Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-03-11
stitutiop, The Kansas and Nebraska bill de.

cidres IL 10 De "tne true inIent and meaning
Of this act to leave the people thereof per
fectly Tree to firm and egulate their domes.
Tic institutions in their own way, subject
only TO the Constitution of the United
States" Now the President in his Deem
Der mesa. e''admi,s that the term people"
as here used, means what it says, the people
then selves in their sovereign c:peci Y (as
| conIradis.inguished from conven'ions) in
voting for or against the ratification of a
State Constitution. But he says the term
domestic institutions" in the plural. means
only one institution, namely, that of Slav-
erv. But the terms ''THEIR domestic insti-
t~utiuDs'' most clearly include them all, be-
cause extending in words and letter to all
the Territories of the Union, whether bond
or free. The President regards this Kansas
and Nebraska bill as an enabling Get, but
enabling HON, or what, or howl Why,
enabling the people to form and regulate
their domestic institutions though a State
Constitution. The word form" IS here sig
niGcanl. Who ever spoke of forming the
institution Of Slavery! This word most
clearly implies the forming of a State Con-
stirution; and if it does not mean this, it is
not all enabling act, for that is the great OBJ
iect and purpose of such an act. These
words, then, do enable the people TO frame
a State Constitution, and by which a.one
they snail form and regulate their ~insti.u-
tens, and the President comedies that the
word "peup'e" as here used. <.easS. as it
saws; the people themselves, as con;radls-
tinguished from Conventions. ty a direct
vote for ratification or rejection. This, hen.
being an enabling act, an act, as construed
BY the President, enabling the people TO
fame their own Constitution, this term, the
people, cannot have " interpretations, one
meaning the people themselves, and another
ais, as tina President insists, Conventions
only. No; these words, the people, 10 that
act have but one Specification, as applicable
to all their domestic institutions. and i it an
never be interpreted TO mean as the Presi-
dent would cons,rue it, in what he calls an
enabling act, the PEOPLE, so far as regards
the question of Slavery, and Conventions
only, as regards all other subjects. No: this
great act. deciaratorv upon its very f,ce
was intended to recognize the right Of self
government in lis broadcast and most CO m
prehensive sense, as vested in the people
themselves, extending to all their domestic
Institutions. in r%atifying and rejecting their
STATE Constitutions, whose provisions could
only be known and acted on by them when
suh,,i.tat rnr thai- decision by tho Copvon
ton. And thus it was that the Kansas and
Nebraska bill was a recognition of that
great fundamental! principle of pubic liberty
embodied in the Federal Constitution, re-
serving all sovereignty to the people of the
several States, admitted or inchoatP and moi
as vested IN Conventions who possess no
sovereignty (Which cannot be delegated OF
diyided). but are servants ofthe people only,
and not their masters.
Such is the true meaning of the term peo.
pie IN the Kansas and Nebraska bill, as now
and always advocated BY its distinguished
author Such was the Interpretation given
to this act by both Houses of Congress in
the Minnesota act (Which is but supplement.
tai and in execution of the Kansas ard NJ
braska billy, in requiring the Constitution it.
self to be submitted, for ratification or re-
lection, TO the vote of the people. And why
should this Odious distinction be made BE-
tween Kansas and Minnesota! WHY should
the people OF the latter be permitted to vote
for or a ainst the ratification of their State
Constitution, and this great sovereign and
constitutional RICH. be withheld from the
people of ksnsa>t Is the one. a sovereign
and the other a subject State! Where are
we, and in what direction are we drifting!
Are we upon the banks Of the B~osphorus or
Danube, or upon soil consecratei to popular
sovereignty by the blood of the Revolution!
Is il Executive edicts or sovereign rights
that constitute the liberties Of our country!
Are We ircemen "who knou our rights, and
knowing dare maintain,'' or are we ~vassals.
serfS, or slaves. palace slaves, that will
cr;nge or change at the stamp of the foot Of
a master! Is It the people and the States, as
re ?resenied in the Senate and House Of
Representatives, who are to record their
votes as indicated by their unbiased iudg-
mems; or are they merely to register Execu-
tive idiots, under penalties for refusal OF
denunciation and prescription! Is the Pr ST.
dent the master or the servant of the people.
that he should thus DICTATE to them or their
representatives,, III der threats Of exclusion
from the party of their choice1 Is Democ-
racy a mime end a shadow, or a substance!
IL means the polrer of The people This is its
vital essence. Or has it lost It's true signif-
%catinn, or are We moving rom it with view
less but rapid strides toward despotic power.
to make and unmake the rules of political
faith under pains and penalties abhorreut to
the souls of ireemen' Is this the eiqhty.sec-
ond year of our independence, or is it the
first year o: American Monarchs, that is
now Gawn;ng upon US!
l. the peopIe-let the masses composing
the true Democracy-arous e from their
siumbers. Lat them break the chains which
opinion, and assert their blood-bought rights,
aud especially the great indie feasible SOW
ereign RICH! OF selE-government.
We have fallen upon evil times; the lib
critics of the country are in danger. Let
the people liz every town, county, and State
rise in their majesty to the rescue. Let the
timid or corrupt taller as they may; let the
Democracy of Indiana. now in mass meet
.ng assembled, proclaim, ia tones thai shall
echo throughout Our Republic, that the
spirit Of the Revolution is not extinct in
their bosoms, but that from the hikes of the
North to the lovely valleys of the Wa bash
and Ohio, you, N@mpcracy of Indiana.
will stand, as one unlaunted column, by the
grea, principle of popular sovereignty. sus-
tanned by them at the polls in 1856. as en-
bodi.d in the Constitution for ratification or
rejection by the uniettered vote OF the peo-
Pile of Kansas and Of every other Territory.
Thanking you for tn kind manner in
which the Committee, through you, have
been pleased to speak of my humble servic"
in behalf of the great Democratic doctrine