Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-02-22
senn,or Donglns,s Reporl.


tempt to bolster up the validity Of the Lecompton
Constitution, and to force that monstrous fraud
down the tbroats Of an unwilling people, on the
score of its /" legality" Mr. Douglass argu-
ments on allshe points at issue between himself
and the Administration are conclusive and ire
fatabls. His recspitulatfon of the monstrous
frauds resorted to BY. the ptosIavery party to
carry the election is startling and truthful to the
life
We regret our inability to find room. at this
time, for only one extract from this report, in
which Mr.. Douglas so emphatically and conclu-
sively shows up the fallacy of the augmentation
resorted to by the President in his message, to
induce acq uiescence by the people in the imam
Gus pro slavery Lecomp,on connection, on the
ground that that constitution, il now accepted, as
1t is, may hereafter be changed at pleasure;
In order to reconcile the anil slavery feeling
70 the admis sion Of Kanzas under the becompton
Constitution, the President presents and entorces
By argument the following propositions;
l. That it has been solemnly adJudicated by the
highest judicial tribunal known to our laws, that
slavery exists in Kanzas by virtue of the Consti-
tuition Of the United States, and ths' Kanzas is
therefore at this moment much save State as
Georgia or South Corolina.
H. That slavery can, therefore, never be pro-
hihited in Kanzas except by means OF constitu-
ton provision and in no other manner can this
BE- me so promptly, If majority Of the people
desire it, as By admitting it into the Union under
the present constitution
III. That the people will then be sovereign,
and regulate their own affairs in their own way.
If majority Of them desire to abolish domestic
slavery within the State, there is no other posi-
bic mode by which this can be effected so speedily
as BY prompt admission and that the Legislature
already elected may at its very first session sub
NIT the question to the vote Of the people, wheth
er they will or will not have a convention to
amend their constitution, and adopt all necessary
means for giving effect to the popular will
~. lnasmueh the Leeompton Constitution
provides mode Of amendment after the year
1854, and thereby excludes the possibility of any
lawful change until that period, the President
suggests that Congress may remove this obstacle
BY inserting clause in the act of admission an
nuLling SO much of the constitution as prohibits
any change until after the year 1864 and requires
two thirds Of each House OF the Legislature to
authorize the people to vote for aconvention, and
declaring the right OF the Legislature already
elected 10 call convention, by a majority vote,
IN violation Of the constitution under which its
members were elected, and which they we're sworn
to support.
Let US read the Presidents language on this
point
",If. therefore, the provisions changing the
kanzas Constitution after the year one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-fOur could possibly be
construed into prohibition to make such
change previous 10 that period, this prohibition
would be wholly unayailing."
And again;
- 1t majority of them 1.-THE people Of Kanzas)
desire TO abolish domestic slavery within the
State, there is no other possible mode by which
this can be effected so speedily as by prompt ad-
mission The will of the majority is supreme
and iIresistioie when expressed in an orderly and
lawful manner. They can make and unmake
constitutions at pleasure. 1t would be absurd to
say that they can impose letters on their own
power, which they cannot afterward remove. If
they could do this, they might tie their own
hands for a hundred as we'll as for ten years.
These are fundamental principles Of American
freedom, and are recognized, believed, in some
form or other by every State Constitution; and
II Congress, in the act Of admission, should think
proper to recognize them, / can perceive no OBJ
jection to such course"
The President can perceive no objection to Con-
gFess inserting provision in the act admitting
KanSas into the Union, which abrogates and an.
nuls an imperative provision of the constitution,
and declares the right of the Legislature already
elected TO take the initiatoIy steps to change il
BY majority vote, in the face of the provision in
the constitution that such steps shall not be ia
ken until tioo-thirds of the members of each
House concur, and not in that case until af-
ter the year 1864 What right has Congress to
intervene and annul, alter OF even construe the
provisions of State constitution, and license
the members of the Legislature to disregard
their sworn obligations 10 support the eonsti-
tuition under which they hold their offices
Where does Congress obtain its authority to tell
the members Of State Legislature that they are
under no obligations TO respect and obey the con-
stitution with which such State was admitted in.
to the Union, and that they may proceed to alter
or abrogaie It. in mode and at time different
from that authorized and permitted in the instru-
ments II the Lecompton constitution be the
act and deed of the people Of Kanzas, and if it be
accepted byhCongress as such, and the State be
admitted into the Union under it, l hold there
is no iaaoTul mode on earth to change or amend
H. except the one provided and authorized in
the constitution itself. agree that the win of
the majority is supreme and irresistible when ex-
pressed in an orderly and lawful manner But
the question is, when a constitution has once
become the supreme law Of a State, what lawful
manner is there OF changing it, except the one
provided and permitted by the constitution l
agree with the President, also, that the peo-
pie can Nuke and unmake constitutions at plea
sure But how In what manner is this to be
done There are two modes-the one Iatotsa, and
the other revolutionary When n constitution has
once become the fundamental law Of State,
there is is no ldt0ful manner'-there can be no
lawful manner OF altering. changing, or abroga-
ting it. except in pursuance of its provisions 1t
great inalienable right to which our fathers re-
sorted when submission intolerable and re-
sislance less evil than submission. Hence, il
the Lecompton constitution be accepted by Con-
gress and the State aSmitted under it, while there
will be no lawful manner of amending or abroRa.
ting il until after the year 1854 and fhen only by
the concurrence Of two-thirds Of each branch OF
the Legislature, 10 the first instance, followed
BY majority vote fall the citizens of the State,
and the concurrence Of the two houses of the next
Legslature-all prior to the election OF delegates,
and the assembling Of eDtiou-yet the rev.
olutionary right willlreman to the people OF Kan.
zas, TO be resorted to or not, according as they
determine Tor themselves that II Is less evil TO
resist than to submit TO a constitution which was
never their act and deed, and never did embody
their will. 1t may be true that under this terri
BILE right ofrevolution, II majority Of the peo-
pie desire to abolish slavery within the State,
there is no other possible mode by which this can
be effected 90 speedily - BY prompt admission =
but II this mode be resOrted 10 under the impress
sion that II will abolish slavery la Kanzas more
speedily than any other possible, il must be I'M.
derstood 20 mean revolution II successful, and re-.
bellion ia case Of failure.
Bat suppose the line Of policy indicated BY the
President should be pursued-.hat Kanzas be ad
mitted under the Leoompton eonsttution--ehat
Congress In the act NJ admission recognize the
right Of the Legislature already elected, at its
very first season, 20 submit the question TO q vote
Of the people whether they will or will not have
convention 70 amend their constitution, aud adopt
all necessary measures to give effect to the popu.
lar will suppose all thisto have been done, OF
what relief will Il be to the oppressed people Of
kansas, unless Mr., Calhoun should set aside the
fraudulent fetafns from Delaware Cfossfno. or %
behind the feiufne and reject the fraudulent votes
az Kickapoo, or Shawnee, or Oxford, or other PIE
einsts, IN order TO insure a maiority in both
branches Of the Legislature opposed 70 the Le.
sompt0n constitution, aud IN favor q ~ immodl.