The Washington union., 1858-03-06

that the submission Of that instrument to the pQp
lar vote was violation of the Nebraska bl Of the Cn
cnnat platform and of promises psde 70 the people
1856 citizens bare faced imposition upon
the public never attempted ard mefe statement
the issues dscussed and decided In the presidential
ELECTION will show it. Was there any issue presented ~
the psoae Is % s mannes h which the people of Kaa-
should ratfy their constitution by delegates
popular vote What was the issue
One party proposed TO make Kansas free State by Ca-
grcssion aciion and to refuse her admission as slave
State notwithstanding her people might desire it, and
without regard " the of adopting her constitu-
tion And up to this day hear the republican orators
wind up their long harangues about popular sovereignty
TO which, In ct they have always been opposed by de-
eang that they would not vote 10 admit Kansas under
the Iecompton constitution If all her people desired it,
because they opposed to her admission slave
State.
The other party ignored all right TO determine the
question Of slavery fer the people of Kansas either
by tho people Of e Ssaes By Congress, and declared that
Kansas ought he admitted in the language Of the Ne
baska bill with without slavery her constitution
might prescribe, and there no issue whatever to
the manner of ratiiying that constitution.
The Cincinnati platform, after procaimng
CONGRESS SLAVERY IN STATE OR TERRITo-
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, says
"Reslred recognise right people
fairly expressed win majority Of residents ana
whenever The number Of their inhabitants usunes
without and be admitted
Union terms of perfect equality with tho other States
1t is fair Inference and doubtless correct one from
all this that to the mode offraming and atifyDg their
constitution the people OF Kansas were like other States
to regulate that matter for themselves and custom had
established two methodsone by delegates the other by
popular vote.
The position that tire constuton required to be
submitted to the popular vote il absolutely neod by the
passage and history of what il called the Toombs ba
which received the united support Of the demo-
cratic party in Congress- and exercised perhaps con-
trolling influence in the presidential election On the
17th OF March, 1856, Mr.. Douglas from the Committee
Territories introduced bill into the Senate 'to
thorze the people of the Territory of Kansas TO form
constitution and State government preparatory to their
admission into the Union
After providing for the election of delegates to
vcntion the following clause occurred in that bill
That the following propositions and the hereby
fered the ad convention Of tho pscs " Kansas when Formed
vrn,ion and rasd ~ the people at As election or e aaston d
s constitution" shall be obligatory the Untc States and he State
of Kansas"
Mr. Toonibs offered an amendment, retaining how
ever the above clause without alteration. On motion
Mr.. Douglas this amendment with his original bill and
another amendment proposed by Mr.. Seward, refer
red to the Committee Territories of which he
chairman. He reported it back, modified as follows
And 5 after enacted following propositions be-
the hereby offered said Of tho people Of Kan
for their free acceptance rejection which accepted e
shall obligatory the United States and the said
State of Kansas"
The bill was in this form when voted upon and re-
ceivcd the sanction of the democratic party through
out the country Its public Legislative history without
reference to cotemponeous conversations which have
been alluded to in the debates in the Senate and said
to strengthen the materially, is conclusive answer
to the reading which the author of the Nebraska
bill and his followers seek to put upon that ccebra
ted act.
After their premature and mischievous attacks upon
the Presidents message and while events rpening
for the presentation of the Lecompton constitution to
Congress, the leading spirits OF this movement were pur
suing the work Of agitation by all the usual appliances,
appeals through the press public meetings, resolutions,
&C., &c. While complaining Of a disposition to read
them out Of the democratic party they held meeting a
ter meeting to which but those of their way
of thinking admitted invited and took the niti
atory steps for separate organization.
Their programme could be found from day to day in
the New York Tribune aud strong indications of sste-
matte cooperation between them and the black republic
cans.
1t could be read in that paper how they had determined
to resist thc great nquity and how they would pro-
pose the reference of the Presidents special message
select committee and how they had il under consdera-
ton to take the appointment of said committee out OF
the Speakers hands, but abandoned that intention be-
committee satisfactory to the republicans could
not be agreed on, &C., &c.
At last the Lccompton constitution presented to
the Senate and the President transmitted special mes
sage the subject to both houses Then srug-
gle upon it's reference and the givngs out Of the New
York Tribune verified Upon series of test votes
in the House the republicans enabled to vote down
the democrats by the aid of gentlemen representing dem
ocrac constituencies The select committee carried
with special instructions Serious questions of fact
deemed material to be investigated for proper under
standing of the subject The census the apportonment
frauds the vote Of January and all that to be
looked into.
How strange that gentlemen whose hot haste TO pro-
claim their unalteabe devotion to popular sovereignty
and to commit themselves irrcvocaby in advance any
vote 10 oppose constitution not submitted To the people
had led them to precptte the agitation upon the
try before the question before Congress- and throwing
aside the whole Lccompton movement to propose
ablng act should all at forget their enabling act
tn,o nh,
tending the formation Of the Lecompton constitution
Before the question presented their minds made
up, they ready to vote when it presented they
desired to inquire further hope will infer from
all this that believe that the premature assaults upon
the Presidents annual message but msy prctext Is
for beginning agaon and the movement inquire into
facts prctcxt to kep hnp
But stranger than all, the entire republican party,
pledged by its whole past history, by its presidential
PLATFORM and by speeches during the present
session. TO uncomprcmsing resistance to the admission
of Kansas under this constitution and who, beyond
doubt, ready to vote against it at any moment and
will be ready to vote for it they also seized
with earnest desire to investigate, and have fallen
mceky and unrSsistingly into the views of the demo
cras who presumed to he i'm search of TRUTH and
ted for an investigation, that might under the powers
conferred the committee, cost the government half
million of doarsto find out the facts attending the
formation of constitution npon which every mothers
son of them had his mind fully made up. Strange in
cosistenccs singular associations curious kind of de-
mocracy. l give prominence to the course of men in
Congress because birvs this ,eho matter oriqi,otd there
and not ,cah he people.
will not trace the history of the Lecompton consti
tuition in detail The first step towards IL was the pas
sage of law by the territorial legislature, providing for
constitutional convention This law in its main provi-
sions very much resembles the TOombs hill which