Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-12-23
N ASHVIIIE:
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER %, 1857.
The Kansas OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

The kansas OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Alterations.
When the constitutional convention ad-
journed it appears that the constitution it
had framed and agreed upon, was placed
in the hands of committee, who were to
correct its verbiage, if any were necessary,
and to take charge of it during the inter
i'm between that time and the day for 70
ting upon it. That committee at the head of
which was Mr.. Calhoun, the President of
the convention, it is charged, have taken
the liberty of altering and amending that
instrument, not merely in its verbiage but
in the substance of its provisions. The
Kansas correspondent of the Missouri
Democrat, writing from Lawrence, makes
these charges, and that paper adopts them
for true. Among other things, it is alleged
that the committee have amended the APP
portionment of representatives to the Leg
islature, so as to add three Senators to
the number originally fixed by the conven-
ton. Other interpretations, equally I'M
warranted are said to have been made
We, of course, make some allowance for
the source from which these charges come;
but still, from the MCGEE and johnson
county proceedings, we are not at liberty
to regard the national democracy" of
Kansas, as above suspicion. The charges,
recriminations and developments we have
had from the organization of that terrific
ry, indicate that prudent regard for hon
esty and fair-dealing have not been the
guide to the political action of its people
Dishonesty and fraud are reprehensibe at
all times and everywhere. The honest
upright and patriotic, will condemn them
with as little hesitation in parties OF States
as in individuals. They are no more to be
tolerated in the one case than the other
81 hold the maxim no less true in public
than private affairs, that Honesty is the
best policy" was remark of Washington,
which the universal experience of mankind
justifes.
We should extremely regret to know
that the work Of the Kansas constitutions
al Convention, already Objectionable as it
unquestionably is, is to be rendered wholly
useless, and unworthy of any respect
whatever, by unauthorized and fraudulent
alterations. 1t may become necessary for
Congress to inquire what is the true con-
stitution adopted by the convention; and
the only answer to this question, may be
the presentation of an instrument emana-
ting from the "verbiage committee" more
than from the convention itself. In such
event there could he no dispute as to the
duty of Congress; and the difficulties
would be as far from adjustment as ever
before. Our paramount desire has been
to see the bitter destructive and disgrace
full controversies in and out of Kansas,
about its domestic affairs, ended. We
have thought that its admission as a State,
under a constitution, having the sanction Of
the legal and recognized authority of the
territory, was the most expeditions means
to that end. But it appears that our
hopes even in this behalf, are to be cut
short by the fraudulent conduct of the
depositaries of the constitution; if, indeed,
these changes should be substantiated.