Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-04-08
ay submit it or not, as you please.

Now, sir, it is argued that congrcs I
must substitute its discretion for the
discretion of the delegates; and because,
some say, the delegates abused theil
power broke their promises, deceived
heir constituents. 1t would not be
angular if this were So / think every
honorable Senator will admit that he
has never completed, during the period
of his official life, one tenth of what he
proposed; and probably not one tenth
of what he promised in good faith
Some have altered their opinions; some
have found their designs impracticable
l doubt whether there is legisla
ture assembled in any State of the
Union, with regard to which it could
not be proved that one half or more O.
the members, in their var rious exhorta
tions to the people, had promised a great
many things that they never even at
tempted to perform. That, however, is
not the question The question is,
whether we shall interfere in such mat,
ter? Whether We shall substitute cur
discretion for that Of the delegates chos-
Ell by the people?
do not say there might not be a
gross case of usurpation, Of fraud, and
outrage, where some intcrposition, but
very little, would not be pardonablc.-
The allegation is here that the delegates
did not submit the constitution as they
promised; that they did not keep GER
tain pledges, published i'll the newspa-
pcrs, or in the speeches which they
made to the people. Well, sir, unless
we assume Alright to revise the proceed
ings Of every convention and every Leg
islature in every State, I see no cause
for interference. If the agents of the
people have violated their trust, let the
people call them to account. We are
not the people. We do not make the
constitution; We do not ratify the con-
Stitution, we do not approve the consti-
tuition; we have no right to pass judg-
ment upon the constitution. 1t is sub
mitted to us, rs said, merely to show
that kansas has constitution rcpubli-
can in form, and upon that instrument
the petition is to admit her as State
[ say You can admit her without a con-
stitution. and wherever you have passed
an enabling act for my State, you have
admitted that State without written
constitution; you have admitted her by
anticipation; you have prescribed her
boundaries, and you have said to her,
proceed to the election Of your dele
gates, the assembling Of your conyen-
ton, and the formation of your govern
mcnt; and upon compliance with these
requisites you shall become State;'' for
so. and not otherwise, the State Of Ohio
entered this Union.
Where will this course of objection to
the provisions Of State constitution
end? lii the State which l have the
honor to leprcscnt, TIE first constitution
established annual sessions Of the Leg
islature The present constitution es-
tablishes biennial sessions. | have
very decided opinionas to this question,
| consider frequent sessions of the Leg
| islature essential to the liberties OF the
| people, and l have never hcsitatcd to
denounce the system of biennial ses-
sions as dangerous, as delegation .!
authority for too long period to mere
executive officers. Therefore, sir, if l
had such Il latitude as the Senator from
New Hampshire claimed last night, l
should refuse to admit a State whose
constitution provided for biennial ses-
Sions of the Legislature. But L have
in the case of new State, ''uu!css every
provision made for your internal affairs
corresponds with my Judgment, yon
shall not be received into tn. Union"
| If VIC could say this to the new States.
why not to the old ones? New States
are 20 be admitted on the same footing
with the old ones; and if we have any
such power, it applies to the old States
as well as tho new, and the manifest
duty of Congress would be to call for
the constitution of Ohio, adopted in Sep
tcmber, 1851, and examine its provis-
ions.
Sir, it is another development Of that
difference which began with the organi
zation Of our Federal Government. The
claim Is, in substance, that the end will
always justify the means; that if We dis
like the local institu tons of any people
We must alter them; that the Congress S
of the United States, instead ofrcstrain-
ing itself within its own charter, shall
regulate the affairs Of the people of the
States of the Union. think the peo
pie of the State can take better care Of
themselves than We can.
| These observations led to the amend
mcnt Wh On L propose. Inc minority
of the Committee E. n Tcrrtor es, the
Senator from Illinois, use lang iagc Of
this character:
In as much as the Le:ompton con-
st tuition provides a mode Of amendment
aft the year 1851, thereby excludes
the possibility of any lawful cha Sc un-
til tilat period, the Pre- ,idcnt suggests
that congress may remove this obsta lie
by inserting a clause in the act Of ad-
mission annulling SO m. .'ch OF the CON
stitution as prohibits any change until
after the year 1864, d requires two
thirds of each House Of the Legislature
to authorize the people to vote for 4
convention, and declaring right Of the
Legislature already elected to call con-
vcntion, by majority vote, in violation
ottLc constitution under which its mem
berS were elected, and which they were
sworn to support
In the first place, it is true that the
constitution Of y ansas ''tHereby'-that
/ lis, BY the provision Of a method OF