The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1857-07-04
For he Herald Of Freedom
The Present and Future Of Kansas.

most every sense OF the word, in forIna-
ton state. Their social and religious feel
ings and interests are yetin great measure
unsettled and undefined-so their educa-
tional and financial interests are but in
embryo. The politics of the people have
hardly been brought to bear, save upon
the question Of slavery. 1t will be seen
at glance that there is but little to undo.
We have not here lifetime TO spend in
battling against Gxed habits, deep-seated
prejudice, rnonied interests, nor, worst of
all, corrupt officials, who have a fixed
term of Office, and so, for the time being.
are beyond the reach of the people. Our
work is emphatically one of progress. If
we are wise, We shall endeavor so to ac-
quit ourselves, that our work need not be
nndone, either by ourselves, or those who
shall come after us. Perhaps there never
was people in whom so deep and wide
| spread an interest was felt, as exists at
the present time with reference to the
people of Kansas. Our struggle thus far
has elected an interest wherever our cause
has been known. Let us not loose our
hold upon the sympathies of the good
everywhere, by proving ourselves un-
worthy of them.
We do not propose TO discuss at this
time the merits of all the several ques-
tons in which the people of Kansas are
supposed to feel an interest, bnt simply
propose some suggestions with reference to
her future legislation.
Soon the people will be called upon to
decide whether, not only shall slavery ex-
list in our midst and paralyze our growth
as State, but to corrupt our entire legis-
latiOn, render our educational efforts COM
paratively frtlitless, destroy our moral
perceptions, leave us of religion only the
| form-which is useful only as ameans to
an end-and, finally, work the utter ruin
of all our own liberties. From the fore
! going there is no escape. God has so or
dered things, that any people who can
+ witness the placing of manacle upon
+ brother man, and sec him driven to I'M
willing and unrequited toll, and not feel
! in their soIls rs bound with him, shall ere
+ long feel the hateful letters upon their
own limbs. However unfeeling the saul
of man may become, the limbs never lose
their sensitiveness, save when a noble
/ spirit, by devotion to great principle, has
been borne 10y them up life's rugged
steep, and God will not permit the last
/ moments of saeh being to be spent in
bodily suffering. Such an one may well
F, be at peace. The vitality of the former is
entirely in our own keeping. God will
never suffer both to lose their sensitive
/ hess at once.
;. What we have to suggest with reference
TO our legislative acts, is: That we protect
! the rights of all, without reference to age,
ser OF. race. I'd, That we place no him
drance or obstruction in the way of any
one; orin other words, that we allow eve
ry one to occupy whatever place he or
she may be fitted for, and then the man
or woman who may occupy a menial posi-
ton, will simply be doing what he or she
is best fitted for. We are not able to see
that, when government has secured to all
the enjoyment of their rights, it can go
! further.
The phrase "Human Rights is easily
written, and one that it is very agreeable
to speak. But when we come to specify,
and define the duty of governments to-
wards subjects, or citizens, it is found to
be one of the most complicated, if, indeed,
it is not the most complex of all subjects.
How, then, shall we avoid inflicting wrong
upon any one, and vet secure to all their
4 Just rights?
First, let us avoid any distinction or
class legislation. Let the measure that
we mete to Others be the same we hope
to receive for ourselves. This is simply
the golden rule, and is understood by all
and by all alike And TO secure this, LEI
us keep all power in the people, where il
has source, and for whom governments
are instituted. We say al power, by
which We mean appointing power; fol
there is no Office of sufficient importance
, to be worth an existence, but it is worth
{ the peoples while to fill it. We are
, aware that many objections are urged
against this plan, but We conceive the ap
HOACi VI CACCullN 10 W NC OI1t
great source of corruption. Let all on
officers be directly responsible to the PEG
pie, and then they will seek to serve thu
, people. This done, it would seem we arr
on the high road to success; and ther,
can be little doubt that if people seei
! to deal justly by their fellow men, shoult
they commit an error it would soon b
discovered, for the unjust law would il
that case be as likely to bear heavily up
> on the legislator, as upon any one; ant
men are not long in discovering an error
who suffer by it This is Gods mode
: suffering and detecting what is wrong.
= It seems to us, if the foregoing rule b
: observed, and the body of men who I'm
dertake to legislate, sufficiently acauaint
itself with the wants of the people 70
whom it undertakes to act, there is it'll
: reason to apprehend than the work Per
: formed will not prove acceptable.
81 But legislative body must not g
q hack some centuries to ascertain its dutie.
{ bat must study the wants OF the preser
age. And what are some of the wants {
: this age, as contrasted with previous ones
1st rs now universally admitted b
!. all disinteFesfet persons, that ';dN men 81
:. created egHal,n $50 far as rights are cor
cerned,) and that they are possessed /,
: certain iaaliessajte rights and ths
). among them are "life, iIsafH and th
/. pursuit of happiness This granted, Gan
: it is axion,atic,} it follows that if men hay
right to Be they have right to be som,
where. From this, it most closely follow
III that one man, nor class of men, mar n.
: absorb the land to the exclusion of other
., This granted, and land limitation follow
Re necessarily. In these general truths.
IL will be seen that sex and color have /
- notice taken of them. That is, they a
8 considered IS good as anybody, and /
,, better.
is From this, then, it follows that leg
q enactments should be the same for man
fer woman; the same for white as
black. All should be allowed the large
liberty, until that liberty is abused, az
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