them desire to abolish domestic
slavery within the State, there is no other
possible mode by which it can be effected so
| speedily as by it's prompt admission. The
will of the majority Is supreme and irresisti-
ble, when expressed in an orderly and law
| full manner They can make and unmake
Constitutions at pleasure 1t would be alb
surd to say they can impose fetters upon their
own power. which they cannot afterwards re-
move If they could do this they might tie
| their own bands for hundred as we'll as for
| ten years, These are the fundamental prin-
ciples of American freedom and are recogn-
lied, l believe, in some form or other, by
every State Constitution and if Congress, in
| the act of admission, should think proper 10
recognize them, [ can preceive no objection
TO such course. This has been done empha-
tically in the Consttution of Kansas. 1t de-
clares in the Bill of Rights, that ''all politi-
cal power is Inherent in the people, and all
free go7crnments are founded on their anthor-
ity. and instituted for their benefit and,
therefore, they have at all times an inaliena-
BILE and indefeasible right to alter, reform or
abolish their form of government, in such
manner they may think proper" The
great state of New York is at this moment gov
erned Under Constitution framed in dirsss
opposition to the mode prescribed by the pre-
vious Constitution. If, thei efore, the peo-
vision changing the Kansas Constitution az
ter the year 1864, could by possibility bo
! construed into prohibition to make such o
change previous TO that period, this pro-
hibition would be wholly unavailing The
Legislature already elected, may at its very
first session. submit the question to a vote OF
the people, whether they will or will not have
Convention to amend their Constitution,
and adopt all necessary I':eans for giving eff
fec: to the porulae Will.
Ii has been solemnly adju lged by the high
est Judicial Tribunal known to our laws, that
/ slavery exists in Kansas. by virtue of the
Constitution of the United States. Kansas is
therefore, at this moment, as much a slave
State as Georgia or South Carolina With
out this the equality of the sovereign States
composing the Union would be violated, and
the use and enjoyment of territory, acquired
by the common treasure of all the States,
would be closed against the people and prop
erty of nearly half the members of the Con-
| federacy. Slavery can therefore never be
prohibited in Kansas, except by means of
Constitutional provision. and in 10 other
manner can this be obtained so promptly. If
| a majority Of the people desire it. as by ad-
| uniting it into the Union, under its present
Contitution.
On the other hand should Congress reject
the Constitution, under the idea of affording
the disaffected in Kansas third opportunity
| to prohibit slavery in State which they might
have done twice before if in the majority. no
man can foretell the consequences If Con-
gress, for the sake of those men who refused
to vote for delegates to the Convention, when
they mig ht have excluded slavery from the
Constitution, and who afterwards refused to
vote on the 2lst of December; when they
might, as they claim. have stricken slavery
from the Constitution. should now reject a
State, because slavery remains in the Consti.
tuition, 1t is manifest that the agitation On this
dangerous subject will be renewed in a more
alarming form than it has ever assumed
| Every patriot in the country had indulped
the hope that the Kansas Nebraska Act wo'd
put final end to the slavery agitation. AZ
least in Congress, which had, for more than
twenty years, couvulsed the country, and en-.
dangered the Union. This act inv lived great
and fundamental principles and, if fairly
carried into effect, will settle the question:
Should the agitation be again revived should
the people of the sister States be again es-
tIanged from each other with more than their
former bitterness, this will arise from cause
so far as the interest o. Kansas is concerned
more trifiing and Insignificant than has ever
I stirred the elements of a great people into
commotion. To the people of Kansas the
only practical difference between admission
or rejection depends simply upon the fact
whether they can themselves more specdilv
! change the present Constitution, if it does
not accord with the will of the majority. or
frame a second Constitution to be submitted
to Congress hereafter. Even If this were +.
question of mere expediency, aud not of right
small difference of time one way or the 9th.
er, is of not the least Importance, when con-
| trasted with the evils which must NECESSARILY 70
result to the whole country from a revival OF
| the slavery agitation, Iu considering this
question, it should never be forgotten, that in
proportion to its insignificance let the decis-
ION be what it may. so far as it may affect the
few thousand inhabitants of Kansas who hav.
from the beginning, resisted the Constitution
amt laws For this very reason the rejection
of the Constitution Will be so much more tbs
keenly felt by the people of the fourteen
States of the Union whare slavery is recngni-
zed under the Constitution of the limited
States. A gain. the speedy admission of Ka,.
sas iuto the Union would restore peace and
, quiet to the whole country. Already the az
fairs of the Territory have engrossed an mn.
7 due proportion of public attention, ana bav.
sadly aifectel the friendly relations of the nea
! pie of the States with each other. and aronse,
:he ica'S Of pltriots for the safety of the I'm
t ion. Kansas once admitted in % the Union
the excitement becomes localized. and w;l
Z soon die away for want of outside alimeDt :
5 Then every difficulty would be settled at III
ballot-box; besides. aud this is no triain,
consideration. | shall then be enab led to with
: draw the troops from Kansas and emplo,
: them on service much needed They hax
e been kent there ON tho ea-naS.