Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-10-07
The Ohio StatesmaR's Deliber.
ate Judgment Oh the English
Rill

Like every body else, the editors of the
Ohio Statesman were puzzled grievously
by the English Conference Bill, when the
purport of that measure began to leak
throogh the telegraph. 1t WAS hard to
tell what the "true intent and meaning" of
the thing could be. Indeed, rlany persons
are not fully satisfied evea now OH that
point. The trainers of the Bill, however,
have reason to consider ii success. 1t is
that which it was intended to be an admir-
able specimen Of political jugglery.
Here is the leading editorial article that
appea: ed in the Ohio Statesman, of April
9th, 1858:
THE CONFERENCE REPORT.
This report IS nor before u.s. Its not
what it was represented to be, in some par
ticulars. 1t lacks the force, clearness and
directness of the section we credited to the
New York Tribune as the fist section of
the bill. The report is neither clear, forci-
Jle, nor direct. 1t IS eyasiye from first to
last, and admirably calculated to smt no
body acho has positive principles of any
sort. We suppose that is srhat 1t was
adopted for. II as neither fish, flesh, nor
red herring. Practically, it wM enaJle
the people Of Kansas to reject the Leconsp-
ton Constitution; theoretically, apreteads
that 1t only submits the land ordinance-
admire the ostricA-like sagacity of this
device!
The Committee with immense gravity,
hides the head of Lecompton under the sa
cred mantle of the Convention, and then
leaves it for the hunters to come up and
spear it through the heart. 1t submits
the land ordinance and makes the Consti-
tuition to depend upon its adoption. No
ordinance, no constitution-this is not sub
mitting the latter-of course nctl Instead
of tbs arant-tomJoOlery, We should inf
nitely have preferred the plain Yes or No
upon the Constitution. The people might
then, perhaps have adopted it. We think
they will crush it out now, by an over
whelming vote, because this report looks
like sneaking attempt to avoid decision
ofthe questions-must Constitution be
the act and deed of the people! Has
Convention "plenary power" to ordaian,
establish and put in force Constitution |
without submission, when the people want
it submitted, and the power to withhold it
has not been expressly delegatedl These
questions will have to be answered some
time, and those who answer ''no" will be
ground between the upper and neither mill
stones of popular sovereignty.
We can assure Mr.. Stephens aud his
coadiutors, that the subterfage, or rather
gross talsehood, i,asinuated in the preamble
is repadiated beforehand. He will find the
popular sovereignty lion in the path, if the
Lecompton proceedings are ever initiated
and the triAing pretence of this preamble
will neither break hrs teeth or blunt his
claws. II, by any declarations, or provis-
ions IN this report, the Lecompton men
seek to set up Lecompton as precedent
ior anything but discontinue and rejection,
we challenge them to the issue. Let them
make it and they will be trodden under
DOT in three-fourths of the State. We
want the South to understand this very
clearly. No anti-Lecompton man does now,
Or will hereafter, say that Lecompton was
valid constitution without the ratification
If it by the people. Mr.. Stephens, Mr..
English and Mr.. Green may indalge in any
.mount of cobweb weavings, but the De-
nocracy of the South must take notice that
he popular sovereignty question, agreed TO
i Cincinnati by the united Democracy of
he Union, will be resolutely adhered to by
he Democracy of the North and whenev-
r such question again arises, the result
nil be the same-the popular sovereignty
len allow the disunionists and abolition
It's shell apiece, but they will keep the
yster. 1t would be more straightforward
nd better, in every way, TO vote down the J
port; vote down the Lecompton plan;
nd let Kansas abide until she has the
roper population. We trust Congress
i'll now take this course.