The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-02-10
Latest u News.


Congress there remains hardly u doubt. but the agi
tation in that unhappily disturbed territory must now
r,gc dercer than ever, AMI no one can foresee how it j,
! to terminate.
What concerns US in the present contest in Congress
relative to Kansas, is the declaration of lie .ding Sena.
tors that Minnesota is to be kept in abeyance-aer ad.
mission into the Union being dependent upon the &C.
complishmcnt of the scheme SO rcpugnant to the people
Of the North of all parties. Read these declarations
with care, and sec what a peril the country is now in.
WASHINGTON, Feb. l, 185S.-The Senate debate On
the motion of MIR. Douglas to give Minnesota precedence
Of the Pacific Railroad bill excited much feeling, and 10
regarded as the entering wedge in q severe struggle.
MIR. Mason intimated plainly that the South should
see their whole Kansas policy developed BY the Repub-
leans, before contributing to the admission of other
States, since there might be facts making one dependent
on the other.
Mr. Wilson, in responding to Mr.. Mason, said that
the Republicans in both the Senate and the House would
use all the power conferred by the rules to prevent the
co%nsummation of the Lecompton swindle, and that the
South might receive this warning now.
There is a'secret purpose to defer the admission of
Minnesota, on various pretexts, and it may be regarded
as certain that her two votes will not be recorded on the
Kansas question. +.
The opposition is only yet partially developed, and
the pending motion is almost u test question.
Those thrown against the Constitution on the 18th ult.
have not been received, in consequence of neglect some.
where.
1t is said that &c Anti L~ecompton Democrats in the
House have conferred together, and that the result is
considered extremely doubtful by the friends Of the Ad.
ministrati"n, who regard the chances as adverse to them.
Mr.. McKibbin of California is u nong them.
A proposition for a compromise is entertained at the
White House, which some Southern votes favor, of ad.
hitting the Lecompton Constitution, on the condition
Ut submitting the Slavery question.
M, Dro ;tmf ,,;j <c i., <h,t - -4,1J -. ~ou~n
Congress in u fortnight. His friends in the House are
confident Of a majority Of II.
Gen. Calhoun is still expected here on Wednesday.
IL the Senate, Mr.. Mason, of Virginia, announced
the intention Of the South to resist the admission of
Minnesota till the kansas question was settled. He in.
timated u purpose of disunion, If the Lecompton instru.
ment should not be approved.
The Presidents Message Transmitting the
lcCOlnpiOn CONS. tuition.
The President opens with the assertion that a great
delusion seems to pervade the public mind in relation
to the condition of parties in Kansas. This arises from
the difficulty of inducing the American people to realize
the fact that any portion of them should be in a state
of rebellion ag.lnSt the government under which they
live. The divi ling line then is not between two politi-
cal parties, both acknowledging the lawful existence Of
the government, but to those who are loyal to this gov
ernment, an those who have endeavored to destroy it's
existence by force and usurpation- between those who
abstain and those who have done all in their power to
overthrow the Territorial government established by
Congress. This government they would long since have
subverted had it not been protected from assaults by
the United States troops.
The President then cites Governor Walkers des.
patches as evidence to the existence of a revolutionary
movement in Kansas, and gives the history of the To-
peka government.
The very first paragraph, he says, of the message of
Gov. Robinson dated the 9TH Of December, to the To-
pcka Legislature, contains an open defiance of the laws
and Constitution of the United States. The Topeka
government adhered to with such reasonable pertinacity
Is a government in direct opposition to the existing gov
ernmcnt prescribed and recognized by Congress-. Such
"a principle, if carried into execution would Destroy all
lawful authority and produce universal anarchy. From
this statement Of facts the reason becomes palpable why
the enemies of the government authorized by Congress
have refused to vote for the Kansas Constitutional Con
vention, and also afterwards on the question of slavery.
1t is because they have refused to sanction or recognize
any other Constitution than that formed at Topeka.
Had the whole Lecompton Constitution been submitted
to the people, the alherents of this organization would
doubtless nave voted against it, because, If successful, they
would have thus removed the obstacles from the way
of their own revolutionary Constitution. Such being
what was the right, as we'll as the duty, of the law abid-
ing people? Were they silently and patiently to sub.
mt to the Topeka usurpation, or to establish a Consti-
tuition under the organic act Of Congress.
That this law recognized the right Of the people Of
the Territory, without an enabling act Of Congress, to
ITm u tdt OJuStlCuCIUu Is " ClCdr IOr argument.
It is impossible that any people could have proceeded
with more regularity in the formation Of Constitution
than the people Of Kansas have done. 1t IS necessary
first to ascertain whether it was the desire of the people
to be relieved from Territorial dependency and establish
Il State Government. For this purpose the Territorial
Legislature, in 1895, passed a law for taking tia sense
of the people of the Territory on the expediency of call.
ing a Convention to form a State Constitution at the
general election to be held in October, 1876. The sense
Of the people was accordingly taken, and they decided
in favor Of Il Constitution.
1t is true that at this election the enemies Of the
Territororial Government did not vote, because then
they were engaged at Topeka, without the slightest pre-.
text of lawful authority, in framing a Constitution Of
their own for subvcrtlng the Territorial Government
In pursuance If this decision in favor of the Conven-
ton, the Territorial Legislature, on the 9th of Febru-
airy, 1851, passed an act for the election Of delegates
on the I'd Monday of June, 1857, to frame a State
Constitution. This law is rs fair in its provisions as
any that ever passed a Legislative body for = similar pur.
po>e. The right Of suffrage at this election is clearly
and justly dehned-every bona file citizen of the United
States, above the age Vt tweniy-one, and who had re-
sided therein three months previous to that date was
entitled t" vote. In order to avoid M interference from
neighbo. ing States and Territories with this freedom
and fairness Of the election, a provision was made for
the registry Of bona ide votes, and in pursuance thereof
925 votes were registered. Gov. Walker did his whole
duty in urging all qualified citizens to vote at this cleo.
ton. p .r.tfr..
lhc ITesiucnt argues tnat the lOpeKalteS Oy refusing
to vote for the elcclion Of delegates to the Convention,
authorized those who did vote to act for them. The
consequence If their refusal to submit to the lawful au-
thori:y and vote, may yet prove Of the M st dsplorsble
character. Our only safety consists in obedience and
conformity to law. Should a general spirit against its
enforcement prevail, this would prove fatal to US as a
nation.
Mr. Buchanan continues-from this review it is
manifest that the l.ecompton Convention " legally
constructed and invested with power to frame a Consti-
tuition.
lie justi6es the Convention for submitting only the
slavery question to the people. 1t was Of a character
as paramount in respect to the condition of Kan.
sas as to rivct the anxious attention of the peo.
pie Of the whole country upon it alore. No person
thought of any other question. For my own part, when
l instructed Gov. Walker in general terms in favor of
submitting the Constitution to the people, l had no ob-
jet in view exccp' the all-absorbing one Of slavery. In
whatever manner the people Of Kansas might regulate
their other concerns WAS not the suhieck which atfracted