Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1858-05-05
From the Richmond IVA, South

From the Richmond (va.) South
Kansas-Lecompton the Law, no Admission.
The Committee Of Conference the Kansas dis.
pute between the two houses of Congress have Of:
fered plan of agreement which we publish IN our
issue to day, and which, Of opinion, yields at
least as much to spirit Of Cancellation as is COM
patible with due regard for principle
The character Of the Bill proposed by the Confer
ence may be explained follows:
The readers of The South aware that the Con-
sttuton Of Kansas, like those of all new Sates. IS
accompanied by an ordinance which stipuates Ger.
tain conditions in regard to exempting the public DO,
main from taxation. One Of the conditions specified
in this ordinance demands from Congress a stupen.
dous grant of lands for the Of four great
Railroads. traversing the whole length and breadth
of Kansas, and containing according to an estinate
made in the Department OF the Interior. about Seven
teen millions of acres The stipulation is OF course
wholly inconsistent with the usage and interests OF
the Government. 1t is not accustomed TO bestow |
upon new State the boon Of admission INTO the
Union with bonus magnificent as that exacted
by Kansas. The S,nate therefore rejected this term
Of the ordinance.
The Conference Bill approves the Lecompton Con-
stitution as Republican, but proposes to remit to
Kansas the question, whether she will renounce her
preposterous demand and come into the Union un'
der the Lecompton Constitution insist upon the
demand and continue territory until she show
by census that she has the population to enlite her
TO Representative in Congress.
To the proposition for adjustment Of the differ
ences between the two branches af the Federal Leg
isla;ure can have no objection. Nor. provided
this result be attained without any sacrifice OF
honor or consistency do presume there is any
one out Of the Black Republican and Sepoy coaEti n
who would wish TO intercept the contamination. In
common with the whole South, we desire peace on
the basis of justice. But since the Democratic par.
ty and the S, uthe,n States have taken deliberate
stand upon the principle of the Kansas controversy,
it becomes our duty sctatinize every proposition
which implies any modification Of their position
We award to the Committee the praise of an en-
deavor to accommodate those who had rash1y COM
mted themselves against the Senate bill as it stG''
and also conciiiate those who had declared their
determination vote against it, if it should be
changed If they can effect this somewhat difficult
operation in political chemistry, they will be entitled
to pnblic admiration and applause
But the question which every Southern member
Of Congress should ask is Does this Conference
Bill modify in any respect the principles and posi-
tions embodied in the Senate bill for the admission
Of KanSas?"
The Conference bill, as we have said asserts that
Kansas did adopt constitution at Lecompton. which
is republican; but, the terms Of the ordinance
which accompanies the application for admission is
unwarrantable, Congress acknowledges the sufcien
cy of the Constitution, but declines the proposed
conditions Of partnership 1t i'll effect comedies that
Kansas is competent TO the sovereign act of adms-
son but differs with her upon term Of treaty stpu
lations which shall precede it.
But in order to determine whether this bill con.
ains any modification reraction of principle, let
| US examine its text:
Whereas, The people of Kansas did BY Conven-
ton Of Delegates, assembled at Lecumpt"n the
| 9th day of November 1857, for that purpose, form
for themselves Constitution and State Government
which said Constitution IS republican; and whe, cas-
at the same time and place, said Convention did
| adopt an ordinance. &c I; and whereas the said
| Constitution and ordinance have been presented to
Congress by order Of the said Convention, and ad
mission Of said Territory into the Union State
requested; and whereas said ordinance is not acced
ed to nor acceptable to Congress"
| The Constitution and ordinance are here kept per
fectly and desgnedy distinct. The one is "repub
can" and therefore, according to the creed of State
Rights, valid for admission into the Union. Th'
other is " not acceed to acceptable to Congress
In this can departure from the vot
which affirmed the legality Of the Lecompton Con
sttuton and advocated the admission of Kansa
under it. Kansas is not refused admission hy IN
Conference bill because of any defect in her Const
tution-,hat, on the cOntary, is endorsed as repub
| lican-but solely because she has demanded term
in themselves unprecedented and unwarrantable
With appetite voracious of public land, kansa
would, at the rate Of her preliminary demand, in
few short years dcvour the whole domain.
The Conference bill. then, presents a sturdy as
sertion of the validity Of :he Lecompton Consult,
ton. 1t assents not even to modification Of tn
method of admission proposed by Kansas but tel
her buntly that 10 qualify herself for reception il
to an equal and an honorable government, she mus
fenOnnce ner TapacIouS eSpeciattoHS
If those Democrats who have sojourned with the
present inquitouS associates long enough to lear
that the sole bond which unites the Opposition
the admission of Kansas consists in the commo
purpose of it's leaders to divide and overthrow II
Democratic party, really desirous to escape Il
responsibilities and cOntaminations of their prese
position by avaing themselves of a variation in Il
formaltes Of admitting Kansas into the Union v
shall not criticse mode Of action which exonerat
them their own opinion, without involving on o.
part any substantial derogation from essential pri
ciple.
We have heard Of Legislator who, being told
the patron Of bill to which he had objected, th
it was "predicated upon great moral truth" APT
ogized for having opposed "predcaed bill, III
then recorded his vote in its favor There may
others whose opposition is equally facile, or who
perceptions easily pei picked With this we ha
nothing to do. We but vindcate ourselves a
those who may act with us from asserting to a
qualification or modification OF the principles afhr
ed in the Kansas Senate bill
We know it is objected that, after all, the peol
of Kansas authorized by Congress to vote up
the Lecompton Constitution. We trust no one "
!. be caught by such fallacy. The people "i Kan,
will no vote upon the Lecom2ton Constitut
under the Conference Bill than they voted upon
adoption of the Lecompton Constitution in the Fl
instance The Convention at Lecompton, upon
s. adjournment. proclaimed the Constitution in
= validity, as it had right to do.
To settle the slaver'' question in the territor
popular vote taken upon the issue whet
the people of Kansas would have the Lecomp
Constitution with slavery, the Lecompton
sttution without slavery? Decide the matter
, the people chose, Lecompton was the law: and I
constituted the burden of Freesol complaint
question submitted by the Conference bill, is adu
sion into the Union with the Lecompton COns,
ton or exclusion from the Union with the Lecor
ter ton Const tuition. The people Of Kansas. then,
49, n 1s1 xsf,<,