The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-05-07


ling the New England emigrant aid socie-
ties for their participation in this expert
ment Of foreign interference with the do
, mestic affairs of distant Territory, the
4 minority report proceeds to justify all that
has been done by Missouri and the other
Slaveholding States to counteract the eff
forts and defeat the designs of the New
England aid societies, and to send persons
there for the purpose of controlling the
election, and making Kansas slavehola-
E ing State.
The minority report proceeds as fol,
lows:
''Now, what is the right and the duty of
the people of this country in relation to
this matter? Is it not the right of all who
believe in the blessings of slaveholding,
and regard as the best condition of So
ciety, either to go to Kansas as Inhabitants,
and by their votes to help settle this good
condition of that Territory; or, if they
Icannot so go and settle, is ie not their du-
t., by all lawful means in. their power, to
promote this object by inducing others
like minded to go? This right becomes a
duty to all who follow their convictions
; All who regard an establishment of sla-
very In Kansas as best for that Territory
or as necessary to their own safety by the
political weight it gives in the national
, Government, should use all lawful means
: to secure that result; and, clearly, the
inducing men to go there to become per-
, mapent inhabitants and voters, and to vote
as often as the elections occur in favor of
! the establishment OF slavery, and thus
, control the elections. aud preserve it slave
! State forever, is neither unlawful nor cen
! surable. 1t is, and would be highly praise
e worthy and commendabie, because it is
G using lawful means to carry forward hon
: est convictions of public good. All law.
: ifully-assoeiated effort to that end is equal.
lily commendable. Nor viii the applica-
e tion OF opprobrlous epithets and calling i,
e propagana5sa', change its moral or legaj
: character, from whatever quarter or source
official or otherwise such epithets may
e come Neither should they deter any
e from peaceably performing his duty by
f following his honest eoavietie.ls..n ---e=
e. Having said this much in behalf of The
. fright" and "duty" of the Missoufiaui
s to go to Kansas and control the election.
n for such a ''highly- praiseworthy and com.
e mendable'' object as .the establishment
y of slavery in the Territory, the minority
d report proceeds in this wise to show tha
: it was equally spraiseworthy and commen
: dable" for the New England emigrant aid
: societies to send men there to .'eontrol tbs
! elections and prohibit slavery"
''On the other hand, all those who hav,
: seen and realized the blessings of univer
+ sal liberty, and believe that it can on!,
n be secured and promoted by the prohibi
d tion of domestic slavery, and that the ele
is vation of honest industry can never sue
It ceed where servitude makes labor degra
), ding, should, as in duty bound, put fortl
C all reasonable exer;ions to advance thi
great object by lawful means, wheneve
d permitted by laws their country. When
IS therefore, Kansas was presented by law
d as an open field for this experiment, AM
l. all were invited to enter, it became th
j. right and duty of all such as desired to e.
l. there as inhabitants for the purpose, b
i their numbers and by their votes lawful
,e cast, from time to tinlc,to carry or coutro
s. in legal way, the election there for thi
IS object. This could only be lawfully effec
2 ted by permanent residence, and continue
,fl and repeated effort, during the continu
j.. ance of the territorial government, an
j. permanently remaining there to form an
e preserve the State constitutions. All thos
ltI who entertained the same sentiments, hu
were not disposed themselves to go, ha
re the right and duty to use all lawful mean
re to encourage and premotethe object.
Is the purpose could be best effected by unite
IF efforts, by voluntarily associations or ct
VS. operations, or by State assistance, as pre-
IS, posed in some southern States, it was a
I'd equally lawful and laudable. This wa
~ not the oificious intermedlipg with III
&c internal affairs of another nation or Stat,
or or the territory Of another people"
MS In these two extracts we have the pc
ct sition of minority report clearly del
d. ned ~ us
Id First, it was, the right" and '.duty"
r the slaveholding States to send men to kal
k sas to acquire the right TO vote, and tn,
control the elections and establish SLAYER
X in the Territory; and "if the purpose cou
as be best effected by united efforts, by yo
untary associations, or corporations,
IL State assistance, it was all equally lawf
RI and laudable. .
ms Second it was the "rightr and !'dnt,
u- of the -slaveholding States to use Il
Ter same means to send. men into Kansas f
10 the purpose of becoming voters, and co
o. trolling the elections aud prohibiting 81
ill very.
I Third, that each ofthose movements
ity the part of the two sections Of the Uni
was equally lawful and laadable"-w
las 'highly- praiseworthy and corinendabl
as and that '.neither was unlawfnl II
ur- censurable." although THAT NATURAL, A
De- PERHAPS UNAyoIDABLE, CONSEQUENCE
No. TNyE NATIyRE OF THE EXPERIMENT. WAS