Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1858-12-16

iSAi pdfttrS ia lAausdsJ hIiG Sttdtcf SSOtc
was polled than at any previous election
A large majority of the members oftlie Leg
iglature elect belonged 10 that party which
had previously refused 10 ypie. The Anti
Slavery party were thus placed in the as
cendant and The political power offhe State
was Iniheir own hands. Had Congress ad.
mitted Kansas into the Union under The Le-
compton Constitution, the Legislature might
at the very first session, have submitted
the question,tO a. vote of the people, " heth-
er they would or would not nave Conven-
ton 10 amend their Constitution eitheir on
the slavery or any other question, andlhave
adopted all necessary means for giving spec
dy effect to The will Of the majority. Thus
the Kansas question world hare been i'm
nediately and finally settled. treiiT-sI 5a.
Under these circumstances submitted
to Congress the constitution thus framed,
with all The officers already elcc,ed necess-
l-ary 10 put the State government into opera
ton, accom- panied by a strong recommended
tiSn in favor of The admission of KANSAS as
Stale. In the course Of my long pdbiic
life i have never performed any official act
more heartfelt satisfaction. rs admission
could have inflicted 10 possible injur,' on
any human being, whilst it wvuld, within
brief period, have restored peace TO Kan
sss, and harmony TO The Union. In that
event, the slavery question would ere this
have been finally settled, according TO the
legally expressed will of majority of the
voters, and popular sovereignty would thus
have been yindicated in constitutional
manner -rF,-z7 70
With my deep convictions of duty, l could
have pursued no other course. Il is true,
that, as an individual, had expressed an
opinion, both before and during the session
OF the Convention, in favor of submitting
the renaing clauses of the Constitution, as
well as that csucerning slavery, 10 The peo-
Pile. But, acting in an official character,
neither myself ncr any human authority had
the power to rejudge the proceeding Of the
Conp eniion, and declare the Constitution
which il lad framed TO sber a nHlitv. To
have done this would have been violation
OF the Kansas and Nebraska acl, (which iefi
the people of1the Territory aperrec,iy free
to form and regulate their domestic insiItu-
tions in ntheir own way, sibjeet only 10 the
Constitution Of the United States" Il
would equally have violated The great prin-
ciple Of popular sovereignty, at the iounda-
ton Of cur institutions, 70 deprive the Teo-
ple-of the power, il ihsy thought nropcr TO
exercise il, Of coniiding 10 delegates elected
by themselves The trust OF framing a Con-
slitutiun, without requiring them TO subject
their constituents 10 the trouble, expense,
ard delay OF second election. 1t would
have been in opposition 10 many precedents
in our history, commencing In the very best
age oi tie repabhc, Of the admission OF Ter
ritorics Us STATES into the Union, without q
previOes vote eI the people approving their
Constitution. -a.lt--s'. Z. ia 20 -t-,'1i
II is to be lanented that question so in
significant when viewed in its practical 'ef-
fects on the people of Kansas, whether de-
eided one way or the other, should have
liindIed such flame Of excitement through
out tie country. This reflection may, prove
to be a lesson Of wisdom and of warning for
our future guidance. Practically cohsid-
cred, the question is simply whether the
people Of that Territory should first come
nito the Union and then change any provis1
ion intheir Constitution not agreeable to
themselves, or accomplish the very same
object by remaining cut OF the Unlon and
framing Constitution in accordance with
their will? In either case, the result would
be precisely the same. - The only difference
in poin, OF fact is, that the object would
have been much sooner attained, and the
paciiication Of Kansas more speedily eaec-
ted, had it been admitted as a State during
the last session Of Congress.
My recommendation, however, for. tie
Immediate ainissson OK Kansas, failed, 10,
meet the arprobaiion Of Congress, They ]
deemed il wiser TO adopt q different meas;
ufe 'ii5r The stttlemen f,the qresiiqn. For
my own part, | Should -Lqye been wiilins To-
yiela my assent 10 almost apy constitutional
measure 10 accompl ST this o5jeek rI Asre-
fore cordially aequisscelin shat has, been
called The English CQmprSmiSe, and ap-
proved ,ihe fr4act Tor the. ADMISSION Of the ]
State q, Kapyas ipto The Unioa,"" y, ppon stiie
terms therein prescribed. -, n. -.a. Tel "a
Under The ordinance which accompanied
the Lecemppton Constitution, Che people q,
Kansas had ela;mei double Tie .siIaptiIy, Of /,
public lands Tor die, support y sopRqn
schools which had ever, been previously !
granted to any State up9r eHt eripg. Che zyn5
ion, and also tie alternate sections. Of 'Lsna1
for twelve miles on each side af, ;two, ral-
roads, proposed 70 be constructed trsm tie |
Northern to- the Southern boundary, and
tie Edsefn'to The Western boundary qi then
ollalIls;noo 10 s5.:s ri r7et sEf @ T9A I
( Congress, deemed these claims unreasen- !
aLla, provided byaihet act Of May 4hlS5s,rs
10 Mlich / haze Just reierred, for theiadnis-l
sion, ni the State. on 50 equal footing wi,if
ths original States la. afnpon the iunaa-lA
mental cspditisn precedent that a majority i
Of tie people ihereof, Ian election ttorbs !
held for that purpose, should, lnoF laesTolh
the yery large grants ofopubIis lasds ,whiclil 7
they Lad demanded under. ihes erdinncest
accept such grants as had, sbesni msdssl to- ;
Minnesota .npd go;hsr new Stasessd Unaerli
this ast, shsuA. a Iaajsliiy rsjsctlstts prs-ii
posi,ian offered tkepl, ss.it shall lbsedeemcdt /
and held that,ke pesplez Of Kansas ss.dpl no. I
Il L