Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-03-20
From Washington.

to Introduce into the House of Representa-
tivcs, report expressive of the views of
the majority of the select Committee of
thirteeib appointed to investigate Kansas
affairs. 1t commences by spying that the
subject matter, to which attention. should
be directed, was
LIST. The law for taking the census of
the q people, I
3d. The registry of tho voters, and tho
apportiomnent uuder it.
4th. The assembling of the convention
and its iourual,
9TH. The Constitution, so made.
9th. Tho official vote on the ratification
of the subject submitted.
9TH, The committee filed, not decming it
material, the act of December last, proyi-
ding for vote, for or against the slavery
clause on the 4th of january
Sth. The official announcements of that
vote, and
9th. The written stt.sse.,s.s;si;;.. ''ee General
Calhoun in relation to the registry of votes,
etc, (but which sheds no light on she sub
ject.)
The report says that these facts show
great regularity and strict conformity to
law, and that no State heretofore applying
for admission has shown eleanor record.
No objection TO the admission of Kansas
arises. on the usual inquiries first, as to
tie application secondly, as to the regu-
larity of the proceedings; and thirdly,
whether the Constitution is Republican in
form
The report then answers the objections,
going very fully into reply to Gov, Walk,
er's argument, founde' on his assumption
that the validity of every State Constitution
depends on its having received the sanction
of a popular vote. The assumption is de-
MED, us not being sustained by principle or
authority Sovereignty" Gov. Walker
says, 'is inalenablc, and rests exclusively
in the people" This is grantcd, but the
report says it docs not follow that sovereign
power cannot be delegated The formation
of a Constitution requires the exercise of
sovereign power; but SO docs the common
est act of lcgisatiom If the one can be
delegated, SO can the other. All the Con-
stitutions of the old States were made by
conventions without ratification, except that
of Massachusetts. The Constitution of the
United States wns ratified by State conyom-
tions, aud never by the popular vote. The
amendments to itarc to be concurred i'm by
State legislatures, aud not by the popular
vote, to give them validity. If Governor
Walkers doctrine is correct, we should be
without State Constitutions or laws in half
of the States of the Union. The objection
that an euublng act is necessary is also an
swcrcd, and shown to be untcnable, both in
principle and authority.
The question relative to the registry and
apportonment is very fully treated. The
charge that nineteen counties were disfran-
chised is completely answered. There are
but tlirty-four organized counties in Kan
sas-twcnty- of these were represented.
Nine of the thirteen imrcmcsented counties
have very little population; in seven of
them not a ,tn was cast at the January
election against the Constitution. In two
others of the nine, less than Que hundred
votes were thrown aud inthe four remain
ing, namely: Franklin, Anderson, Coffee
and Breckenridge, tho1 were but elcveh
and thirty-6yc. In these four counties tho
officers were prevented from makinga reg
istry
The report also shows, from the registry
and apportonmcnt, together with the Off
cial returns, that at the 18th of january
election, the five counties of Lcavenworth,
Atchison, Douglas, Donphan and Jeffef-
son, cast FIVE thousand one hundred and
eighteen votes, which is n majority of the
whole vote cast throughout the Territory
against the Constitution--and yet all these
counties were registered and represented in
the Convention, having thity-six of the
sixty delegates of which the Convention
was composed. Ii it be true that the op-
ponents Of the Constitution we're 50 largely
In the majority in those counties, and so
violent in their opposition, why did they
not elect men to form Constitution more
to their likiug2 They had within fpur
votes of two-thirds of the Convention, why,
then, did they fail to actat the proper tilnc /?
Their refusal, therefore did not invalidate
the inst, fair and legal action OF the Con-
ventjan
Thercsolution under which the commit
tee was appojhted directed them to enquire
whether the Lecompton Constitution Is ac-
ecptable aud satisfactory to the people p
The reply to this is, tha, the only correct
test is the ballot box, and such an express
sion Of the popular will as is there given at
the proper time and place, according to law.
BY this test the Constitution was adopted
by an overwhelming majority Of those who
joined In the election. These only can be
considered as thc boad tide citizens of Kan
sas Others, who abst9ined, are nold yide
residents, who went to KapEts for mischief
and strife They are selfaekuowleaeed
o,,ilotye aud a,.., ,.ok So IL oo..;l - 1 -,