The Washington union., 1858-02-25
A HARMLESS TORCH OF DIsooRD.

North and from the South against the administration
touching President Calhoun and tho notorious
turns of petty precinct in Kansas. 1t is assumed
by their promugators that the advocates Of the ad
mission of Kansas under the Lecompton constitution
will not adhere to the principles which that meas
ure based unless the facts touching the returns Of
a precinct in county Of the State, in local
election which had no reference to the framing or
the authenticity of the constitution. be such as to
suit them II is alleged that sundFy southern mem
bers will fly off from the principles on which they
advocate the admission of Kansas unless the facts
of county precinct poll bo one way; and that
sundry northern members will fly off from the
support Of the principles unless the fats
of this petty affair be exactly the other way.
The story comes, too, from southern caviers that
the administration is actively moulding President
Cahoun's action In regard to this Delaware CROSS
ing affair 30 as to satisfy and secure the alleged
northern impracticables while this story is met by
another from the North charging the administration
with practising upon Mr. Calhoun for precisely the
reverse purpose, Of manipulating this precinct re-
turn as to secure and satisfy the supposed southern
impracticables.
Such is the lamentabo indifference to principles
which the enemies of this great measure OF the dem
ocratc party imputipg to its advocates North
aud South-such the miserable game Of "heads rin
tails vou lose" which some Off its northern and south
ern supporters are charged by their enemies with
practising upon each other.
In the name Of the friends of this great measure
we deny these charges, and repel all such imputa-
tons The admission of Kansas under the Lecomp
ton constitution is advocated by it's friends great
leading vital principles. That constitution is the
offspring of the will of the people of Kansas as le-
gay expressed through the legitimate ballotbox
1t comes from the regular constitutional tribunals of
Kansas, elected and empowered by the people to
frame it, 1t has been ordained by all the formali-
ties solemnities, and sanctions by which such in
strumcnts are accustomed to be created in coun
try 1t is confessedly the only constitution that has
been ordained with these solemnities and sanctions
by authority of the people and of the law and in ac-
cordance with the usual forms observed in such cases
1t is de taco and de ur the constitution of Kansas, rec
ognised as such expressly by majority vote, and i'm
pliedly by the residue of the entire vote of Kansas
It is the constitution of the new State, fixed upon
the specially commissioned agents, and by the
subsequent acceptance of her people It is the
only constitution Of the State 1t can be abrogated,
under our republican rules of procedure, only by
the adoption Of another constitution, with like So
lemnities, and according to similar forms and no
such other constitution has been adopted by the new
State even the ntiaory steps in such direction
ordered.
1t is opposed indeed, but opposed by rebellion
and faction with all the appliances of alsehood and
sedition. Not only is thus opposed, but the orig
nal act Of Congress organizing the Territory, and
every tribunal law, officer and proceeding under it
has been opposed by all the incendiary appliances
which the ingenuity of the same reckless, bad party
of mercenaries and factonists could contrive in a
long of contumey, contempt, and insurrection
1t is for these controlling reasons, and upon these
high principles of rcctitude and policy, that the adj
vocates of the admission of Kansas under the Le
srompton constitution urge that measure. They urge
ft with reference to the history of that instrument
before the occurrence of this totally irrelevant cleo
ton of the 4th of January-with reference to the
occurrences in Kansas anterior to, and in connexion
with, the framing of that instrument. They urge it
with the double aim of vindicating the sanctty of
law and Of rebuking its constant and industrious
vioators. They urge it upon the merits of the meas
of admission itself, political, legal and moral ;
and upon the demerH of the whole and cause
of the party who oppose it, If there is not enough
of principle in this of admission to secure
the hearty, cordial and energetic support of large
enough number Of statesmen from the North and
from the South to carry it upon its own merits, ire
spectivcy of all subsequent and irrelevant details
and facts whether operating against the North or
the South--then we shall have to conclude either
that craftsmanship is commodity which does not
abound in Congress, that principle and right
merits which do not characterize the measure.
We should insult the intelligence of our readers
and of the country if we condescended to repel the
imputation that the President his administration
were using any cxertons whatever to control Presi
dent Calhouns decision of purely local question:
with which the administration have, can have, and
will have concern, and which, however it may
attract the interest of the public outside Of Kansas,
has no legal relevancy connexion whatever with
the only questions before Congress, viz the auhen
ticity of the Lecompon constitution, and the admis
sion of Kansas under it,
The Lecompton constitution is valid or invalid al
together, independently Of this subsequent vote at
the Delaware Crossings and of the whole vote of the
State on the 4th of January and the admission of