The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-03-11

full authority to make a Constitution,
they well knew that the bill provid-
ing for the election Of members Of
tho Convention had been vetoed by
the Governor upon the express
ground that IL enabled the Convcn.
ton 70 make a Constitution, and
that il had been made q law after a
full consideration Of such veto, They
knew that the Governor and the
officers Of the Territory, in various
ways, had made great oxertions 10 in
ducc them to go 10 the polls like hon
est law-abiding citizens and vote for
men who would respect their wishes,
and that they had refused 10 heed
these solicitations.
They also knew that the ConvcD;
ton had not only afforded an oppor.
tunity for the good citizens who had
registered themselves M voters nc.
cording to law, 10 decide whether
slavery should or should not be cs.
tablished in Kansas M legal insti-
tuition, but had also allowed even
those bad men who had disobeyed
the laws, and who had combined 10
prevent full registration, 10 vote
with the registered voters. upon this
vital question; and they also konw
that they refused to vote, even under
such circumstances, upon this propo-
sition.
The Convention was called by a
direct vote of the people in direct
pursuance Of law; the people, in pur
suance Of law, subsequently elected
Convention 70 make Constitution;
and, in strict pursuance Of all the
forms observed by such Convention,
that Convention, thus legally elected,
did make u Constitution. That Con
stitntion, thus legally created, is, If
recognized by Congress, the supreme
law Of Kansas, and can only be
changed by the people Of Kansas,
who, through their legal representa-
tives have thus formally created il.
No Legislature Of Kansas, after the
people had. in pursuance Of all the
forms Of law, called and elected a
Constitutional Convention 10 make
Constitution, could legally interfere
with il, either TO increase or lessen
its powers. The Convention, being
the direct official representatives Of
the sovereignty of the people, could
no more be restricted In its legitimate
action by Legislature than could
the people themselves be restricted
had they been assembled in person
in one great mass-mceting TO make n
Constitution for their own govern
mcnt; hence, the work of that Con
vention was final and complete, and
must no remain. in all its parts, until
changed by the people that called
and elected the Convention that made
il The vote ON the single clause
submitted on the 2lst December,
1857, was final vote; the C0nvcn-
ton itself, II rc-asscmbled, could nci-
Their change the Constitution Dr..
der second vote The power with
which Il was entrusted by the people
In exhausted. Its members are now
only private citizens, and, like other
private citizens, must obey each and
every requirement Of the Constitution
which they sevcrally helped to create.
Far less can thereto unauthorized
Executive, Judiciary or Legislature
change, alter, modify or nullify the
Constitution made by the people
through their selected representa-
tivcs--rcprcscntativcs elected by the
people themselves, and clothed with
special, direct and positive authority.
for that and no other purpose.
Good citizens, and representatives
of good citizens. cannot consistently
do anything expressly 10 uphold vio-
lators Of law and known disturbcrs
Of the public peace. 1t is alike i'm.
polite and unjust to grant the tur-
hulent demands of the disordcrly. DO
they few or many; it IL wrong to aid
them to ovcrturn Constitution made
by the law,abIding supporters of the
government and laws Of Kansas
the more especially when the habitual
disturbcrs would not have any cause
of complaint of any kind, as they
themselves loudly assert, il they had
listened 10 the earnest counscls of
the President of their country and of
the Governor Of their Territory, and
had exercised their right and honest
ly performed their duty by voting
upon either of these occasions: l..
when the vote was taken upon calling
Convention; :. when the Convcn-
ton was elected, 3, when he aucs-
ton was submlttcd whether the slav.
cry clause should or should not bc
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