The Washington union., 1858-02-14

ting aud fraudulent returns? II has been our n,
precision that if there was one right more H..
another which appertans to individual and non
uIar sovereignty, il is the act Of voting ana
that its protection from outrage by fraud or Va
lence the particular right duty Of IN.
political sovereignty where it was exercised Th..
have been charges of fraudulent voting and irsel
uient election returns in Wisconsin, Minnesoa
and Louisana and in one of these locabds,
we think 1.-THE bfeech-clo democracy was N.
edphonious nickname attached to the party accused
of swelling it's numbers by the simple practice a
allowing great many Indians TO the same ca,
(cf which each was divested az soon he had vo.A
at various precncts where, at the closing of the poM
large democratic majorities were apparent The p
tervenion Of Congress never sought TO recth
the alleged frauds of Pembina, Plaquemine, OF Wan
pacca Why, them should it be sought in those
Oxford and Kickapoos
1t seems to us that those who seek TO keep Kan
sas out Of the Union because, they aege there h.
been fraudulent voting in Kansas are the ones wAS
are first seeking the overthrow of the doctrine a
popular sovereignty. Illegal voting is, doubtless,
high offence. But il is not offence Of which Con-
gress take eognizance. II il were for robbuv
the United States MAIL counterletipg United Shts
coin, or smuggling imported goods, Or sclla,
whskey TO the Indians, the laws Of the United STATE,
would punish the offenders. Bnt we know Of nd
law of Congress punsliDg Illegal voting in the State,
aud Territories. If there were such law, Congress
is not the tribunal where the offence is TO be tried
II Congress were the tribunal, there ia no snch pen
atty known TO our usage as keeping State out d
the Union, or kicking one out after II is il, III
such frauds Ii will from this be perceived that W
have little regard for the preext of illegal voting
used as shield under which opposition 10 the al
niinistraon may hide itself, and the Kansas troub
be carefully preserved for the necessities of 1860
Each house of Congress- being made Wy tie consh
tuition the Judge Of the qualification and eectiond
| its own members, may reject one OF its membenfr
Illegal voting on the returns which procured hi
election. But this is matter which each hous
| Judges for itself Both houses together are not
made judges Of election in any case. Each househ
the Judge Congress is not the Judge Of any election
| whatever. If it were, and the two houses together
exercised the power held by each independently
of the other and by neither for the other, stilldomt
see how the right ojudge ofthe election ofaconges
man involves the right to inquire into, in any manner
whatsoever the facts Of the election upon constiu
ton or State officers in sovereign State Territo
which is to regulate it's own affairs in it's own way
The House Of Representatives oust Marcus ] Par
rot, or his democratic competitor, from his seat fr
frauds at the election but the whole body fthe fede
raj cannot oust justice ofpeace consa
BILE from an office to which he may have been fraud
uently elected in Kansas. much less ought the high
handed power of keeping from the Union en- apPh
cant for admission be exercised Tor what is very
probably untrue and, if true, is beyond the reachd
Congress to rectify or punish.
The truth is, that Kansas, by all the forms KNOW
to the law and to tho usage Of republicatrr
ernment by the act Of her own people, as appea,
from all the facts legally known to Congress- which
can be mado legally to appear, asks for admisam
into the Union. She has been the goose that laid,
| golden egg for far more precious than gold to The
political agtators tho daily accounts Of eFc
tion frauds honse-bnrnings, and claim fights in Kan
ali Of which, of course, flowed from that pro
life source Of troube-the difference between th
proslavery and freesstate men. 10 admit Kansas
into the Union at once is to kill the goose and (
poor joke may bc pardoneD prove the destructia
of the gcsl'ngs.