The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-10-03
Political Meeting.

The candidates of the National Demo-
cratic party for representatives, in the Ter
ritorial Legislature, spoke to the people
of Lawrence, in front of the Morrow house,
on Friday, 25th ult. Il was beautiful
evcniug-a tolerably fair audience-and
the quietest political meeting we have had
in Lawrence this season. Col. LANE was
chairman The candidates, Messrs. Wal
kcr and Sykes, took the ground that
slavery had nothing to do with this cleo
ton. That they represented new party
in Kansas. The old law and order party
was dead; the pro-slavery party was
dead; and the Free State party was dead,
or ought to be. There was now bnt
one party in Kansas entitled to the res
pect of men of comprehensive minds
and cultivated intellect, and that was
the National Democratic payty.
Both speakers stated they were from
slave States, and should vote for making
Kansas slave State. They also approx
cd the bogus laws and particularly those
securing slave property.
Col. LANE replied to them in mas
terly manner, showing their party to be
pro-slayery in its purposes, revolutionary
in It's tendencies, and made up of those
men who had become odious under ether
names, aud now had assumed this to hide
themselves and their past conduct. But
it was no 60. There was not now and
there never has been but tso parties in
kansas-the party of slavery and the
party of freedom. Judge CONWAY and
Others filed out the time till 10 O'Clock
when the meeting quietly adjourned.
The formation of the National Demo
cratic party in Kansas is thus correctly
given by Dr. Gihon in his recent history,
page 252. After Perusing this. the reader
can better judge whether this election
has anything to do with slavery or not
"a call having appeared in the Squatter
Souerei;g7a for the meeting of convention,
4 body, in answer thereto, assembled at
Lecompton on the same day that the Leg
islature was organized. The objects of the
+ convention had been left for the imagina-
ton of the delegates, for they had never
/ been publicly stated or defined. They were
not destined, however, 70 remain long in
! Ignorance on that particular point: for
when two Free State delegates presented
credentials, they were given clearly to
/ understand that their presence and servi-
I ces were not required. The first question
discussed regarded the nqme by which
the convention should be called. 4 prop
{ osition to denonlinate it the Law and
Order Convention was overruled by the
opposition of Doctor Stringfellow, who
pronounced the assembly a pro-slauer7
eoilrocation, and offered resolution, which
/ was almost unanimously carried, DENYING
: a seat in the meetings to any man who
was not absolutely known to be In favor
i of making Kansas a slave State.
The passage of this resolution brought
Maclean to his feet, who, in speech oI
some length, delivered IN most excited
manner, declared that Captain L. j.
Hampton, who claimed TO be delegate
from Jefferson county, had no business in
1 that convention, as his kind treatment, in
! the capacity of master of conyicts, to the
Free State prisoners, was quite sufficient
proof that he was not sound pro-slavery
man.
To this Hampton replied, with much
earnestneSs and eloquence, declaring that
he was a Kentuekian, and had always
maintained the local institutions of hi.
native State, aud affirming that he was
] decidedly in favor of slavery extension
Maclean retorted, and was even more
violent than before: I don't care what
Captain Hampton says His conduct te
the prisoners has been such as no pro-
slavery man can sanction; and my friend
I over there, Samuel J. Jones, the sheriff
Of Douglas county, the master spirit o
our party, who has fought, suffered and
bled for our cause, who is living monu
ment of the nobility of the human soul
1 and whose word is the soul OF honor, say.
that Captain Hampton is not sound; snt
shall we take Captain Hampton's word il
preference 10 that Of Sheriff Jones? Hav,
4 We not tried Samuel ]. JoHes2 And whs
viii say that he was ever found wanting
! No, it is our duty, as pro-slavery men. t