The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-02-20

against the people and property of nearly
one-haif the members of the confederacy
Slavery can therefore never be prohibited
in Kansas, except through the means of :
constitutional provision and in no othel
manner can this be obtained SO promptly
if the majority of the people desire it, as
by admitting her into the Union under hei
present constitution. On the other hand
should Congress reject the constitution
under the idea of affording the disaffected
in Kansas third opportunity to prohibit
slavery in the State, which they might
have done twice before, if in the MAORI
ty, no man can foretell the consequences.
If Congress, for the sake of those men
who refused to vote for delegates to the
Convention, when they might have exelu-
ded slavery from the constitution, and
who afterwards refused to vote on the 21st
of December, when they might, as they
claim, have stricken slavery from the con-
stitution, should now reject the State be-
cause slavery remains in the constitution,
it is manifest that the agitation upon this
subject will be renewed in more alarm
ing form than it has ever before assumed.
Every patriot in the country had in
dulged in the hope that the Kansas act
would put final end to the slavery agi-
tatioB, at least in Congress, which had
for more than twenty years convulsed the
country and endangered the Union
This act involved great and fundamental
principles. and if fairly carried into ef-
feet will settle the question but should
agitation again be revived, should the
people of sister States be again estranged
from each other with more than then
former bitterness, this will arise from a
cause, so far as the interests of Kansas are
concerned, more trifing and Insignificant
than has ever stirred the elements of a
great people into commotion. To the
people, the only practical difference be-
tween admission or rejection depends SIM
ply upon the fact whether they can them
selves more speedily change the present
Constitution if it does not accord with the
will of the majority, or frame a second
Constitution, to be submitted to Congress
hereafter, even if this were question oi
mere expediency, and not of right; a
small difference of time one way or the
other is not of the least Importance, when
contrasted with the events which must
necessarily result to the whole country
from the revival of slavery agitation. In
considering this question, it should never
be forgotten that in proportion to its in
signifcancy, let the decision be what il
may, SO far as it may affect few thou
sand inhabitants of Kansas, who have
from the beginning resisted the Constitu-
ton and the laws, and for this very reas-
on the rejection of the Constitution will
be so much the more deeply felt by the
people of fourteen States of the Union
where slavery is recognized under the
Constitution.
Again, the speedy admission of Kansas
into the Union would restore peace and
quiet to the whole country; for already
the affairs of that Territory have engross-
ed an undue proportion of public atten-
tion, have sadly affected the friendly re-
lations of the people of the States with
one another, and alarmed the fears of
patriots for the safety Of the Union
Kansas once admitted, the excitement
becomes localized, and it will soon die
away for want of outside aliment. Then
every difficulty will be settled by the bal
lot box. Besides, and it is no trifling con-
sideration, I shall then be enabled to
withdraw the troops from Kansas and EN-.
ploy them in service where they are
much needed. They have been kept
there on the earnest opportunities of Gov
Walker to maintain the existence of the
Territorial Government, and to secure the
execution of the laws. He considered
that at least two thousand regular troop:
under the command of General Harvey
were necessary, and acting upon his reli-
able information they have been engaged
and in some degree to interfere with the
expedition to Utah, in order to keep down
rebellion in Kansas, and which has in.
yolyed very heavy expense to the Gov
ernment Kansas once admitted, it is be.
lieved that there will no longer be occa-
sion there for the Troops of the United
States.
have thus performed my duty in the
important question, under deep sense Of
my responsibility to my country. My
public life will terminate within briei
period, and I have no other object Of
earthly ambition, than to leave my conn
try in peaceful and prosperous condition
and to live in the affections and respect Of
my countrymen. Dark and ominou:
clouds are now impending over the Union
which I conscientiously believe will be
dissipated with honor to every portion Of
it by the admission of Kansas during the
present session of Congress. Whereas, i
it should be rejected, I greatly fear thai
those clouds will grow more dark, and
more ominous, than any which have evel
yet threatened the Constitution and Union
JAMES BUCHANAN.