The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-03-17
principles of popular freedom and Of pub.
lie virtue will have gone forever.


lie virtue will have gone forever.
But, although the justice of the princi-
pies for which we contend may be admitted
by our adversaribs, yet it is contended,
that it is expedient to disregard them now
in Kansas. The sanction of crimes and
injustice can never be expedient. We
should never do wrong, in the hope, per-
haps vain and ilusory. that it may he
hereafter corrected We should do al
ways what is right and just. in all our acts
whether public or private, and leave the
result in the hands of that overruling
Providence. who can never give his sane
ton or ultimate success to crimes or in
Justice The Territorial Legislature Of
Kansas is now in the hands of the ma jor-
ity of her people. The control was OBJ
tained in October last, in an election in
which both parties participated, and freely
measured their strength. Let the Le-
compton Constitution be defeated, and
the territorial government, so long as it
exists, will be conducted in peace and
quiet, until it is superseded by Consti-
tuition legally framed under call Of the
Territorial Legislature, ratified by the
people, and adopted by Congress, all
which may now be done in few weeks or
months, and the great doctrine of popu-
lar sovereignty have been vindicated.
But, force this constitution upon the peo-
pie of Kansas now, against their will, and
no mortal vision can penetrate the dark
abyss in which lie hidden the deep disas-
ters now menacing Kansas and our coun-
try. I cannot take this dark leap into
such vortex of crime and uncertainty.
If the people of Kansas submit, never
theless the damning truth will still remain,
that the state would have been forced into
the Union against the will of her peo-
pie. She would enter the Union, not as
the peer and equal of her co-sovereignties,
but she would be driven into the Union,
disgraccd by the chains of an usurping
minority, and covered all over with shame
and degradation. The very parchment
on which her Constitution was written,
would be stained by crimes and forgeries.
The signet of the people would never have
been affixed to the instrument, but in its
place, vile counterfeit would have been
substituted, there to remain forever upon
our and her archives, as perpetual record
of her disgrace, and our injustice The
thirty second star of our heretofore glori-
ous constellation, would not have risen
above the horizon in all the brigheness OF
new born liberty. but it would come in
shorn of its lustre, and casting its dark
enins shadows over the receding glories oil
the Republic The fatal example never
could be erased. We could never recall
the past; we could never rstrace our foot.
steps, But onward, still onward, and
downward oFr movements would be to-
ward that destiny, which must ever attend
outrage, crimes. and injustice. And why
should we encounter these dreadful haz
ards? What is unjust can never be expedi
ent Expediency has been the plea of ty'
nts in ivory age and C ,untry. Il has pla
ced and re ned The crown upon the Non
arch's brow. 1t has governed the worlt
by swords and bayonets. IL has covered
the earth with violence, fraud and injus
tice. May my country avoid the retribu
tive penalties. which, in the righteous
providence of God, sooner or later ar,
sure to follow the perpetration of wrong
or Injustice! Let us do what is right, anC
we may look with assured confidence to
speedy and happy exit from all our diff
culties Let the great principles of Stat,
and popular sovereignty be maintained
and they will carry us safely through al
our difficulties, strengthened and purified
by all the trials through which we shaI
have passed, standing out a bright exam
pie of public virtue and intelligence, ant
still recommending by an augmented mora
power on: institutions for adoption t.
progressive and enfranchised humanity.
The Democracy of Ohio present now
a proud example for imitation by her sis
ter States. You stand on the solid gran
ite of the Constitution; your hands ar,
upon the holy altar of public virtue, jus
tice and mortality. Your conscience il
free from reproach; unterri6ed by menance
unseduced by power or patronage; 20,
adhere to the great principles of State
and popular sovereignty.
Ohio entered the Union as sovereig,
State. there she stands in that proud at
titude, cheered by the glad voices of more
than two millions of freemsn, and she in
tends that in like manner Kansas shAl
come into the confederacy, by the free viii
only of majority of her people. Ohio
will not sanction the violation of the elec
tive franchise. She will not stain hel
bright escutcheon by the approval offraud
or forgeries. She will commit no spolia
tion upon those most sacred righths, fo
which her fathers fought and conquered il
the days of the Revolution, but will trans
init the priceless heritage of self-govern
ment, in all its original brightness and en-
tirety to her remotest posterity Go OIL
then, noble Democracy of Ohio, in tn
cause of truth. of justice, and of freedom
and glorious victory awaits your efforts
Most Respectfully, your fellow-citizen
r. j. WALKER.
On motion of Hon d. o. Morton,
| com IN, n ee Of FIVE were apDOinted tn renor