New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-20
-. - ,eoo...rv moan, for giving effect to the pop

ne,o5 tfe presidspt suggests that congress ay re-
move this obstacle by inserting o sttu,on AZ
nn;,';.e nx change until after the year 1861, and
faou;res twothirds of each House oil the Legislature
20 authorize the people to vote ior OCuven.on ei
deca"g the night Of the Legislature already elected
20 csu Convention, by majority vote, IN VIOLATION
nSta constitution under which its members were
oiao,e5 AID which they were sworn to support.
Te, n. read the Presidents language on this point:
TT Ss the pr,visions changing the Ksusss Constitution
e "a. ye one thousand hundred and sixty four could
.pr & construed into prohibition 20 make such change
rryo1s to period this prohibition would be wholly un'v'
And again: .,.u..
au'r slsye within ,he sate there /. no other possb
mode BY vch This be eted speedily as By pro npt a.
rs.lop The will Of the m,oriy Is supreme and irresistible
when expressed in an orderly and lawful msnoeT % ~ kan s5
t ssy ,hs. they can impose fstte their power which
theyesnpot serwsd move they cogS 90 sn Ss. ,eo' ss
are principles Freedom aud are recog
nzed believe In some form or other BY every S,sSe o
arsK pEorrR THEM feas PERCEIVE 10 oBSe-
sios TO SrcH A COURSE"
irsertng provision ia the act admitting Kansas into
The Upien which abrogates and aunuls an imperative
provision Of the Constitution, and declares the right
Of The Legislature already elected TO take the intaO
~ steps to change it by majority VOTE in the face of
the provision In the Constitution that such steps shall
not be taken until tTOttrds Of the members Of each
House. concur, and not even in that until after
T. year 1864. What right has Congress to intervene
and annu alter construe the provisions of u
State Constitution, and license the members Of the
Legislature TO disregard their sworn obligations to
support the Constitution under which they hold their
Cfces Where does Congress obtain its authority to
;ell the members Of a State Legislature that they
are under no obligations to respect and obey
the Constitution with which such State was admitted
6ntO the Union and that they may proceed TO alter or
abrogste IT, in mode and at time different fromtn nat
authorized and permitted in the instrument II the
LeoomptOn Constitution be the act and deed OF the
people of Kansas and if it be accepted by Congress
IA such and the State be admitted into the Union un
der it. hold that there is no larfm mode on earth to
change or amend it, except the one provided and au-
fborized in the Constitution ITSELF agree that the
twill of the majority supreme and irresistible. when
expressed in an orderly and lawful manner" But
the question is when Constitution has once become
the supreme law of State, what " lawful manner
and permitted by the Constitution / agree with
the President, also. that "the people can make
"aud unmake Constitutions at pleasure" But
bow7 In what manner is this to be done
There are two mOdes-the one lartM AMI
tie other revolutionary. When g Constitution has
once become the fundamentallaw of State there is
no L1rfui manner'-there can be no lawful man
ner of altering, changing abrogatiug it, except in
pursuance of it's provisions II is true that the right
Of revolution remains-that great inalienabe right
70 which our fathers resorted when submission in
to'erable and resistance less evil than submission.
Hence if the LecomptOn Constitution be accepted by
Congress and the State admitted under it, while there
will be nc" lawful manner of amending or a6rogat-
ing il until after the year 1864 aud then only by The
Concurrence Of twObirds of each branch OF the Leg
isatsre in the first instance, followed by majority
vote Of all the citizens of the State and the concur;
renee tf the two Houses of the next Legisature-al
,or TO the election of delegates and the assembling
cfaConvention the revolutionary right remain
10 the people oKDsas to be resorted TO or not accord
inc as hey determine for themselves that 1t is less
evil TO resist than TO submit TO Constitution which was
never their act and Decd and never did embody their
will II may be true that under this terrible right OF
revolution "if WSorlty OF the people desae she. 10
no ott possible mode by which this can be effected
SEQ speedily as by prompt admission; put II tais
- mode be resotted to under the impression that 1t
will abolish Slavery in Kansas more speedily than
any other possible it must be understood to mean
revolution if successful, and rebellion in case of
failure. But suppose the line OF policy indicated by
the President should be pursued-that Kansas be ad-
mtted under the Lecompton Consttuton-that Con,
giess in the act of admission recognize the right OF
q the Legislature already elected, at its very
a. first session to submit the question to a
'vote of the people whether they will or VIII
g. not have Convention to amend their consul
tuition, and adopt all necessary measures to give ct
feet to the popular MIL b "a al bs , 70 naes
people of Kansas unless Mr. Calhoun should set aside
The fraudulent returns from Delaware Crossing, or go
behind the returns and reject the fraudulent votes at
Kickapoo, or Shawnee, or Oxford or other precmcts
in order TO insure majority in both branches OF the
Legislature opposed to the LecOmptOn Constitution,
and in favor OF immediate change Unless the
President is prepared to inform us that this is to be
done il worse than mockery to talk about the right
Of the Legislature at its rery FIRST session., to sub
nit the question to the people, and to Insert
clause in the act of admission declaratory OF right,
which can be exercised only in violation of the
Constitution and by revolution and especial
ly if ii is understood that, by forged re.
turns and fraudulent votes, majority OF mem
bes are be declared elected in both branches OF the
Legislature, who determined to maintain the Lee
compton Constitution and resst any and all efforts to
change it ? BY the express command OF the Constita-
ton the returns of that election were to be made to
he President of the Convention within eight days
after the election On the ninth day after the cleo
tiop 20 wit on the 49, day Of January the returns
were opened and counted by Mr.. Calhoun, as appears
by the proclamation of the presiding officers of tue
two houses Of the Legislature, who were present by
invitation Of Mr.. Calhoun to witness the opening and
counting of the votes More than month has elapsed
snce the returns were opened and votes counted and
Mr. Calhoun being in this city, we not permitted
TO Know the result Of his deliberations whether the
rumor of yesterday that the AntLecompon men,
beis elected, or the rumor of to-day that the Le
compton party bad triumphed, whether this policy
il to withhold the decision until the State shall have
been admitted and leaving each party to infer that
the son to be in their fayor compel Congress to
act in the dark, and wait patiently to fad out the
result Of It's acda. But suppose there should be a
majority in both branches of the Legislature opposed
10 the LecOmpton Constitution, aud in favor OF a
change what they do toward relieving the people
of Kansas from Constitution they abhor, since
II is well understood that, in consequence OF
large Number of votes cast for the Anti-Lecomp-
ton ticket having been returned to Gov. Denver
instead OF MIR. Calhoun the Lecompton ticket
for Governor and State officers is to be declared
elected thus rendering it morally certain that
any bill which the Legislature might pass, hav
ing for MS object change in the Constitution would
be oeiested by the Governors veto, it not being
ticPaiea iu any contingency that the opponents of
the L. compton Constitution would have majority of
twC-thirds in each branch of the Iegislatnra snca
1t must be apparent TO all that, in the that Kan
sas is admitted under the Lecompton Consttuon any
arcume nj proposition founded on the idea thn, th
people Of Kansas will have the opportunity of chang
ing The Constitution by peaceful means through the
a.. r. SbaI ~ =.