Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-03-20


gal body, where is the power to order new elec-
ton! Not in the hands Of the Governor Where,
then? In the hands of Congress. But, suppose
the Senate should decide the Kansas Legislature
to be legal body; or suppose the President should
80 decide-and, in fact he has 50 decided-and
either should refuse to pass or sign new bill:
what would be the condition Of things in the ter
ritory? One of anarchy-profound confusion.-
The action Of the House may yet involve us in ut
ter embarrassment.
Prominent in the debate thus far we are graft
fed to note the mastery effort of our immediate
! Representative, Mr.. Boyce--an effort which GER
tainly entities him to niche above the command
ing position which the popular verdict has al
ready awarded him. We have not for twelve
month met with more searching, forcible and
strictly logical argument on any subject. Keeping
constantly in view the issue in point, he demon
strates the impropriety and inexpediency of the
measure proposed by the Committee, vindicates
the authority of the Kansas Legislature and their
right to the seat of the Kansas Delegate, and
with tie utmost ease tears into shreds the fimsy
and ridiculous pretexts which are made to sub
serve the purposes of the Free-soil party. We
shall publish the speech in our next issue, and
therefore refrain from further comment. The let
ter, romwhich we have quoted above, thus alludes
to it -
"The debate in the House upon this subject has
been very able one. Mr.. Boyce, of South Caro-
lima, made superb speech He is one OF the
very best and cearest constitutional lawyers in the
House. His opinions always carry great weight
with them. His discussion of the many grave
questions connected with this subject, was lumin-
Gus and profound. He commanded, throughout
his argument, the unfagging attention OF the
House This is the best test ofa members stand
ing in the House. MIR. Boyce is regarded here as
having exhausted the important points IN the con-
troyersy So far as the friends Of Whitefeld are
concerned, they may safely leave their case with
Mr. Boyce's argument. His constituents may
we'll be proud of him."
While the debate is progressing thus sharply at
Washington, events at the scene Of action indicate
that the contest there is to be brought speedily to
the test BY telegraph we learn that the bogus
Free.State Legislature met and organized Mt To-
peka on the 4th instant. The abolition Governor,
Robinson, sin his message, which is mostly devo-
ted to review of the history of Kansas, says it is
understood that the United States Deputy Marshal
was privately instructed to arrest members Of the
Legislature aid resistance would be offered-nota
finger would be raised against the Federal Govern
ment's authority until there was no hope but in
revolution" lie calls for military organization
against the scalping knife Of the west and rcvoln-
ton in the east. The Independence correspondent
telegraphs that "the Free Legislature adjourned
to Lawrence and was still in session there on Sat-
urday. Governor Shannon had gone there to as
certain what was being done, and violence was ap-
pretended There is some little excitement on
the border and 100 Sharpe's rifles and two pieces
of cannon had been intercepted at Lexington, and
were being held by the citizens subject to the or
ders of Governor Shannon"
We have thus given to the reader hurried
sketch of the main facts which have developed the
present aspect of the Kansas question. The ar
ticle has already been too far extended to permit
our indulging in the reflections which such state
ments are we'll calculated to engender. But one
word: come when the decision may-lct it be adj
verse or favorable to the South-the destinies Of
the institution of slavery in Kansas must depend
upon the men and means concentrated there.
Victory or defeat at last must be declared upon
the soil of the territory and in favor Of the cause
sustained by the stoutest heart and the strongest
arm.