Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-04-07
VOL. 26.


which il It possessed any Legislative power
only possessed as much A. il received from
the Legislature, and il so, the Legislature
pos,eSeI as much mower on January 4. as
on Deeenlbes twenty one and February
twenty.
The convention was bound 10 conduct
all is proceedings in sccJrlance with the
laws of the Legislature, and when il acted
otherwise, than in accordance with the au
lhority of that Legislature, ii commitle
an act of rebellion. If You judge this
constitution 10y the technical terms Of law.
il was voted down, and yet you are calle,i
on now to give it vitality. But II you ap.
preach it IN the spirit of stateslnan'hip you
,lintL il MIS- not the embodiment Of the viii
Of the people. We are told that there are
a large number Of Free Soilers. Abolition.
lists, who would have voted it down il they
had got a chance. Sir. that is an sdmis
sion that it is not an expression Of the
will of the people. Where is yourr ight
to force a constitution on an unwilling peO
pie?
NJ. Stuart here made an appeal to the
house to preserve order.
Mr.. Douglass resumed-0n the 2lst o:
December. severe Struggle took place
between two parties in the Territory. II
was the fairest election, and vet the Leg
ialature came together and told you the
Lecompton constitution was not the will
of the people, and he (Douglass) would
hazard the prediction, that if you ask Gov.
Denver to day, lie will tell YOU il is n
mockery and deIusion. Consult the poll
books, the citizens, aud they will all tell
you il does not embodv the will Of the
people. Hence they deny the righ, to
IL axe it the organic law, aud if it becomes
so, it will be b.. the act Of Congress; and
not by the will of the people. We are
told that the constitution may be changed
that i is a small matter but the principle
is the same
Mr. Stuart again appealed to the Frosi,
dent to send an officer up to keep quiet in
the galleries.
Mr.. Douglass resumed-The principle
is the same when you set an example Of
violating the principles of free govern.
ment for q day as for year, and give pre-
cedents to INSCRIPTIONS men. Further it
is said the people may change their Con-
stituton when they will that they have
no right to tie their own hands until 1864;
he did not agree that the people cannot
tie their own hands. If the constitution
is a social compact, not only have they a
right, but it is wise that they should have
some stability, and that fundamental law
should not be liable to every fuctuation
and passion. He held it MS a fair inter-
pretation that when it prescribed one
nGde of change it precluded every other
mode aud could not be altered till 1864
and he held it a wise provision and thought
that the people was not fit for selfgoyern-
ment who could not bind thenrse'es by
Constitution for ten years. He did not
object to it because it bound them till 1864,
if it is the will Of the people, and if it is
not, you have no right to bind them by it
for single hour. What right has Con-
gress to annul the provision prohibiting no
change till 1864? Ii Congress can change
one clause, it may annul or alter another
and another, till the whole instrument be
subverted. You have no right to anuul,
to alter to construe it. Lay not, your sac
riIigious hands on it, if it is the peoples
act and deed. Farewell to State rights
and State sovereignty, when Congress I'M
dertakes to construe State constitution
The States will then become provinces
with no more independence than their
counties now. Referring to the majority
report, lie said the Chairman of the Ter.
ritorial Committee, found clause in the
bill of rights which he thinks override'
provision in the Constitution. The bill Of
rights says that the people have the right
to clange their constitution as the people
themselves may determine. There are
two modes of changing their constitution.
One is peaceful, the other revolutionary
Ifin the progress Of peaceful change you
encounter opposition, it becomes revou.
ton and rebellion. How then could you
assent to tue Presidents suggestion with
reference to this clause?
Mr.. Hammond here asked why Con.
gress has no right TO construe a constltu'
ton?
Mr. Douglas repeated that il Congress
exercised the right to look into State Con
stitutons this Government becomes con-
solidated Government, an Empire with
provinces and iudependencies, but ceases to
be a federation Of sovereign States. Turn
ing to Mr. Pugh's amendment, which the
Clerk read, Mr. Douglas said he was at
loss to know what his friend from Ohio
meant by that amendment. Who ever
pretended that anything could be put in
the net of admission? What legal effect
would this amendment have if adopted ?
None at all He (Douglas) obj cted TO
putting in any clause that expresses any
opinion in reference to any provision in
the Constitution. Suppose the Senator
from New York Seward was to put in
clause that nothing therein should be
construed as sanctioning Slavery, would
not Southern men object to 1t as having
no legal effect? He protested against Con.
gress interfering by expressing any opiriOp
upon this or that clause ofthe Constitution.
| Ifit be the will oflhe people of Kansas
you have no'right to touch them. Mr..
Douglas then came Jack to the question.
Ought we to admit Kansas with this Con
stitutiou2 Is the evidence satisfactory that
1t is the peoples act and deed? He thought
not. He would protest against that spe-
cial pleading that would seem by techni'