The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-13
Niniuger, Lyceuua.

Notwithstanding the unpleasant state Of tho weather
and bad condition Of the streets, the turn-out at the
meeting last Monday ev ming was highly complimentary
10 The Lycea,.s; the room was, So, full rs g make. il me-
sscessary to have larger quarters provided. The change
Of rcoal wial not take place, however, until after next
meeting night the socie.y vii therefore: meet as' ussal
in Fremont Block, next Monday evening.
Some delay occurred in opening the meeting by the
u una liable. absence Of tho worthy President and Vice
President. After calling the society TO order, and
the CHAIRMAN pp9spcsd that an essay would Be read
torw' I'd sayd without ,ng oft.he usual common. place
aud silly excuses, usual on such occasions, stated that
he you'd Invite the attention. of the audience for 1 few
minutes 10 some remarks on, Human Nature and / u
man Passions
The subject was Handled with great Skin, and its
prac zeal hints were OF a kind to be usefully applied in
~etery-aay life; the gentleman sought rather to instruct
than amuse his hearers, ind the satisfaction expressed
By them Justified Interpretations, that his efforts were
appreciated. We canno. speak Of the subject just now.
but expect to present. it in full at some future time.
The debate followed the reading Of the essay the
question for the evening, s. Is the Doctrine OF Popular
Sovereignty in its extreme bearing, tenable p was then
stated, and Tie chair called Nj. Donnelly TO the 6oor
As the leading ~sdisputant on the Affirmative side. Mr..
D. preferred TO assert, iin' opening the debate, that the
position he was to ms'n.ain was impregnsble, ands'Sss
the foundation stone Of our government, aud Inherently
i55ast and right, and 10 maintaining this, it was for his OPP
pouents, and no. him, to show that the doctrine he adj
vocated had any exslen,e bearing etafswss antenable,
Mr.. Beswjck, then led off on the negative side, TAX
u - ~ xtis lo-.i.. k1.:~n<. g. &C. fro
tendency was z fsuseyI-:;9Ra ahssqqrdityli b ef. cited TIE
position of Kansas where the majority at one time had
made laws to maintain their authority after another and
larger influx of ~emigrants should have placed thescon-
troll in the hands Of their opponents. In this case an
accidental majority might make laws that should give
the power forever thereafter in the hands Of a minority
and they could by enacting odious laws drive from
their borders the large class who might seek to enter
and form different institutions. Concentrating vices
and vile practices esuld at any time be established by
an extreme Interpretation Of the doctrine of Popular
ssyereignty, by a few misguided Or wicked, parties, and
sfcrever hold in lawless ~subjectiop q large territory
| cases that we're to be cited IN the career Of Kansas
and Utah. These, he held, we're instances OF the doc
trine that weresuntenable@ ~ ,y7ysigssJ cd - st1sq
y Several gentlemen followed on either side, but they
had evidently left the main weight of the argument to
be advanced by thsiE ya~spec'ive leaders what they did
say was to carry out the points already stated, without
aiding in the exposition Of the question. saai@os
Mr.. Donnelly rejoned, and with adroit language ap'
peared to have disposed Of all the. objections iandfrom
them even sought to strengthen his own side. A new
speaker, by permission, gave it as his view, that a mob
might override constitution and laws, because in a tenn
porary majority, and we're justi6able, if the doctrine Of
the affirmative were right. This and, kindred illustra-
tons were disposed Of, BY the Affirmative as excrescencss
warts and wens on q we'll formed body-and not pro-
perly pertaining to the system. g9geae va4L
But a declaration of one gentlenaanso n the affirmative
could not be overcome he thought that the abclitionists
should not be allowed to rule even if they were in the
majority, When, the question on the. merits Of the de.
bate was put to the audience, it was given to the mega
tive. ~ % .7rts44 so,
Some fine sallies of wit and repartee enliyened the
debate, and caused peals of laughter from, the audience.
s. ssdelighted were they all that the hour Of eleven ar
rived before they. broke up. Seventeen new members
we're added to the Society. 4.s, 9as.ras. b.. !
The following question was selected tor next weeks
debate, " Is Capital Punishment j~usti6able z sDirpu-
tants-J. H. earle, affirmative Anthony Reed Mega
tive-with six assistants on each side. 7hsildn8 H*3
9 Henry Caleff was invited and accepted to deliver an
| essay at the next meeting. W. -
Among the audience were some ladies, many others
were deferred from venturing ont on account OF the
/ snow that had just fallen. qas4 III h a~ll M. ! 1