True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-12-15
Q. RAGAN, Editor and Proprietor.

anu Ihe pUltloat pVWet VI tno OIett was III
their own hands.
Had Congress admitted Kansas into the
Union under tho LecOmrtou Constitution,
The Legislature might, at its very first ses-
sion, have submitted the question to vote
of the people, whether they would or would
not have convention 10 amend their con-
stitution either on the slavery or any other
question, and have adopted all necessary
means for giving speedy effect to the will
Of the majority. Thus the Kansas qucs,
ton would have been Immediately and
fiually settled.
Under these circumstances, | submitted
to Congress the Constitution thus framed,
with all the officers already elected ueces-
sary to put the State government into
operation, accompanied by strong re,
com neudation in favor of the admission Of
Kansas as State. In the course of nay
long public life l bave never performed
any official uCt, which 10 the retrospect, has
afford d me more heartfelt satisfaction.-
Its admission could have inflicted 20 posi-
BILE injury on any human being, whilst it
would, within brief period, have restored
reacs to Kansas aud harmony 10 tho Union
In that event, the slavery question would
ere this have been finally settled, according
to the legally expressed will of q majority
of the voters, and popular sovereignty
would thus have been viniicated in con-
stitutional manner.
With my deep convictions of duty, J.
could have pursued no other course. 1t is
true that as an individual I had expressed
an opinion, both before and during the
session of the convention, in favor Of sub
hitting the remaining clauses of the con.
stitutiOn, as we'll as that atconcerning slavery,
to the people. But, acting in au official
character, neither myself nor any human
authority hos the power torejudge the pro-
ceediugs Of the convention, and declare the
constitution which it had framed to be a
nulIily. To have done this would have
been violation Of the Kansas Nebraska
act, which lof. tbs people of the territory
"perfectly free to form and regulate their
domestic institutions in their own way, sub,
ject only to the constitution of the United
States"
1t would equally have violated the great
principle Of popular sovereignty, at the
foundation of our institutions, to deprive
the people Of tho power, if they thought
proper to exercise it,'of conGdlng to dele
gates elected by themselves the trust Of
framing constitution, without requiring
them to subject their constituents to the
trouble, expense, and delay of a second
election. 1t would have been in opposition
to many prccedents in our history, com.
menciug III the very best age of the repub.
lie, Of the admission Of Territories as States
into the Union, without previous vote Of
the people approving their constitution.
1t is to be lamented that question in'
significant when viewed in its practical ef'
fects on the people of Kansas, whether
decided one way or the other, should have
kiudled such a fame of excitement through
out the country. This reflection may
prove to be a lesson of wisdom and o.
warning for cur further guidance. Prac
ticaliy considered, the question is simply
whether tho people of that Territory shoult
first come into the Union and then chang
any provision in their constitution no
agreeable to themselves, or accomplish tb
very same object by remaining out of tn
Union, and framing another constitution
| in accordance with their will In eithel
case, the result would be precisely tn
same. The only difference in point 0
fact lie, that the object would have bee
much sooner attained, and the pacifcatio
of Kansas more speedily effected, bad
been admitted as State during the las
session Of Congress.
Nv recommendation, however, for tb
immediate admission Of Kansas, failed
meet the appreciation Of Congress. The
deemed it wiser to adopt different meas
ure for the settlement Of the question. Fc
my own part 1 should have been willing I
Weld nv assent to almost any constitutions
measure to accomplish this object.
therefore, cordially acquiesced in what h'
been called the English compromise, an
approved the "act for the admission {
Kansas into the Union," upon the tern
> therein prescribed.
8 >Undcr the ordinance which accompanie
, the Lecompton constitution, the people {
:. Kansas had claimed double the quanti'
of public lands for toe support of commo
: schools which had ever been previousl
granted to any State upon entering Il
n Union, ard also the alternate sections
J.. Hand for twelve miles on each side of tv
railroads, proposed to be constructed fro
J, the Northern to the Southern boundar
v and from tho Eastern to the Western bOu
q dary Of tho State. Congress, deemil
e these claims unreasonable, provided, |
q tho act Of May 4, 1858, to which 1 ha
d lust referred, for the admission Of d
= State, but "upon the fundamental como
,. ton" that majority Of the people there
te at on election to be held for that purpol
should, in place of the very large gran
,e of public lands which they had demand'
h under the ordinance, accept such grar
i. as had been made to Minnesota and 9th
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