Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-09-04

nu,su.pt TO the requirements and provisions of law
that the people Of Kansas were authorized to ex-
presa by ballot whether they desired = Convention
or not-a majority Of those voting said they did;
they were authorized by law 10 elect delegates-they
did elect delegates and those delegates framed Con.
sttution; that the delegates submitted the slavery
clause to VOTE and majority Of those voting were in
favor Of retaining it; and that after ell these oppor
tunities to express their opinion legally through the
ballot box, could not be claimed by them that the
Constitution did not reflect their sentiments II It
did not who was at 6ultf Who was to blame
None but themselves, when they refused to 60 to
the ballot box, but preferred faction and discord to
the legal and peaceable settlement of the disputed
issues
The bill passed the Senate, but failed in the
House, and was amended by the substitution OF .
new proposition by Mr.. Montgomery, of Pennsyl.
vania. His amendment provided in substance that
the Lecompton Constitution should be submitted to
the people-the slavery clause included, and that ii
. majority of the bona tide inhabitants OF Kansas
should vote for its ratification, upon that fact being
certified to the President of the United States he
should by proclamation declare Kansas admitted as
one of the States of the Union. If a majority vo-
ted against it. then the Lecompton Constitution was
defunct. The objection to the Montgomery amend.
ment was two-foid-6rst it asserted power in
Congress to override the Convention which repre-
scented the nchoate sovereignty of Kansas, by sub
hitting the Instrument for popular ratification, when
the Convention representing the people in the only
legal form in which they could speak, repudiated
such ratification; and secondly. it devolved on the
President the power by his will and in has discretion
to admit new State when the Constitution of the
United States conferred the power of admitting new
States only on 'the Congress OF the United states,
and not on the President.
The vote on this amendment developed, however,
the most anomalous regeneration in the professed
principles of the Abolition-R Republican party-the
baldest abandonment of long cherished political ten
cts that saw, heard or read Of; and If its ef-
fects not greatly to demoraze their organization,
then their rank and file are less honest than sup
posed them to he. One of the cardinal articles of
their political faith in the Presidential election was
uncompromsing opposition to the admission Of any
slave States-t was the plank of their platform,
and in two brief years the leaders Of that party act
ualy vote TO admit Kansas as slave State with the
slavery clause in the Constitution under their very
noses, if majority of her people favored the Le-
compton Constitution The principle they voted was
oil that the South claimed in the ten years contest
upon the slavery issue. The doctrine of the South
and of the Constitution is that State is entitled to
admission in the Union with or without slavery,
just as majority of the people making the applica-
ton shall decide. The Republicans, despite their
protestations, have succumbed, and stand upon the
record committed to the very principles on this point
which they have so 6ercely assailed the northern
Democrats for maintaining nor can they escape from
the consequences OF thar vote Dy pretending tnat t
was given to defeat the Senate BILL if the Republi
cans Of the House had voted alone on the amendment
there might have been some pausibility in the ex-
cuse, but every Republican in the Senate Except
Durkee) also voted for it. when they kne that such
a vote would not defeat the Senate bill. Knowing
with absolute certainty that vote for the amend
ment would not and could not defeat the original
bill, Why did the Republican Senators vote for t?-
How did they vote for it. as it was not even with
them choice of evils, without complete renuncia'
ton of their principles?
The vote was an important one, if looked to only
as party triumph for the Democracy; but it was
infinitely more important signfying the revulson
which had occurred in the Northern mind against
the extreme sectional doctrines of the Republican
party. The conservative people Of the North who
united with that party in 1856, and aided in bearing
the flag of Fremont, have had time for sober, calm
reAection-they have made up their minds to repu-
date the extreme sectionalism Of the Philadelphia
platform and the vote til. aue''1r"e"t a
ff 6e party. '~ ' -
The amendment was defeated in the Senate, and
Committee of Conference appointed by the tw.
Houses. The Committee reported what is now c. d
the English bill, which finally passed both House
and was approved by the President. The English
bill is in my judgment, open fewer objections than
the original Senate bill. 1t recognizes the validity
OF the Lecompton Constitution. including the slavery
clause-recognizes the right of State to come into
the Union with slavery-recognizes a pro slavery
Constitution, a Republican form of Government un.
der the Constitution Of the United States and actu
ally admits Kansas on condition which has hereto
fore been applied to Iowa and Michigan-a condition
precedent and not subsequent, the original bill
did. The bill requires that the assent of the people
of Kansas to reduction in the quantity of land as
claimed in their ordinance to conform guam.
tty with lands donated to other States shall be
given before admission, and avoid the difficulty in
the Senate bill already referred to- and it has con-
sequently been referred to the people to decide in
effect will you consent to reduce the amount of
land claimed from twenty-five to five millions of
acres" If majority vote aye, Kansas is one of
the States of the Union-if nay, she is remanded to
her Territorial condition, there to remain until
CENSUS shows her to have population equal to the
ratio of representation, now fixed at about 90 OOO
The Constitution is not submitted to the people for
Internationally the change in the ordinance is to
be passed upon by them. Many may vote against
the change because they object to other features in
the Constitution, knowing that such vote will defeat
admission, but the change of ordinance is the only
question submitted.
Some scattering returns of the election held the
first Monday in this month indicate the rejection by
the people of the proposed change by decisive
majority, and such, doubt not will be the result
Whilst believe there is no prospect of making
Kansas slave State, and have so believed from the
organization of the Territory, do not concur with
| our able and distinguished Senator, Mr.. Hammond,
that the Kansas Nebraska bill was cheat and a
humbug do concur IN most that he said in his late
! admirable speech at Beech Island speech which
isconservative dgneo and statesmanlike, maintain
ing that high reputation for ability which he so justly
and properly enjoys.
During the tendency of the Nebraska bill! every
Senator and every Representative from the South
who expressed any opinion the subject, except
Gen. Atchison, of Mo-, admitted that slavery would
not 60 into Kansas; and the only chance which has
since existed had its origin in the impertnent inter.
ference by the Emigrant Aid Societies in forcing a
population there that would not have, under the
usual laws of emigration, removed to the Territory.