The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-23
A POWERFUL, ARGUMENT.

TO-
Hon. j. CLANCY Jones, of Pennsylvania, to the late
democratic mass meeting at Philadelphia, and con-
tains of the most powerful arguments in support
of the Kansas policy of President Buchanan that we
have yet met with and doubt not it will be read
with that interest and approval with which the sound
doctrines of this distinguished gentleman are always
received by the country:
WASHINGTON, Dec 26, 1857.
GENTLEMEN have the honor to acknowledge the re-
cept of your invitation attend meeting the cmoc
racy of Philadelphia to be held Monday next for the
purpose of sustaining the message of the President
regret that my duties here compel to orego the pleas
ure would afford to accept your invitation. The
message is which has hearty and cordial approval
The doctrine of popular sovereignty is settled and
integral part of the democratic creed So also, is its
relative that Of intervention by Congress in the do
mestic affairs of the Territories As ours is government
of law and order the popular win of the Territory
only be known through its legal representatives.
The mode and manner of conveying that will to the
federal government belongs exclusively to the people of
the Territory If they direct that 1t shall be made known
only through the popular suffrage raying the acts OF
their representatives it can be received in other form
If they authorize their representatives to speak for them
without submission by partial submission to the pop
ular vote, it is alike binding for WHILE in each and
every case, have right to dictate suggest or in
eryene, consider it the highest attribute of popular
sovereignty to allow the people Of Territory only
to form and control their domestic institutions hut
to do this in their ray and not the ,cdy that Con-
gross may suggest Kansas has done this. The Pres-
dent has legal knowledge Of the popular will there,
except through its chosen representatives Ii he
to reject disregard this it would not only nuify
the acts of popular sovereignty communicated to him
through legitimate channels but it would be Intervention
with high hand, and Executive ,s,rpation ,lr
odous than congressional. The doctrine that the
popular will cannot be made known through its own
chosen agents. II il he their will to do, il abrdg
ment of soveregnty--a limitation of the power of the
people imposed them by Congress, which assumes,
without constitutional authority, to exercise it, 1t is set
ting up higher law than the constitution nasnuch
it abogates the whole system of representative govern
mept.
recognise in the people of Kansas when they suf
fcently numerous the absolute right i'm the exercise of
sovereign power, to settle their domestic institutions
and recognise it of the highest attributes of that
sovereignty that they may choose their roy their
mode and If the Executive Congress can
dictate the manner, compel them to select particular
mode, other than that of their choosing then popu
lar sovereignty is farce II the agents abuse the trust
to whom they responsibea To the people If they are
goyereignto Congress If the people not sovereign. If
the constitution of Kansas is not acceptable to the people
of Kansas it is easy for them to change it popular
regnty comedies them that right But If Congress ht
tepts change it, congressional sovereignty supersdes
popular sovereignty and the battle of 1856 has been fought
in vain have regard for the Lccompton convention
on its constitution except far is the manifestation
Of the will of sovereign people, made known through
their own agents II is because am bound to regard
this constitution the act OF the people, and not of the
convention that accept it, acknowledge the right Of
the people Of Kansas to abrogac, alter, amend this
constitution deny that right to the Executive or to
Congress With these views, my ympathes and feelings
with you. N
Very truly, yours,
J. CLANCY JONES
To GFoReE PLnI. Esd and Others, Committee.