Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-04-23

I SoetH d~iCh1 thto AuudHCl W Quiz III aEafi u
POINT TO the act calling the Convention aud say
that body could do as they pleased! Would
It avail TO say that the practice 1f the States
had ruled on this point, and that it was COM
petent for the Convention to submit or not, al
they saw propcta WoulJ any Of these pleas
srihce TO Justify the attempt to take a snap
Judgment upon the people ! No; every m4n'a
common sense would see through the sophistry
would brush away the cobwebs, end every
man's honesty would denounce tie unfairness
OF the trick. For Just such an outrage Mr..
Reilly makes just such apologies, and The whole
buchanan party respond .Amen' to his
miserable twadale.
Mr. Reilly proceeds TO argue that If Kansas
be admitted under Leeomp,oD, the people can
alter their Consultation, as and when they
please. This opinion is in coudct with the
we'll known rule of Judicial Interpretation, that
where The law points ont Que mode of action, it
excludes all others. The lecolnptcn Consti-
tuition provides no mode of amendment before
1861 aud III the very debate Ia which Mr..
Rellly's speech was made, Slave holders
maintained that the Constitution could not BE-
amended except as provided by itself MIR.
Reilly says that several States have amended
their Constitutions 1T different time aad in a
different manner from that eointed out, aud
therefore the people of Kansas can. In the
cases referred TO, the changes have NOT been re-
sisted hy large body OF the people. Hence
tliey haze been acquiesced IN. But suppose
tue point had been coutroverted, or the question
had been taken before the State Court, and
they had decided the whole moYement irregular
and unconstitutional what then III the case
Z aF RhoIa IL ~. L
the consequence was, there was Il resort to
arms, and the Intervention of the U. s. Gov
ernment 10 preserve the pc zee and sustain the
regular authorities. Does Mr.. Reilly wish
this scene repeated, aud all the copseauepees
such difficulty would inyolyez lie pretends
to BE- peace mau, yet is pursuing the course
most likely to precpitate the G;lest Of
calahntles. Ii an attempt were made to change
the I'acouipton Constitution, there Is no doubt
that the friends of the instrument as it Is.
would resist it. There is little doubt that the
Judges, all of whom belong TO the same parry,
would decide that the Constitution could be
anended only as pointed out within iiself.--
The consequence would be that the nlajority of
the people-who il is admitted are opposed To
The Constltutlon-wo1l be compelled 10 ac-
complish his purpose, il at all by revolution,
and probable bloodshed. Mr. Reilly sees
nothing u spprehend in such contest lie
would so 6iud the majority that they can only
frame their Institutions, 20 suit themselves
after a severe, protracted aud probably bloody
contest. Yot Mr. Reilly processes to be all
honest man, iDyer Of his country, an opposcr
Of outrage, aud rcspecter Of the will OF the
people!
Alr, Reilly probably has satisfied himself Of
the correctness of bis cause. We hope he is
not dolag direct violence to the better impulses
OF his natuEe ! ct We have reasoR 20 doubt
e'fs La'TtTFes,
that he has often aud publicly denounced the
Lscomptoh Constitution as fraud, and that in
the earlier stages of the contest he was conf
dentiy received aInoug those who wouli refuse
to sauction the fraud by their support. We
presume lie has yielded to the Establishments Of
Washington Society aud Washiugi0n Politics.
regret tor his own and the Districts sake,
that he did not pres rye his integrity Getiys-
burg Star