The Washington union., 1858-02-02
THE PHILADELPHIA PRESS AND KANSAS.

THE PHILADELPHIA PRESS AND KANSAS.
THk Press has suddenly discovered that the Union
considers the people of Kansas unfit for sefgovern-
Eureka " and scampers througha column of ecstasy
in as unseemly manner that in which the ancient
philosopher rushed through the streets of Syracuse
on leaping from his bath-tub The best treatment
we can imagine for The Press is to bring it hack to
a cold bath Of matter-offact and common sense ;
though we doubt whether DR.. Preisnitz is in very
high repute with the Faculty whose atmosphere and
esprit du corps animate The Press. a
BY way Of bringing it home to reason, we extract
for examination the least rhapsodical passage we can
find in its last Saturdays leader containing state
ment Of its novel notion:
The philosopher stone has been discovered Eureka
After all the dissertations Of the learned doctors Wash
ingtonater all the cataract of words and ideas which
has poured from orators and organskansas to be set
tied by the application of the principle that the people
Of that Territory not fit for sefgoyernnent o
1.-THE ingenuity and novelty Of the argument of the
Union in coupling Utah with Kansas, and Of making
James Lane the people of Kansas, overwhelm with
gratitude We had not seen it We were stupid
enough to think that Utah in in support of
monstrous moral ulcer shameless crusade upon de-
ccncy and that all Christian and women stood ready
to applaud the government in roofing out that nest of
vpeB And did not perceive that Kansas equally
infamous, and that the offence Of Utah rather
ridden by the mammoth intamy Of Kansas But
given to behold the connexion and we humbly re-
peat our thanks to the Union 1t Is national benefac
ton to have organ that makes what seemed doubt
full and 30 dark so clear to common eyes.
These premises being established that the
people of Kansas fit for government and that
they better than tho brute brigans of Utahwhat
nextf Our master and our Mentor of the Union tells
that a common responsibility rests all democrats
well in Office and out of Office to que these rebcllions
lin Utah and Kansas and to restore law and order to
both Kansas and Utah y
The Union, it seems, ia for quelling the rebelons
in Utah and Kansas therefore, demonstrates The
Press, the Union holds the people of Utah and Kansas
alike '.unft for self government"
1t seems to be the mode of dealing with these
Territories which we recommend that convicts us
of tasn majes.atis against their people
Well, the Unions mode of proceeding against Utah
is by military force, and admit that there is
plausibility in the charge that such recommends
ton is virtual denial to that people of fitness for
selfgovernment But, happily for our defence, our
enthusiastic cotemporary of Philadelphia agrees
with in that particular matter, it, indeed, he be a
sChr,stian man J" for he confesses he was s'stupid
Va
a monstrous moral ulcer; shameless crusade upon
decency and that all Christian and women
stood ready to applaud the government roofing out
that nest of uipers" That 3 our cotemporarys Ian
guage, and we confess it expresses our sentiments
precisely. So that in regard to Utah. there is moth
ing monstrous in any inference that can be drawn
from our recommendation of the step to be taken
against that people.
And now for the case of Kansas. Does the policy
which recommend as to her, contain denial OF
her peoples fitness for selfgovernment2 Z Hardly
We recommend her immediate admission as State
into the Union. So far from denying the fitness Of
her people for selfgovernment, we urge that they
shall be Immediately clothed with the vestments Of
sovereignty and armed with all the prerogatves in
cident to that august condition Why, we have been
taken to task for this recommendation, on the very
ground that the admission Of Kansas aSate would
bring the rebels, Lane and Robinson, here as SEN
ators instead of az cuprits 1t is at the very mo-
ment that aunor oracle of the new school of congress
sional interventoniss In territorial affairs is taking
us to task on this score that the elder oracle in Phia
delphia objects, the very opposite score, that
are for robbing the people Of Kansas Of tho fran
chises of selfgovsrnment.
Here, indeed, is the whole fallacy--we might say
stupidity-of the outcry against the immediate ad
mission of Kansas as State. She is before Con-
gress with but constitution She presents herself
with constitution framed by legitimate body au-
thorized by legitimate authority, and recognised
as legal by thirteen thousand voters-almost the
tire vote in the Territory Itis constitution whose
legitimacy is traced up without break or flaw to the
original fountain Of tho organic act of the Ter
ritory There is no bar sinister in it's genealogical
pedigree. It is the offspring Of the law and consti
tinted authorities II is the solo offspring There ia
NO competitor with it for the honors of legitimacy.
Unless Kansas be admitted under this constitution
she cannot be admitted at present at all. We urge
it's immediate admission under tho only constitution
under which immediate admission is asked or car
be allowed; and The Press is struck with the bra,
now thought that we are thereby denying the fitness
of the people Of Kansas for selfgovernment.
five may adoptits ownmode of Wrestling conclusions
by violent inference it is The Press which denies the
fitness of the people of Kansas for sclfgovornment
seeing that i opposes the prompt admission of the
Territory az State, and insists that Congress
shall intervene in its domestic affairs That fact il
no new Eureka to it is sober second thought
(, 1t has been the position of The Press for two