Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-12-09

their right to vote, ana preferred that slavery
should continue rather than surrender their
revolutionary Topeka organization. z
\ wiser aud better spirit seemed to prevail
before the first Monday of fJanuary last, when
an election was held under the Constitution. A
majority of the people then voted for a Cover
nor and other State officers, for member of
Congress- and members of the State Legisla-
ture. This election was warmly contested by
the two political parties in Kansas, and great.
er vote was polled than at any previous cleo
ton. A large majority of the members Of the
Legislature elect belonged to that party which
had previously refused to vote. The Anti-Sa-
very party were thus placed in the aScendent,
and the political power of the State was in
their own hands Had Congress admitted
Kansas into the Union under the Lecompton
Constitution, the Legislature might, at its very
first session. have submitted the question to
vote of the people, whether they would or
would not have a Convention to amend their
Constitution, either on the Slavery or on any
other question, and have adopted all Necessary
means for giving speedy effect to the will of
the majority Thus the Kansas question would
have been Immediately and finally settled
Under these circumS tanceS, | submitted to
the officers already elected necessary to put the
State Government into operation, accompanied
by strong recommendation in favor of the
admission of Kansas as a State. In the course
of my long public life have never performed
any official act which, in the retrospect, has af-
forded me more heartfelt satisfaction Its ad-
mission could have inflicted no possible injury
on any human being whilst it would, within a
brief period, have restored peace to Kansas
and harmony to the Union. In that event,
the Slavery question would ere this be finally
settled, according to the legally expressed will
of n majority of the voters, and popular sover-
eighty would thus have been vindicated in
constitutional manner.
With my deep convictions of duty, | could
have pursued no other course. 1t is true that,
as m individual, had expressed an opinion,
before and during the session of the Conven-
ton, in favor of submitting the remaining cIau-
Ses of the constitution, as well rs that concern
ing Slavery, to the people. But, acting in an
official character, neither myself nor any human
| authority had the power to rejudge the pro-
ccedings of the Convention, and declare the
constitution which it had framed to be nuhty.
To have done this would have been a violation
of the Kansas and Nebraska act, which left
the people Of the Territory perfectly free
to form and regulate their domestic institutions
in their own way, subject only to the ConSttu.
ton of the United States" 1t would have
equally have violated the great principle of
popular sovereignty, at the foundation of our
institutions, to deprive the people of the pow
er, if they thought proper to exercise it, ofcon
iiding to delegates elected by themselves the
nm nj fro mi
ing them TO subject their constituents to the
trouble expense and delay of a second!election.
1t would have been in opposition to many pre-
cedents in our history, commencing in the very
best age Of the republic, of the admission of
Territories as States into the Union, without
previous vote of the people approving their
Constitution
1t is to be lamented that a question so in
significant when viewed in its practical effects
Oh the people of Kansas whether decided one
way or the other, should have kindled such a
flame of excitement throughout the country
This reflection may prove to be lesson of wis
dom and of warning for our future guidance
Practically considered, the question is simply
whether the people of that Territory should
first come into the Union and then change any
provision in their constitution not agreeable to
| themselves or accomplish the very same object
by remaining out of the Union and framing
another Constitution in accordance with their
will In either case the result would be pre-
ciSely the same. The only difference in point
of fact is, that the object would have been
much sooner attained, and the pacfcation of
Kansas more speedily effected, had it been adj
mitted as a State during the last session of
Congress.
My recommendation, however, for the i'm
mediate admission of Kansas, failed to meet
the appreciation of Congress. They deemed
it wiser to adopt different measure for the
settlement Of the question. For my own part
| should have been willing to yield my assent
to almost any constitutional measure to accom-
| pliSh this object. | therefore, cordially aqai-
esC il what has leen called "the Erg'ish
Compromise" and approved the Act for the
admission of the State of Kansas into the I'm
ion upon the terms therein preScribed'
Under the ordinance which accompanied the
Lecompton Constitution the people of Kansas
| had claimed double the quantity Of public lands
! FOR the support OF common shoots, which had
ever been previously granted to any Statee up
Oh entering the Union and also the alternate
sections of land for twelve lies on each side
o: two railroads, proposed to be constructed
from the northern to the southern boundary,
and from the eastern to the western boundary
Of the State. Congress, deemng the claims
unreasonable, provided, by the act of May 4,
1913, to which have just referred, for the ad
mission of the State on equal footing with the
original States, but upon the fundamental
condition precedent that a majority of the
people thereof, at an election to be held for
that purpose, should, in place of the very large
grants of the public lands which they had de-
manded under the ordinance, except such
grants as had been made to Minnesota and
other new States Under this act should q
majority reject the proposition offered them,
"it shall be deemed and held that the people