Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-12
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ty.o.,.r7os March iG--Tha rrrori OF the tnnlo!i
20 of tbe Ksn.as committee which hl!. Stephens is
nbout 10 publish HE own responsibility, not nav.
ING obtained consent TO present It IN The House ses
out by saying tina. the SUBJECT matter I" when a''en
| ton should be directed was
| Er..-Thc law for taking the census Of the people
| Sesopd-The law calling tbs convention. IhNd-
The registry Of the voters and the appointment upde,
| IT, Fuurh-The assembling Of the convention nnd
| Tia ;ouruAl. Fiftl-The constitution so made. Sx'h--
The official vote on the ratification of the subject cub
| mitted Seventh-Ths committee filed. not deeinhg
il material, the Get of December last, providing Tor
vote for against the slavery clause on ith JahuHry
Eghth-The official announcement: OF maj V"., an"
ninth, The written statement of Gen, Calhoun IN re-
lation to the registry OF votes, etcbnt when saeo'
no light on the subject
The report says that these facts show great regu
larity and strc, conformity to aw aud that no STATE
heretofore applying for admission bus sho~n c'eaF
err record
No objection to the admission Of Kansas arisee on
the usual iuqures-Grst his TO the applications seconu
ly as to the regularity of the proceedngs ana thro
w. whether the Constitution is republican in form.
The report then answers the objections, gong very
fully into reply TO Gov. Walkers argument, iounu
ed ON his assumption that the validity OF every state
Constitution depends on its having received the sane
ton of populer vote. This assumption Is denIed as
not being sustained by principle or authority:
Sovereignty, Governor Walker says, !. iiIalienaoie
and rests exclusively with the people. This IL grant
ed but the report says it does not follow that soVe
reign power cannot be delegated. The formation ol
a Constitution requires the exercise OF sovereign
mower; but 50 does the commonest act of Legislation
| If the one be delegated so can the other. ALI
CONSTITUTIONS OF the old States, we're nada by con
ventions without Publications, except that OF MasSa'
chusetts.
The Constitution OF the United States was ratified
by State conventions, aud never by the popular vote
| The amendments to it are to be concurred IN py
State Legislatures, and not by the popular %o'e, tt
give them validity. II Gov. Walkers doctrine Ii
Slnt., ,t,ltnn n
laws in half of the States of the Union. The objec
ton that an enabling act is necessary ID also answer
ed and shown to be untenable both in principle ant
authority.
The question relative to the registry and appoint
nent is very fully treated The charge that nneteeI
counties we're disiranchsed ia completely answered
There are but thirty four organized counties In Kan
sas. Thtnty ono Of these were represented. Nine
the thirteen unrepresened counties have very ill
| population In seven Of them not vote was cast a
tho January election against the Conslitullon. Al
two others Of the nine less than one hundred vote
| were thrown and in the four remaining, nameiy
Franklin, Anderson, Coffee snd breckenridge There
were hut eleven hundred and thrty.hve. In thes'
four counties the officers were prevented from making
Il registry.
ri. report slso shows, from The registry and appor
tionment. together with the official returns, that q
the fourth of January election, the five counties y
Lesyenworth, Atchison, Douglas, Doniphan ant
1. fferson cast five thousand one hundred and egh
| teen votes. which is a majority of the whole volt
cast throughout the territory against the Constitution
And vet all Theses counties were registered aud repre-
sented in the convention having thirysI of the sixty
delegates of which the convention was composed
II il be true that the opponents OF the Constitution
were 40 largely in the majority in those counties, an'
SO violent in their opposition, why did they not cleo
meu 10 form Constitution more to their llking j
They had within four votes OF twohirds OF the Con
veniiou why then, did they fail TO act at the prope
time Their refusal, therefore, did not invslldate I'M
lust, fair and legal action of the Convention.
| The resolution under which The COMMITTEES was ap
pointed directed them to inquire whether the Le
compton Constitution Is acceptable anu satlsiactor,
IN the people The reply to This is that the only cor
rect test is the balo:-b0x, and such an expression o
the popular will is there given at the proper tim,
and place, according to law. BY hs test the Consll
tuition was adopted by an overwhelming majority U
those who Joined in tho election. These only can b
| considered as the bona fdc citizens of Kansas =
Others who absained are ln0ld hdc residents, wh'
went to kaneas for mischief and sfrlie. They ar
self scknow lodged outlaws, and are not to be consl
dered as constituent elements OF community or society
| against which they are in open rebellion.
But on the Ith OF January, at the election Tor Stat
| officers under the Constitution, more than l2oo
voters ill., Kansas did go TO the polls and thus showed
concusvely that at least tour.tiths OF the volers o
that Territory willing to vote for The election
STATE otjicers under the Constitution. This show
that the Constitution was not only acceptable, Ou
that il has been accepted by at esst four ifths of h
voters OF that territory, though not entirely satsac
tory to all OF them.
The committee declined to 20 into m investigation
Of the alleged irauds the January election Tor Ss't
officers COR want Of jurisdiction o tho House over tn
subject. They say they can no more Investigate
frauds relating to ,63 election OF State officers IN Nan
sas than in any other State. Those matters are TO b'
inquired into by other appropriate legitimate tribu
mails. Ii the seat of the member ct Congress eectI
10 Ibis House he contested on the ground ut alleged
irauds, the House would have jurisdiction over tina
question but not TO frauds III the election 0t Gov
; error or members of the Legislature OF Kansas:
| The report concludes with recommendation 10
the admission &c the State at kansas. in pursuance
of the views OF she President believing the Tear
aud prosperity Of The people OF hnn'as as we'll e. t
| general welfare, peGGr and harmony o. The who'
| Union will thereby be promoted.
II il s-ccrtan.d that about twenty i've mor'
spe. chts are to be delivered in the Senate on tn
Kansas bill, but notw outstanding this il s supposed tn
! yo.. will be taken next week. Those made in tn
/ House to-day On the same subject were read iron
manuscript FIFTY mernbears 81 least stli desire IL
get The floor to expfeas their views on kansas mat
3 tcr1