The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-29
rHE LRcoMproN ooNyENTYoN.

We noticed incidentally Sunday morning that
The Lecompton convention had been called by the
Kansas legislature in pursuance of previous vote
Of the people of the Territory. This fact seems to
have been overlooked, bnt there is no doubt that
he vote was taken and that the Legislature acted in
pursuance Of IT, We have before us the g Kansas
Weekly Herald, published at Leavenworth City,
October 18TH 1856 1t contains returns from various
counties Of the election held the first week of that
month in the Territory, and the following is ex-
tract from one of Its editorial articles
From the Kansas Herald. Oct Is 1861
Acoring to an act Of the Legislative assembly Of
the Territory of Kansas, See Statutes, pages l72 and
I73tapdl was opened throughout the Territory the
same day OF general election. for and against con-
venon In this county, ont Of $50 votes cast it was
nearly unanimous for convention Ii generally the
case Is far heard from II voted for the ground
Of having the question settled Of making Kansas slave
free State at early day possible, and that in
lair and legal manner The people have vot "a for
Convention and the legislature win doubtless order the
election soon, perhaps next spring.
This the origin Of the Lecompton convention.
1t demanded by the people at the general election
Of October, 1856 The legislature then ordered the
election ofdelegates and at the time appointed the
yention was held The Topeka objected to il from
the beginning but no national democrat, either in
Kansas or ont Of Kansas, ever denied its authority
until after its APPOINTMENTS Then, because its action
not what they desired, there were some demo
Gratis who objected TO its authority and who insist
that while it would have been quite regular if it had
submitted the whole constitution to the people it is
quite irregular because it has only Submitted the
question Of slavery Without dwelling the alb
srdty of thus determining the authority of the
venion by the character of its doings, we wish to
point to readers what the great object Of
the convention as declared in the preceding extract
from the Kansas Herald. 1T was voted for tsays the
Herald the ground Of hdping The question settled Of
making Kansas sare or free State at early day
possible and thai ia far and legal manner" This
is the statement of Kansas newspaper, written and
printed in October, 1856 II is therefore, kind Of
contemporaneous authority, and explains clearly
what the great purpose was Of those who
voted for the Lecompton convention. This pur-
pose was to settle the slavery question in a
fair and legal manner; and upon this purpose
the convention acted by submitting that very
question to the people Does any doubt that this
was the great question Of the Territory? What would
have been said had the rest of the constitution been
submitted, and the slavery question not submitted
How utterly Insignificant everything else would
have been described in comparison with this sub
ect Of slavery, which has itself suddenly become in
significant because it has been submitted! 1t not
insignificant before, because Acting Governor Stan
ton in his Inaugural, held the following language
about it:
Il do not doubt however that in order to avoid all
preex for resistance to the peaceful operation Of this
law the vention itself will in form provide for
submitting the great dsfracfng question regarding their
social Institutions which has long agtted the people
Of Kansas TO fair vote Of all the actual a f5s resi-
dents Of the Territory, with every possible security
against fraud and violence II the constitution be thus
framed and the question of difference thus submitted to
the decision Of the people believe that Kansas viii be
admitted by Congress without delay Of the
egn States Of the American Union and the territorial
authorities win be Immediately withdrawn
Slavery was then the great distracting question
The convention has fulfilled Gov Siantons expecta-
ton by submitting this question 60 the people Of the
Territory. II remains Ia be seen whether his pre-
diction of what wonld result from this submission
shall also be accomplished If il u.s. Kansas will be
admitted by Congress without delay as one of the
sovereign States Of the American Unionr
A MERTTED TESTIMONIAL.