New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-05

It used ~ be the doctrine OF Treat Britain Win
respect to her colonies, that they were to be gov
erned, not for the benefit, advantage and good of
the inhabitants but Tor the convenience. proht ana
benefit of the mother country This old doctrine
of imperial selfshness, long since abandoned and
repudiated by Great Britain in her relations to her
colonies, Mr. Buchanan has taken and applied to
the relations between the United States aud their
Territories.
In his late extraordinary Message in favor Of the
Lecompton Constitution the President urges that
document on the favorable consideration of G III
gress not because il s agreeable TO the people of
Kansas, but because " its rejection will be keeny
Z" felt by the people of fourteen States of the
'union where Slavery is recognized under the
" Constitution of the United States.' As to the
people of Kansas, they are cOntemptuously spoken
of az "a few thousands and stigHatized as fac
tiOps aud rebels At thdt-WhOse wishes aud inter-
este are but dust in the balance compared with thst
oftheir lords and masters in Congress assembled.
Rut Mr. buchanan pushes this doctrine great
des further than ever the British did. If the great
point to be considered in this question of State
Government for Kansas is not the wishes aud IN
forests OF the "few thousand people who are to b.
subject To that State Government, 80 neither does
the President undertake tn substitute for the
interests ard wishes of those few thousand
people" the interests and wishes of the greater
number of States or OF the immense majority of the
citizens of the Union. In transferring the decision
upon the Lecompton Constitution from the tribunal
of Kansas IL the tribunal Of the nation, the Pres.
dent stl zeSlously adbercs 10 the principle which,
from first 10 last, has been acted upon by the con-
coctors and friends of that instrument that the
minority ought to govern. Setting aside, as if
totally unworthy Of notice, the wishes interests and
institutions of seventeen States of the Union, the
President urges the LecomptOn Constitution on the
ground that its rejection will be "kcenly felt by
the people of fourteen States Of the Union where
:. Syortry is recognized" Thus not only is the
msiority of the States having majority two IT, ons
of the citizens Of the Union, LEFT entirely out of
account, but the LecOmpton Constitution is
pressed upon Congress exclusively upon the ground
of its being agreeable IL al interest which
includes only very lean minority indeed
of the citizens Of even those fourteen favored
States. Congress, SAYS the President, must swal-
low the Lecompton Constitution, minority C0nstl-
tuition end political fraud though 1t may be, and
must force it down tbe reluctant throsts of the
people of Kansas. Why Because, though dis
agreeable to the people Of Kansas, it is agreeable
TO the great body Of the people of the Union U,
no! not at all. The great body of the people OF
the Union seem to be just as Insignificant in the
eyes OF the President, and Just little worthy OF
consideration as the "few thousand" Kansas "reb-
els The leccmpton Constitution must be estab-
hsned as the Constitution of Kansas, because its
rejection would be "ketny felt by three hundred
and fiiy thousand Shareholders.
The President plainly implies in the closing part
OF hs messsee, his expectation that these few
thousand SHAREHOLDERS, if they fail 10 force Con.
gres> to join the President in turning their over.
seer and slaye-driyer TO force Kansas into the
Union Slave State, will forthwith set on,fcot a
rebellion of their own, with 3 view 10 overthrow
the Government ard to bceaA up the Union. Rut
Il bcllion i seems. IS quite different thing. ac.