Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-11-26
The Last Shrek.

The Gazette Of Tuesday copies an
article from the Chicago Press intima-
ting that the Constitutional Conven-
ton of Kansas has adopted a Pro-
Slavery Constitution which is not to
lie referred to the people but have pro-
vided spcratc reference of the slavery
question to vote OF the people, which
will not affect the slavery provisions of
the Constitution in the slightest degree
neither one way nor the other.
This article as endorsed by one CO.
temporary further says:
"Thc general and well grounded
conviction is, that the Democratic par
ty is welded body and soul to the in
tercsts of slavery, and it is our own be-
lief that nothing short Of the clearly
perceived danger Of its total disruption
rs consequence will prevent its en-
do rsement Of the action of the law de-
fiers of Kansas"
Let US now turn to section eleven Of
the schedule as adopted by that Con-
vention, which after providing for the
manner Of holding the election reads
~ follows:
The ballots cast at said election shall b
Endorsed "COmstifutiom cih Slavery" and
"ConstitMsion with no Slavery"
The President, with two or more members
of this Convention, shall examine said poll
books. and il it shall appear upon said ex-
animation that majority Of the legal votes
cast at said election be IN favor Of the Con
stitution with Slavery, he shall Immediately
have the same transmitted to the Congress
Of the United States, as hereinbefore provi-
ded But il, upon such examination of said
poll books, it shall appear that majority
OF the legal votes cast ut said election be in
favor Of the Constitution with no Slavery"
the" the article providi'g for Slavery shall
be stricken from lie Constitution by tie Pres
ident of tia Convention, and no SLAvkRY
SMALL EXIST IN THE STATE or KANSAS, creept
that tie right Of property ia Siaoes nor an
this Territory shall IN no manner be interJer-
ed Nth, and shall have transmitted the
Constitution so ratified to the Congress of
the United States, as herenbefore provided.
And Section II reads as follows:
Sec. II. This constitution shall take
effect and be in force from and after
its ratification by the people, as here
tofore provided.
The New York Times aptly says:
A careful pcrusal OF the schedule of
submission as adopted by the Couyen-
ton, will show that the reports hither-
to received of its action have not been
entirely reliable. 1t was at first an
nounced, and is still very generally re-
peated, that, even if the majority of
the people should vote for the Consti-
tuition without the slavery clause, the
Constitution would then be simply ST.
lent upon the subject, and slavery
would be recognized in the new State
by virtue of the Federal Constitution,
rs interpreted by the Supreme Court,
and enforced by the National Admins
tration. A perusal OF this document
will show that this impression is not
well founded, and that the people of
Kansas have it fully in their power to
prohibit slavery by this vote, if they see
The effect Of vote, therefore, strik-
ing out the slavery clause, will be to
make Kansas Free State. In spite
OF all That has been said upon the 9TH
er side, the language Of schedule seems
to leave no doubt whatever upon this
point.
The incredulity which We expressed
two or three days since, as to the re-
liability of the extravas ant reports that
reached us concerning the action of
the Convention, is fully justified by
the result. That action is far less ex-
ceptionable than the public was at first
led to suppose. 1t remains to be seen
how 1t will be received by the Free
State party in the Territory.
Comment is almost unnecessary. The
Free State people have it in their pow
er to settle the question of Slavery in
Kansas according to the principles and
doctrines Of the act organizing the Ter
r'tory. That the principle and right of
selfgovernmentwill be freely indicated
by the people Of Kansas, we do not
doubt.
Politicians may to strengthen the
Republican party, advise the Free
State people not to vote, but we ap-
prehend that the people themselves
have long ago seen the ambitious de.
s'gns Of these leaders, and will by their
vote in December next silence forever
the agitations and fanaticism which
have so long distracted that unhappy
territory.
Ar Buohanan.and the Kansas Constitu-
ton.
1t may save our little neighbor much
anxiety and grief to learn that the
Warrington Union is not the organ OF
Mr. Buchanan, and that the administra-
ton is nowise responsible for the vags-
RIGS OF that Journal. Mr. Buchanan. has
never said nor insulated that the mode
of submission of the proposed Const;-