sm.i.ivrzsitazcs
. . . .
•
,
•
•
•
•
I
;
SINGLE COPIES,.}. .
VOLUBIE X.--NURIBER. 39.
THE POTTER JOURNAL,
p ! JELtsIiED lIVERY TIRIRSDAY MORNING, BY
Thos. S. Chase,
'To whom all Lettei•s : and Communications
should - be addres , ,e,l, to, secure attention.
Terms7lnvarialAy A4ivance :
kiTI,!2S per ~cinnuin.
11111 l 1111 l 21[111:1/ 1111111111111 l MIMS,
of
a. s q uare po litic:sj 1 insertion, - - -
at
subsequent insertion h sthan 13,
Stlitare three months,
"
" niue
ca one year,
Milo rind figure work, per sq.. 3 ins
!hP I It ,IJII#(QII.IU1q!l
`,;:, COIIIIIIII 6;1. Ot)
..10 00
„ 7 00
" per year. 30 00
4t 10 00
:jouble-colurna, displaye,l, per.anntim 65 (10
six.muut Its, 3 On
three " 10 00
of 10 lines, each insertion under 4. 100
!Parts of columns iil be inzertott. Itt the saute
ME
,Administrator's or Execntor's.Notice, 200
Aticlitor* Noti,•(..s, each, ' 1 50
tiu!es, per tract, '. 1
Marriage Notices, each, I oo
;Divorce Notices, each, 45 150
per ilinare foe 4
in ertions,
a3usilaug Prtriessitmal Cards. each,
Pot exceiling 8I u per sear. - -
Special and Editorial Yid ic, , per
tram;ient advertisement; most he
paid in ad Vallee, nint no nonce will lie taken
pf aflverti, , emenk from a , ii , tance, uul^,s they
aro aN..omp:tuied by The money or sati4actory
reference.
r. .
pwnimaillllllUlllolllllSlll 1111111111 u 111111 n 11111111 l MUM, ttttttttt
JOHN N. 11.1 NS,
ATTORNEY ..11) CorN:- , 11,1,011 AT LAW,
Conder3port, Pa:, will attend the several
Court; in Potter :mil Mlieari Counties.' 201
husinees entrusted in his .;ire wilt receive
prompt attention. .)Tice cu Main st., oppo
site the Court house. 10:1
F. W. KNOX,
ATTORNEY AT LAW, CputicriTo,rt, Pa., will
regularly attn.,' tlp.t Courts in Putter awl
the adjoining Cou4ties. 10f1
ARTHUII, G. OL.MSTED,
ATTORNEY S: COUNSELLOR' A7' TJW,
. Coudersport. ra., will attract 10 all business
entrusted to his care. with proalpineS awl
fidelity. Office Temperiweo Block, sec
ond floor, Main t 4 t. 1.0:1
ISAAC BENSON
ATTOR.I k EY AT LAW, Coudersport, Pa., will
attend to all business entrusted,to iiim. witn
care and promptue..s. Unice corner of We,t
and Third sts. 10:1
L. P. WILLISTON,
ATTOWiII' AT LAW, Wellsburo'. TlO'ra CO..
Pa., will attend tide 12wirt....: in )'inter and
31 . 1(ean Counties. 9:13
it. IV. BENTON,
scsvEyort AND CONVEYANCER,
MUIld P. 0.. (Allegany Tp.,) Potter Co., Pa..
will atteud to all ou,due.,s iu his line, with
care and dispatch. 9:33
W. K. KING,
,SURVEYOR, DRAFT:3:IIAN AND CONVEY
ANCER, Smethport, I . li.t.au Co., ?a., will
attend to busluez:s for nun-re,ident land
holders, upon rea,onable terms. Iteleren
cei given it required. P. S.-11aps . of any
part or the County made to order,
0. T. ELLISON,
PRACTICING PHYSICIAN, Coudersport,
reETeetially inturms the citizens of the vil
lage anti vicinar that he will promply re
. spypd tp all calls for id.Ofessional services.
Mice 04 Main st., in building formerly oe
cupied'hy C. W. El 9:22
=l3
53.11T11 JONES,
!DEALERS 1N 111:15GS, MEDICINES, PAINTS,
Oils, F;tney ArticL:s,Zitationery, Dry Goods,
Grecerics, S: e ;; st., Cuudersiwrt, rat.
1(1:1
p, E, 01,3ISTED,
PE,ALEIT TN DI rr GOODS, EEADV-MADE
Clothing, Crockery, Groceries, 4:c„ st.,
Coudersport; 10;1
fi)) ALET LY 13000 KS & STATIONERY, 3fAG
AZINE,S upd Music, N. W. curlier of Main
And Third sts., Coaderspurt,l'a. 10:1
E.. R. lIARRINGTO.N;
,fEIVELLER, Coudersport, Pa., having engagr
.o a window in 6choomaker A: Jackson's
?Stnrf3 will miry on the Watch and Jewelry
puslivAi A there. A fine assortment of Jew
- c(P4stantly on hand. *kV:ltches and
jewelry carefully repaired, in the best style,
;on the shortest natice=all work warranted.
9:34
lipiltY ..T, QL,AIaED,
(syprEssoit TO JAIITS w. SMITH,)
VEALEIi.I STOVES, I'7 &SHEET IRON
WARE, Muhl st„ peprly oppOsite the Court
House, Coudersport, I'o. Ti' and ;Sheet
Irpr k l Ware made to order, in il•OCId style, on
short notice. 10;1
COUDERSPORT .HOTEL,
D. F. GLASSMIRE, Proprietor, Corner of
Main and Second Streets, Coudersport, Pot
ter CO., Pa. 1 - 5:44
ALLEGANY HOUSE,
SAMUEL M. MILLS, Proprietor, COlesburg
l'etter Ps., seven miles north of Cou
dersport, 0 , 11 the We Road. t0:44
. .
I,"
---
t
. F <
,
. • I ,
r 0 •
# f. C 1 0
~ 1,,.,.. I ), ;
1 R
ce yi s " , - 1 • ?
. 41 S
~...:t
%Zs. " .w
ilt* .t. 01 t t 1 , ,
e • P
cil . --, 4 ,
ice'.,
$ --- :G 4/ 0 111 ,- .
(:... , 4)
...- 1.
. ' 1 I
Have you read in the Talintid of old,
the legends the Itabbini Live told
Of the liminess realms of the'air 7
Ilave yoo read roftrvel , oos story
Of :Sand:nphon, the Alike! of Glory,
;73,:loialplion, the Angel of Yryyer?
ENE
How, erect, at the outermost gates,
Of the City Celestial he waits,
With his feet on the livider of light,
That, crowded with ang - Ais minim/I:urea,
By Jacob wasseen, hi; siumbdred
Alone in the desert at night
Ltt
00
5 jU
Ou
3 VU
The An,ilels os Wina and of Fire
Clean[ only one hymn, anii. expire.
With sftesq—
Expire iu their rapture 011 , 1 sunder,
harp-Anings :tee brokettAsurkier
By the tottsic li:cry ihrob to express.
PAO, Fertile in the rsitturoui throng,
Unnrived by the rush of the song,
IVith eyes unimpassioned dud shill-,
Among the dead athzels. the deathless
;.ialtd.lll,llon stands bsteuing, breathie.ts,
one /42W1L11, 000
ptT
Prom the spirits; on earth that adore,
from the sunis that, entreat and implore
la the frenzy and pas=ion or pray Cr—
From the hearts that are broken with losses
And we:nry with iliar•ing the crosses
Too heavy for mortals to bear.
And he gathers the prayers as he stands,
And they ellate4e into flowers in his .:.ends
lato ;_rarl,lnds I,:irple and red ;
..,1.111 beneath the Trutt at. aIR Ih , • ry" .$
Through the streets of the City
Is wanted the fragran& the; shed.
NM
5 (JO
Iv
It is but a kg - Pud, I kno\y—
.l fable, u phautGui. a :=lo.w.
9f the :weient. It:il.hittFe: , l lore ;
Vet the old me , 11,1-vat tradition,
The beautiful, strange stipei... , tition,
But . haunts•me and luilds me the more
When I lonic h amy window at night,
:I.nd the welkin abo‘e is all white,
ail thr6hir.ug and panting with stars,
Ainong them majestie , ,is t•tanding
and,i'pnon, the expanding
His pinions in nehulods bars.
Aini the I feel, Li a I:art
Of the huit,fer and thirst the heart,
'lan frellzy and iirc of the brain,
That !:_`„i aSIIS at the - frulz,ge f3rbidden,
The golden pomegraMit as of Eden,
To quiet its fever and - pain, .
—_Ltlailie.lfonthly
Pabig ititt4 tatif,s,
u
For the Potter Jouruul.
A FEW MINTS TO .W031F,,,N.
Mn. Erirrort----4 am one of those peeu
liarly constituted beings who, ! without
seeking to becoMe notorious as the in.
Ventor of new schisms, nevertheless have
oine thoughts On themes which, perhaps,
we're I better known to the reader, he
would pronounce beyond my 'right or
province to entertain. The great want
of the wee , it age, is the discussion of
the diLercnt phases' of hudian life by
those who, from their position, condition,
pr avocation, may be most properly class,
ed as. spectators to the reality; and in
this way gain new and fresher views of
the dark as well as the light side of those
antics of human nature which are most
difficult to be seen by' those Most affected
by them.
In this light, as one of the apposite sex,
I propose in this article to consider a few
of the lesser faults in comparison with
the-good points of tholincal descendants
of Mother Eve. The women of the pries
mit age have in.general, Many large faults,
but they have many smaller ones which
are the foundation and corner-stones of
the large ones—indeed, upon which larg
er ones feed, and froM which they .derive
their chief subsistence, It is riot my
!purpose to venture upon the censidem
non of auy of the major faults of any of
the worthy dames or fair damsels of this
Isection—indeed, even if I. were so dis
! posed, my and inexperience, would
warn me from the vontursoine attempt,—
but for fear that my ideas may be ragard
ed es without a local aim, I Will open M .
“battery of words": tipon.ai few of the mi
nor faults which the chimes of Couders
' port are imposing, by example, upon the
characters of its damsels and future dames
mid matrons,
IMM3
In' the first placa, then, allow inc to
consider the propensity-for "GADDING."
This is a fatilt which in QUANTITY might
be considered as a major one, but which
belongs to the minor ones by QUALITY.
And yet, when , fay considered, this
fault will be found to contain. the germ
ofone of the justly regarded greatest of
woman's faults—nossir. Sociality, now
a-days,fis fast declining into a system of
eoncer44tpionage upbn private 6har
aCter bnd\ doinestic, antic; of our neigh
bors. UAL-not, 'censuring the women
for this fault, claim that; our se are guilt-•
less—on the contrary; .1 hold up toy hands
in all sincerity, and exclaiui, ‘Tir.Ould-to
God they were less
_ginlpy,—less censura
ble." I will, however,do our women the
justice to say that their opportunities for
espionage upoM their heighborS are larger
than ours, while- nature' has endowed
their se.v. ; with a proportionate I"btiMp'. 'of
curiosity: Indeed, Dame Nature haS been
thvittV Patqc•
SANDALPTION
To ,utinds that ascend from below—
1311. A MAN
5")‘!601e,D, Io Th& s. ) rioclpies "of ',rev s)zipoeNcll la() ilc- of . 7_,Veiliti!!, "...14Nittree. , .40 ife.bis.
•
COUDERSPOR.r.f., POTTER COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1858.
bountiful to them in all the attributes or
this quality of "ungenerous and unnatural
sociality" which develops all the hidden
r”sources of their neighbors' private char
acters.
Our daughte'rs, instead of havin'g a love I
of home and its assuciations.iustilled intol
their minds by their mothers, are taught
to seek companionship and social enjoy-1
went in the homes of their neighbors;
and before they are of an age to under
take the responsibilities of a \l'iTe and
mother, they have acquired an insatialile .
appetite fur visiting and gossiping which
o/;‘,.r disqualifies them that
position in life which should be the high
est aim of every good and true woman—l
a good Wife and a worew .)lotlier, In
deed, so great a power dues this habitual
gadding athiuirc over them, that many of
them look upon married life as a prison
lomse fur female .privileges---or rather
liberties—and eVQII regal it as a mere
arrangement by which they may acquire
a resting.plaDO for the night from the toil
some journeys of the day. There )roii be
a wife or -daughter without a home, but
there cannot be a home without a wife u r
daughter. The wife is the acme of home
—the light which casts a glow over all
the associations of human nature; and in
whose absence darkness, if there be *any,
becomes a thousand-fold wore
The daughter is the baser, but not the
hiss welcomed beacon-light to man's
du
mestie nature ; and it is in the welcoming
[smiles of the wife and daughter that his
I wealth of labor will most gladly respond.
[in purse, in heart and in thought. )laid
ens, befit yourselve , s fur this ennobling
position—wives and mothers, teach your
dan.'-rbrent , by example, that true pleasure
[is utlenest found •in what. shoidd 1E the
first and last resort of social happiness—
the family circle. .
Mothers' will doubtless call me a pre-1
sumptious meddler; and thwie daughters
already past redemption, will "thank him
to mind his own business"—(a phrase.
by-the-by-e, q uit e colltaloll here, but of
doubtful propriety even among the unre
fined.)—and not remind their mothers of
their liort-turnings, and thus cheat them
of their liberties. But as Ido not expect
this article of mine is going to- - cure the
disease at once, I hope those mothers will
bear with my meddling this once\ and those
daughters for the present deem it my
business to whisper a few of their faults
into their ears, that they may, if they
wish, have private rehearsals on the Stage
of Reform. Bonmms are the order of the
day now—political, religious, mural and!
business reforms—why not add one more;
—a refiirm in the Social education of
daughter? and those who arc to be fu-,
ture 'wives and mothers? it only Deeds
a Movement to this effect in the right
quarter to bring it about. Let the moth-;
ers.of to-day cease inculcating, by exam- , 1
ple, the propensity for gadding, and I as-1
sure them that the wives and 'mothers off
the future will have home-loving hus-;
bands, sous and daughters, •
Verhaps my. fair friends will think I
am bold, (for one so young,) when 1 tell.
them that, if any of them having hus-:
bands do not have opportunity to enjoy
their society evenings--that time of all'
others when the home-circle should be;
most complete, and not a link out of the!
chain of its pleasures—it is their own,
fault, or, rather, the limit of their educa
tion; fur, bear in mind, the mothers of,
Ito-day came by their gadding propensity
honestly—and it has been far-fetched by!
preceeding generations. A man cannot!
be expected toenjoy home without there'
is some attraction there—he marries a
woman expecting that with the declining
sun she will prove a magnet which will
draw him, from the cares of business to
the home-circle, and keep hint there .un
til he is refreshed and invigorated for the
trials of the morrow. if he has a wife
and daughters, he expects them to find
true enjoyment at home, and not in run
ning after and borrowing the thimestic
troubles •of those to whom trouble would
scent to be an inherence. Our own troub
les are sufficient "for the day thereof,"
and need all the nourishment we can
spare them.
But, I find the subject too prolific of
ideas—too susceptible of discussion—to
be fully comprehended in one newspaper
article; and for. fear Of exhausting the
printer's patience this time, and thereby
forfeiting all claims upon hisfuture for
bearance, I will, close, with a promise of
again taking up the'subject:
DIOGENES:
Till: USE OP 1 7 1:31ININE SIA AN G.,--"Tim
othy Titcomb," whose letters to young la
dies, in- the Springfield Republican., have
been 'videly circulated and justly com
mended, thus alludes to the too anamen
use of ! slang phrases by the. young ladies
of the present .day ;-11 you wish to be an
".A ~")jo. -1". woman, you have got to "toe
the mark," and be less "hifalutin." "You
May bet your head ou that.!' You! may
sing "slightually" "like a niartingale; you
may "Spin street yarn" at the rate of ten
knots an-hour; you may "talklike a hook;!'
you May dance as if you were on "a reg-
ular break:thorn," and. play the piano.
mighty fine;" but "I tell you," youl
" can't conic to tea." "You may. be
handsoma, but. you can't come in." V Yon
toi f dit just " cave in," first as last,
and -81isquatulate," fin• you can't "put it
through." -any way you can fix it." if
you imagine that yoU May "go it while"
you are youme, for when you get old yod
can't." you don't " come " by a long
chalk." " /v.-n up," now, and "do the'
strain lit thin , ` , .." and " set you down" ;
as " one of the women we read of." If:
you don't "con e ri.t to the .ierat.-..;11," why.
I must "let you But if you have
sneaking notion" for being a " re; , ular
brick." there is no other way—":not
you knows on"--" no sir-rcre, boss 1 0 - Jr
young man should kind o' shine up to
you," and you should "cotton to him,"
and should hear you say ,:by. the jump
ing, Moses," or "'by the living jingo," or
"my goods. or or "I vow," or go it.
Betsey, hell your bonnet," or " mind
your eye," or "hit lin twill," or "take 100
away," or dry up, now," or "simmer
down," or "draw your sled," or "cut stick,"
or "give him- particular fits," he would
pretty certainly "evaporate."
.C.t7r - Grace Greenwood, whose Little !
Pilgrim wanders to thousands of homes,
with its messages and cheerful words,
and who has herself, personally, seen
something of the world, and acquired nal
an unenviable note as a writer and a no
hue hearted woman, thus proclaims, that
American housewives have become freed
from their mistresses servants.) and.' ;
that as a result of hard times. Ameri
can women are finding out that they have
heads to mana: , :e. their own household,
and hands to work with. The will only
im.; been wanting, and may be wanting
yet; but necessity is a motive power
estronzer even ta.a woman than the will,
and by that they go. at last. This is one
I great good which has already come out of
f the evil of these troublous times.
NCticaL
GOV. WALKER AND LE-
CQMPTON
ills Letter to the Indiana. Anti-
Lecomplonites, in Full:
WAsurxaToN, Feb. 20th, 1858.
AUSTI IN H. Buows, Esq (CT
Stu :—Your letter in behalf of the com
mittee, inviting me to address the mass
meeting of thee - Democracy of Indiana, on
the 23d of this month ; at Indianapoli.,
has been received. It would have given
rne sincere pleasure to have COmpliedwith
Your request, but on the 2-fth of this
ato»th one of my most important cases,
now pending in the Supreme Court of tile
United States, is set duwn for argument,
and I cannot be absent on that, occasion.
The power of Congress to admit new
States into the Union has heretofore, at
various periods, been fully discussed by
ine. This power of ad m most clear
ly implies the previous consent of the peo
ple of the inchoate State, not only by the
very terms, but as required by the funda
mental principles of our Government. In
deed, I presume it will hardly be contend
ed that Congress possesses any power to
force the people of a State into the Union
against their will. The Union is com
posed of a.' - eonfederacy of coequal sove
reignties, and each must have freely en
tered into the federal compact. By the
people of a State, under our Federal Con
stitution, is always intended the majority
of that people. The people of a State, iu
entering into the Union, always indicate
their previous assent by the adoption of a
State Constitution.
My own opinion, as heretofore often ex- I
pressed, distinctly repeated - in my letter
of acceptance of the Governorship of Kan-' I
sae,
,reiterated hi my inaugural address,
was . . that the' assent of the people to-their
constitution can only be ascertained by a I
direct popular vote for or against its adop
tion. Indeed, in what other way can it
ever ; be known that. the people would have'.
asSentcd to the constitution, unless they
are permitted to vote for or against its
adoption Y The President, in his message
ofiDecember last, 'admits this must be done
as regards the question, of slavery ;- as re ,
ulated by a State Constitution, although
he concedes that his instructions. to me as
regards the subthissio.n of the constitution
w( l ,rel "general and unqualified." It is
mist mifortunate that such an opinion
1141 remained so long dormant in the
brbast of the President; for if the slightest
suggestion to that effect had {been made
to'toe, ria' it is quite evident from y life-long
opinions on this 'very point, so often and
di s tinctly expressed, - repeated in my letter
of heceptance of the Governorship of 41:in
itnd' reiterated in my inaugural ad
dress,- that on such conuitious -I Ind - ver
would have g,one, to kairsas..
It is true that the President, in his mes
sage,
.4108 t frankly concedes, not only that
instructions to me as regards the sub
mission-of the . abbstifutiou.were ,", general
and unqualified," but also that he • then
supposed that the constitution itself would
) 4
have been subinitted to the vote of the
people, and that iu, Iris lodgment this
ought to have been done: But, neverthe
less, his message of December last, to my
surprise and astonishment, first develOped
the astounding fact that the President
considered that; noth l ing . but th.s slavery
question was required to be submitted to
the vote of the people. I do not mean
to' charge the rChief Magistrate of our
country with vs'iltUP deception ou this
question, but this I do say, as indicated
by toy life-lotipTinions, published again
and again, repeated in my letter of accipt
aocc, reiterated in my inau:imral -address
and various disyatelies, that the Preshhot 1
and all lii.: Cabinet well know my opinion , l
on this subject,' and that I - never would
have gone' to Kansas except upon the con
dition of advocating the submission of the
constitution for iatifieation; or F. j cut ion by
i a vote of the peliple. 'Phis, w; 111 me, was 1
i a vital question; embodying the only fair,
just, peaceful, and con;titutional Method,
lot' settling the ditlieulties in Kansas. I
It was with critrome reluctance, and ac
companied by great sacrifices, and after re
peated refusals, that. I at lenrth did con
sent to go to Kansas, but upon ne other
terms would I have gone than upon those
1 above indicated, and if the President had
Istated to me that.the slavery question was
only required to be submitted' to the vote
lof the p,:ople, he very' well koows, nod all
His Cabinet well know, and all my friends
who conferred with me at that date know,
!that on such conditions I never wuuld
have gone to Kansas, . .
- hi my administration of the affairs of
Kansas, always conutiunicated frmu first
to the President I faithfully' carried out
these views as regards the submission of
the constitution to the vote Of the peo?de,
and by these means, as the President
frankly admits in his-late Kansas message,
prevented a sanguinary revolution there
in June last. This revolution would have
covered Kansas with blood and desola
tion; it would have I.?cie.ri marked by all
those horrors which Over Itulcompany civil
war, which nius - t, have extended to border
ing States and TerritorieS, and involved,
but too probably, the ruin of our beloved
country. How was this) dreadful catas
trophe. averted ? BY ni± addresses and
dispatches, quoted by e '.the President, ad
vocating the submissibn Of the constitu
tion for ratification ('.ir rejection by the
vote of the people. Tikled my only al
ternative was to suppress l this revolution
by the bayonet, or by ad4cating the sub
nussion of
. the constitution as above 'stated;
and pledged my best exertions to obtain
a fair election for the people of the Terri-
Htorial Legislature in the then ensuing
October. These ! pledges land these alone,
it is conceded, preventedl revolution and
civil war.
And why should they not now -be re
deemed ? For myself,[these pledges have
been thus far most faithfully maintained,
and they will be redeeniechby me, if neces
sary, with the la;it drop' of life's blood,
and to the latest hour of my existence.
These were pledges well known to the,
President and all his Cahiiict. They were',
pledges given by me iu good faith, and ' 1
any abandonment of them on my part,
after the people Il i ad accepted and acted
upon them, would), be to, Over myself with
infainy and dishonor. Whatever, then,
way be the action 'of the v,-avering, timid,
or corrupt, menace andl - nloscription have
no terrors for me. , : I will continue - to tread
the -path where eoUscience and duty call
me, regardless of all consequences or sac
rifices, personal or politieal.
But were the case OW exempt from
these pledges and their icensequeuces, is
it true that the people, in framing a Stat
Constitution, are only to dceide the slavery
question ? - Has it could to this, that the
people in their sovereignty are to decide
only the destiny of stull4fricaus as may
be iu their limits, and net] upon all those
far greater rights which leencern the life,
liberty, property,:and haPPiness of a free
people ? llas the African become so ele
vated above the free meplof this Uniqu
that they, in their sovereign capacity may
not decide upon all that Iccincerus their
own government, but -0n1 .. 1 , upon the fate
of thatsable race that maY be..within their
boundaries ?' And is it tine, that the peo
ple iu inclioat States can neither ratify
nor reject any part of the State Constitu
tion, but that this can beltione in inchoate
States only, and then Qnly as regards this
one particular institution ?I'
The liansas and Nebraska bill declares
it to be "the true intent and meaning:of
the act to leave the people thereof per
fectly free to form and rezilate 'their do-.
mestic insritUtionsin thei r r own way, sub
ject only to the Constituti u of the United
States.? Now, the PreSi put in his be
comber message admits that the term
" peePle" as here used, meqUs what it says,
the people-themselves-in. heir sovereign
capacity (as contradistiu l'slicd'fronicou
veutious) in voting for-or #gz' tiuSt - the rat
ification Of a State ConstitUtion. But he
says the forms" domestic institutions,". in
the plural,. means only 'One .institution,
namely, that of-slavery.- But the ternis,
" TRErnldomestie institnti4ns" must clear
ly include them all, becaus 1 extending iu
-,' FOUR CENTS
PEI.
f ! word 'and letter to alli the irerr4o 7 r - icisef
the Union, Whether bond or fre4
The President regards this liatisas and
Nebraska bill as an enabliny act; but en-.
abling whom, or what, or how? - Why; en
abling the people to tam and ',regulate.
their domestic institutions through a State
Constitution. Thy word "form'; is - here .
slgnitieant. Whoever spoke of forming,-
the institution of slavery?: • This word
most cle implies the forming of a State
constitution; and if it does not mean this
it is not au enabling - act, for that is the
great object and purpose of such an act.
These words then, do enable the people
to frame a State Constitution, and by
whieh alone they shall turn and - regulate
their institutions; and the President con:
caaes 'that the word "people," as "here
us, (I." means as it says, the pet ple thinn
selves, as centradistingnished from Coif:.
ventions, by a direct vote fur ratification
or rejection. 'ibis, then, being an emit) . -
lin , : net, an act, as construed by•the Tres
! ident, enabling the people to frame their
own constitution, this term, the'' people,'.'
cannot have two interpretations, one mean,.
lug the people themselves, and another
al; , ), as the President insists, conventions .
only. No ; these words the people; in that
act have but one signifiCation, as applies
hie t o all their domestic institutions; and
it can never be interpreted to • mean, as
the President would construe it, what
Ito calls an enabling act, the people, so far
l as regards the question of slavery, and
conventions only, as regards all other sub
o ; this great act, - declarato.ty up
on its very face, was intended to recognize
the right of self-government - in its broad
est and most comprenensive sense, as vest - ,
ed in people themselves,. extendimg to all
their 'domestic institutions,. in ratifying or
rejectintf their Slate Constitutions, whose
provisions could only he known and acted
on by them when submitted to their de- .
cision by the corlvention. And thus it
was that the Kansas, and Nebraska bill
was a recognition of that great fundathen:
tal princinle of public liberty, embodied
in the Federal' Constitution, reserving all
sovereignty to the people of the several
States, admitted or inchoate, and, not as
vested in conve r t tisns who poSsess no soV
ereignty, (which cannot be delegated, or
divided,) bdt as servants of the.'people
only, Mid not their. masters. •
• _ .
BIM
Such is the true meaning of the term
"people" in the Kansas and Nebraska
bill, as now and alWa'ys advocated by
distinguished author. Such was the in-=
terpretation given to this act. by both
[louses of Congress in the Miiniesota act,
(which is but supplemental ,and in execu
tion of the Kansas Nebraska, bill) in :re
' the.cOnstitution itself to be. sub- .
witted, for ratification or rejection, to.the
vote of the peOple. And why should thii
odiouS distinction be made betircen Kan
sas and - Minnesota? Why should the peO %
pie of the latter be permitted to .tolp for
or against the ratification of theii State
constitution ; and this great sovereign and.
constitutional right he withheld from the
people, of Kansas ? Is the one - a sovereign
and the other a subject. State? Where
are we. and in what'direetion are we drift
ing ? Are we upon the banks of tho.Bos
phorus or Danube, or upon soil consecrated
to popular sovereignty by the blood of the
Revolution? Is it Exeoutive edicts or
sovereign rights that constitute`the
ties of our coudtry ?, Are we freemen
"who know our rights, and-knowingdare
maintain" or are we vassels, serfs; or
slaves,•palace slaves, that will cringe ,or
change at the stamp of the foot of annas ,
ter.? Is it the people and the States; 'as
represented in the Senate and Ilouie of
Representatives, who are to 'record 'their
votes as indicated by their unbiassed- judg
ment ; or are they merely- to yegister Ex
ecutive edicts under penalties for - refusal
of denunciation and proscription ? Is the
President tile Master or the servant'Of the - .
people, that he should thus dictate to theni
or their represeutaeiveS under threats of
exclusion from the party of their choice?
Is Democracy 'a name, a shadow s or a sub"?
stance? It weans the pow e r . of the pen-?
plc. This is its vital essence. Or has it 10.§t,
its signification, Or are we moVing-from- it
with viewless'but rapid strides towards des
potic power, to make and unmake theritles- ,
of polical under pains and-venalties - ,
abhorrent to the souls of freemen? ' Is this,
the eighty-second year of- our . indepen-'•
dente, or.the first year of Amer/con. Mon-
arch'', that is now dawning
Let the people—let thdinasses cOinpoS- - ;
ing tile true Democracy—arotise frotntheir
slumbers. Let them break- the ehnini .
which would fetter the free tlioughtiafith
free opinion, and assert their blood-bouglit . :
rights, and especially the great ifideleasi
ble sovereign right of Self-governntOnti,:::
We -have fallen upon evil tituei, the lib=
erties of the country are in. dim*.'
the people in every "town, county- and.'
• State rise in their '.utajesty:td the les .
Let the timid- or corrupt••falter rati:thOp
may; let the Deinoaraby of Indiana," riots:
meetinr , assenibled;:proetafin
ton es that: shall e_ throng' hout4iir
public, that -the'spititoftiiii".R.Pvitilutidii i :
is - not citinet-fn ;their besoiris;-
from the lakes on the North to the lovely'
0
II
I