The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-08-15
The :. Laws" Of Kansas.

III any have not read tnose laws,tney VIII
exclaim that the half had not been told
them they will wonder that, in this age
of the Christian era, in this enlightened
country, beneath the fair dome of our re-
publican Constitution, band Of men styled
an American legislature, and assembled to
make laws for community Of American
citizens, should deliberately frame code
like this, that would deform the statute
book Of Austria in darker age.
1t is worth while for moment to look ut
that code in its logical connection with 9TH
or parts Of the great Kansas wrong. In
1920 Missouri was admitted into the Unioa
Us Slave State by virtue ofs compromise,
which solemnly enacted that in oil the re.
mainder Of our national territory north of
thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north lati-
tude, slavery and involuntary servitude
should be and were thereby forerer prohib-
tied. Thirty-four years had elapsed, during
which time that landmark was always
deemed by either section, who had plighted
faith for its religious observance to the 9TH
er, as inviolably sacred, Us fixed as the
Rocky Mountains or the line Of latitude it.
self,-when, in an evil hour, Stephen A.
Douglas, unsolicited by any respectable por-
tion Of the people from any quarter of the
confedeyacy, made the startling proposition
to annul the solemn compact, to take back
the equivalent which the North had received
in the compromise, and remove that prohib-
ition Of slavery which had been decreed by
the wisdom and patriotism Of our fathers
Seconded by the whole weight of the Feder-
al Administration, the scheme thus sprung
upon the people, who were made to believe
that it was harmless measure, was carried
through q Congress, which thus distinguish.
ed itself by perpetratins the most shameful
violation of public plighted faith that ever
yet the land was guilty Of"
The next step in this wicked and disas-
trous policy, which sent out the ship Of
State from safe harbor upon the widest
sea Of agitation, was to secure territorial
legislature that would make Kansas Slave
State. A southern population being al.
ready on the ground,it was at first intended
to rely on the popular sovereignty. But in
consequence Of o large emigration favorable
to freedom, this reliance was abandoned for
the surcr fundamentally of fraud, intimi.
dation and violence, which ever since have
been practised'hy undertaking system, and
upon the most enormous scale. Through
previous arrangement, six thousand border
Misourians throngcd the territory on the
day Of election, in many instances seized on
the ballot-boxes, drove away the Free STATE
inspectors from the polls, appointed substi'
tutes Of their own prevented tho inhabitant,
from exercising the right Of suffrage, and,
by their immensely preponderating vote,
elected just such legislature rs they desir'
ed. This is the Outrage Of outragcs. Pill
lagc, arson, murder, the destruction Of
printing presses, the forcible expulsion and
exclusion Of peaceful citizens from the terri
tory - terrible and infamous, and Of every
day occurrence as these things are, they on
ly shade and qualify this one all-cmbncins
wrong, which, we fear, has never yet beer
fully realized by the American people, fol
the very reason that It is 80 enormous in II,
height and depth. and length and breadth.
They see It but in parts and not in ii
whole proper forms. For neighboring peo
pie to come In, and, to effect certain nefari
Gus ends, rob an entire political community
Of its grand vested right of choosing its own
legislative council, las If the people Of Vir
ginia should take possession Of the polls in
this State, at the point Of the bayonet, ant
choose legislature to sit in our Capitol ant
establish slavery among us,) is u wrong &
new, 30 vast, and tar reaching in its consc.
quences, that no mind can definitely gnasI
it, and no words can properly characteri1'
il. We need to sit down calmly and survey
it in the light Of public and private mOrali
ty, Of the laws and the Constitution Of ou'
country. Then shall we see what an insul
| to our understanding it is to call that legis
lature authoritative and valid. It isa les
islature chosen BY the people Of Missouri in