Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-02-19
FIFTY cLNTs IN ADVANCE
VOLUME %, NO. 10.
THE LECOMpToN CONSTITUTION.
Message Of the President.
TcoSctuDED.l

ment determined stu 20 resist the autnOrlty
Of Congress. they refused 10 vote for tho
delegates to the Convention. not beeiuse,
lrom circumstance. which ! need not detail,
tierr va. an omission to register the COM
paratiyely lew voters who were inhabitants
OF certain counties IN Kansas IN the early
spring OF 1857. bat BECAUSE they had detor-
mined at all hazards to adhere tO their
revolutionary organization. and defeat the
establishment OF any other Constitution than
that which they formed ~ Topeka. The
election was therefore suffered to pl,s by
default, bat ol this result the qualified elec-
tors who feius~'i tD vote can never complain.
From this review Il is manifest that toe Ls-
cpnptun Convention, a~.oriin. ~ every
priuripl' uf constitutional IIv. was legally
constituted and invested with the power o.
lr,mr a Consultation
Ihr ,acrrd pr'uc'p.rol p'puiar severe
" has hrrn invoked ~ la,ur ol t.,y ,ea,ic-
Of law aud order IN Kansas. but IN What
manner Is spppular sovereignty 10 b. eIer.
ci,ed in this country. " not through the IN
.,rumentality Of established law.
IL certain ,uall republics Of ancient times
they assembled in PRIMARY Deeting,. passed
laws. and directed public adairs. In our
country thi- Is manlisstly impossible. Pop
ular sovereignty can BE- exercised here only
through the ballot. aud II the paopls will
refuse the exercise OF II in tins manner, as
they have done in Kansas at the election Of
delrgab-. IL is not for them 10 complain that
their rights have been VIOLATED" The
Kansas Convention, thus lawfully eonsti-
tute,i. proceeded Ia frame Constitution.
and having completed the work. finally adj
purned on the 1th Of November last. They
did not think proper u submit the whole ot
this Consultation to the popular vote, but
did submit she question oi whether Kansas
shorld be u tree or slave State 10 the people.
This vas the question which bad conyulsed
the Union and SHAKEN Il to IT. very c'nire.
Thls was the question which had lighted the
lanu, of civil war IN Kansas. and produced
dangerous sectional parties throughout the
cOnic4cracy.
IL was ol character ~ permanent in re-
.pect to the cundtun ul Kansas a. % rivet
tl,e abIiuus attention of u,s people of the
whole country urrn u alone No person
thought II any other question. Fur my
ONn part. when instructed Gov. Walker
' neral terins IN lyur at 80 hitting the
Consultation t. the pauplr. hai ~ ohisct
~ view. rHoVt ail-i''-'rhlng que iDn Ut
slavery. lu what manner the psiple oi
kin,.,, might regulate ucir other oIncerns
wa- tut tnr uhrst which attracted my at
trniipu. H. a't tnr general provisions 1T
lI" F,rynt state Consultations. a.trr az ~
Irri'nr' ui rlgIiy YEAR, ar - similar und
excellent. that 70 aullt h' dI,h,ult o. - tar
wrong at tie present day m framing - new
Constitution. then believed. and stil he
li-Sc. that under the organic act the Kansas
I Convention was bound o. suhmit thi, all
important question Of slavery to the people.
IL was never ms opinion, however. that
Independently OF this act they would have
hecn bound 10 suhmit any portion of the
Constitution to popular vote. to give ii
validity. Hal | entertained such an opin-
lrn. thl- would have been in opposition 20
my precedent. ia our history, commencing
IA the very best agi Of our republic. lt
would have been In opposition TO the prin.
cipc which pcr,aiss our institutions, and
which i every day carried into practice,
that the people have a right to delegate -
/ tho representatives chosen hy themselves,
their sJyerrign power u frame COnsti,u-
. liun-, e. make laws, and % perform many
other important acis, Sithout requiring that
{ e,s should be subjected 10 their subsequent
lppfllaliun. IL would bc most incunsls-
. tru, limitation ~ their own power, Imposed
. hy tie prlpl. upon themselves. Ia cIc..ds
them lrm exercising their sovereignty IN
any lAWHl manner which they was proper.
. II j, true that the people of Kansas might.
. o. they bad pleased. rrluI.c thr Convention
g. submit tic Constitution t. popular
vote, hu, this they have not done.
/ The only remedy. therefor, m this ca'',
/ j. that winch rAi..- iu tll .iui',r ,ns'. II
thr delegate. vH .rul fH. NNUsls r1l..'-
tuition .t.. Don a"s u.nH.s fI.tii ".l
ul trr ..usr...n.-. O." people H.w''s
Jr,-..-. ti' power n' ,I.u-.U- t...r Coast
luton or laws according % t..lg own l..1s.
urs-.
The question or slavery wl' Submitted 70
the election uf IN" people un the Dist OF
D'"emh'r last. IL obsiicnc, of the mandate
ol the Convention. lsre, again. far OPP
pprtunity WAS presented u the alherents VI
the Topeka Constitution. II they were the
majprity, to decide This exciting question IN
their own way. and thus restore the peace
of that dlstrIctsd Territory hut they again
[ l'NhH'hA w 'a'iAiNN hfN kNk " lfINh"'
errisnty. and again suffered the election to
pas by default.
heartily repice tha, q wiser and better
spirit prevailed among a large mijpriiy ot
these people on the first Monday in January,
and that they did on that day vote under
the i.ecompt0n Constitution for a Governor
and other State officers. member of Con-
gress and member Of the legislature. This
election was warmly contested by both par
ties, and larger vote pOlled than At any
former election in the territory.
We may now reasonably hopi that the
revolutionary Topeka organization will bs
speedily ani finally ABANDONED, and this will
~ Tar towards final settlement Of the un-
happy DIFF rcnccs in Kin-ls.
IL frauds hays been clmmit'ei at this
election NY one or both piSis,, the Lagisla-
ture aud the people ol Kansas, under the
constitution. know bow % redress themselves
and punish these dst's'ahl" bat too common
Grim - without oar interference.
Tho p,ppl.. ot Ktn-,. have then in their
oAn way. and IN strict a,clrl,ri with the
organic law. framed - constitution and Suts
G,yernment-hayc subnittsI the al.un'
piriant question Oi slavery 10 tue people,
and have electc,. Glv,rnlr. 4 member ut
Longr-.. the State Legislature aud other
Stats ofisrs aud they NV AK ai'n'~ion
int the Union unisr thIs Constitution, r.
puhlIcih in its form.
IL is for Congress u decide whether they
will admit or reiect the State which has
thus been created. For my own part am
decidedly in favor Of It's admi.slJn. and thus
terminating the Kansas question.
THIS will carry Out the principle OF non.
Intervention, sanctioned by tho org,nlc act.
which declares in express languase In favor
Of the non.interycntiOn Of Congress with