Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-05-21
Mr. roor Certainly

ever ra,e hat assurance while he was the Acting Cow
cnor that Governor c,ct gagr that assurance mat NC
clothed the Convention with authority Co form Consu-
tud1n ever gave that assurance or that the people
hcmseycs understood there such an assurance
II the Senator will produce that evidence shall have
somcthius 70 answer when thc time comes
Nj Poor The reason have not already done j.. IS
because thought 70 n Work ui suncfefoglunh. in-'
evidence has been incorporated into more than dozen
speeches already made on his floor mud that he rca
son why have not taken Up 'hc iimc " nc holy y
producing H. and reading il to the Senate But De
desired by the senator, before this debate SHAH close
will procure that evidence and read e again have not
the documents now before me.
Mr. CoLtAuuR. Icrc is ihc report Of the Senator
from Illinois NJ Douglas conams some samae,s
Walker this point, and from Governor walker IN
M FooT. Nv colleague places in my hands the report
II the honorable Senator from Illinois chairman " the
Committee on Territories, from which will read The
GLOWING extracts which fully maintain my assertion
nd hope will be quite satisfactory to the Senator from
Missouri on the point Of his inquiry.
"rhe President in his instructions 10 Governor Walk
through his Secretary Of State, under date OF Maren
''when such Constitution shall be submitted to the
ople Of the Territory, they must he protected m we
errise OF their rights Of voting ior against that n-
s'umeut, and the hir expression Of the popular will
Governor Walker, IN an official dispatch 20 the Sec
f ary Of State under date OF juno said
'On one point the sentiment of Che people is almost
.utnmous-hat the Constitution must be submitted f1r
ifcation rejection 20 vote Of the people who shall
bona fds residents Of the Territory next faL'
And in his inaugural address to the people OF Ran
sai Governor Walker said
with these views well known to the President and
Ct met. aud approved By them, accepted The appoint
'ff't Of Governor OF Kansas. My infrncunn' from ih
M sdent through the Secretary Of State under date Of
March last, sustain "he regular legislature oi We
t. riiory in assembling a Convention 10 lerma Oonsu-
on. and they express tho opinion OF the PRESIDENT
tlt when such Constitution shall be- submitted 10 me
p~ pie of he TcTitly, they must De protected in INC
cie Of their right Of voting fr against that in-
ment, md the fair expression Of the popular WU
rit.t not be interrupted by fraud or violence
10. flrT. u
Convention submit the Constitution % the vote of nll
'1 ctual resient settlers of KANSAS ana he 'io tuh
dty ami quietly oulu,tcl, thc Constitution will ht
ought 10 he rejected by Congress.
] addition to all this the faith end principles anil
30 1rms OF the Democratic party Of the country as
lciafcd IN their Cincinnati resolutions in Mr. bl-
cil1an's letter Of acceptance and ia his ina1rral d
ir were accepted pledge aud guarantee o. tho
70. e of Kansas, ui the fan ana rec exercise o uu'
af Rcvngup1u these solemn aud reiterated ulclgrs,
90 ths universal aud unquoshorcd understanding, to
PIP s'7'o p'1p'c might very we'll regard N AS ih'f HlA
l.tird -of comparatively little imporianco who com
'.n The Convention what particular individuals bad
framing of the Constitution or whether they wcfo
cir.,n hy icw hv many votes, so long wniavrr
ttnnn they might Franc was 10 4o submitted in ih.
, c and 20 pass the ordeal of their scrutiny al of
~ r. vote. II they approved h. they could say n
1fg dill not approve b. they could 'y and reject H.
~, Consitrtnn the whole Ctnsfitniion nrd unthint
iai he Constitution. WAS 90 be presented for direct
, ~ the n-onlc thcm,cvc Tor their approval or dis
r' .r1val Under those cir.ums'ancrs ihc FREQ snt'
Ne re'rsned from taking part in th1t ocrtion.
= iion To- all me other reasons Tor not taking pari iu
10 election, these pledges mud assurances furnished O.
af 'iion.
iis l"eomppn Convention having been elected under
10 circum stances. under those positive aud repeated
'f lses and pledges, and with tle universal UNDER
-t ding that they 90 submit the Constitution 90
81 and Ar vote OF the people, or arcenancc or re-
on. 70 is quito too late nov 10 say TINT Che 'onWn-
% was invested with the sovereignty of the people
t1t they were the people in representative capacity
"a all 'he powers of thH pc0ulc, In that behalf had
de'erat ID 70 thcn; that thry acted instc,d Of the
ri lie. and without restriction; that ihov az liberty
.thhald from the people whatever Constitution they
A. fran hrv ed Uu 4uHh
.ty. with mo such Authority with no such power.
stitutou Tor the consideration NJ the people. 90 Doc
led or rejected by them, as they shoud see It, So
i people o Kansas understood II at the time So the
gtios Themselves un lerstood h. So everybody every
where unrrstI bod o. They the mcro agents of the
ni1o. with authority clearly limited 10 perform par
Tar act, which, when done, was 10 b. delivered over
heir principal the pconle, for thor final action They
mere committee Of the pcoplc-merc scrihcs or
p honotares, selected for the purpose Of drafting
fr of Government 70 be submitted 70 the people for
~ acceptance refusal they should judge to be for
Oh best This was the utmost extent Of the authority
$40 = which that Convention was invested.
sir, the Free State people Of Kansas knew very well,
m past and bitter experience that they would be cheat
90 n one way or another II they went 70 the polls at
ti election They knew enough of the members NJ
t Convention n believe them capable of any svindle
which BY any possibility they might be able TO practice
o.. President Of the United states would forget his
D. lges they had not then learned and could not have
made to believe. after al his fair promises, that he
s1 soon bring the influence Of his position and the
Of his TO aid in the effort 20 carry out
them-a bald and barc-face and impudcnt moekery
their hopes ard expectations and q THOR right, too
llrr the prctcnce " "a Submission which sub
u ,si1n at ALL and hy which they tickei n
privilege which they whcedcd out Of the exer-
OF the sacred rights which belong 10 American
cmen. Il seems the Convention knew their master
ch better than the people lid WIN Congress ratify
"a cheat That is the question and the very question
NV before u.s.
Let rs see now SIR how these pledges have been re-
cmcd The President and his Cabinet, aud the whole
ID imocrauc party and even the delegates themselves
re too strongly and too publicly and notoriously com
ntitted TO submission Of the Constitution 70 direct
tie of the penle fr approval or rejection 10 be alto,
Their overlooked or disrerardad some plan some de-
&C. must be contrivel bv which at least 10 save an
arancestn save some appearance Of consistency and
common homo ~ and NJ the same time 10 savc this
gus Constitution The recent Territorial election had
ade il very anparent that II the Constitution was sub
lifted Ia the nronla il would be rejected by nm oyer-
,hening vote and vet IA would hardly do 10 withhold
~ altogether from Thorn ater the whole marty fron, ue
presdent of Inc United states down an the President
n the Ieronnton Convention had pedred thensel,st
e,re the world TIA, n should be shnitted IA Tho non
ar vote So cunning device was hit upon by which 10
no,k the penle with an lnpearancc of subuiitinr tho
onstittion 10 them and M the snfpe time making il
mnos.ble IA cast vo,e opninst il No kna,e eyer hin
mon a more artf seherne Inv which 10 cover his own
vainv and ., dslnde me nulic The device f,rnishe
mere nretext Of having done what crcrvlol ma pr.
ised should he dome when ia fet nothinr III the Kind
has b.en donr
Tho Man r,n,+ivo4 f,, tho ,r.c,do1 nir,ii,p ~ Cha,
cons,i,,,io, ,,s bi. Ty, Lf,ds m bti,ts All mi,