New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-15
win the hearts and ht ads and hands Of the Aneri-
can people must show some indications Of political
courage and some evidence of manly thought.

President buchanan and some other Of the spolo-
gsts Of the LecOmpton swindle, and advocates for
the outrage of forcing upon the people Of Kansas
Constitution to which they have not only not con-
scented, but to which they are known to be warmly
| opposed, have attempted to sustain themselves on
the ground of precedent. They do not, indeed. go
far as to attempt to cite any precedent of State
Constitution which was imposed upon the people
against their known decided and warmly expressed
opposition and prosests-the only precedent which
would be adequate to their case-but they do at
tempt to divert public attention from this intoer-
able outrage by asserting that whether or not new
State Constitutions ought to be submitted to the
popular vote is as yet an open and undecided ques.
ton, there being about many instances one way
as the other
This assertion. however, only eyinces on the part
of those WHO make it, sn extreme degree Of igno-
rance as to the history of the country and the pro-
gress of Democratic ideas. 1t is true that some Of
the earlier State Constitutions, framed under the
pressure of war and several of them as mere TEN.
porary expedents, were adopted without any
formal submission to the people and ratification BY
them. The same was the case with some of the
Contributions Of new States framed subsequently
to the Revolution, but this practice has since been
entirely superseded BY the usage Of submitting all
new Constitutions constitutional amendments to
the popular vote which usage has the settled
and authoritative practice of the country. Of all
tie State Constitutions nor in operation there
is not one uhich has not thus been submitted to The
popular rote Should Congress attempt to force
the Lecompton Constitution on the people of
Kansas, not only without their approval but in the
very face of strong vote against it, nothing
can be expected but the most determined resist
ance; and, should the regular troops be employed
to sustain this bogus Government, armed collisions
like those which took place at Lexington and
Bunker Hill. The claim, in fact, of the British
Ministry and Parliament to alter the Charter of
assschusetts, and to impose new Government
upon the people of that province, in spite of their
opposition, is the only historical precedent that has
any considerable analogy to the present Preslden
tal and Congressional attempt to Oblige the people
of Kansas to submit to the bogus Lecompton Con-
stituton and that is hardly precedent to encourage
to persistence in this tyrannical policy. The peo-
pie of Kansas as Congress and the President will
find before this matter is finally disposed of, belong
to the school of modern Democracy. They will
insist upon having their Constitution made and
approved according to the precedents of the pres
ent generation and the last thirty years. They will
not consent TO be referred to what was done fifty
or sixty years ago. This attempt to give to small
fragment of the inhabitants the privilege of framing
n Constitution Tor that State may well be aban-
dOned fret as last.