New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-04-11

The n. Y. Times is of opinion that, in relation 10
the proposed Constitutional Convention the Free
State men of Kansas are, after ALL in no worse po-
stion than that in which at all elections the Repuo-
licans stand in this city. In urging the FreeS'ate
mel TO take a part in the bogus Constitutional
Election, tina. journal fully admits that they are
doomed to be cheated; that the pOll-books, the
pos, the laws and all the machinery Of the election
are in the hands of their opponents and that they
have no chance of fair play or of success. But,
soys The Times, this is equally true Of the RepuS-
icau party in this city yet nobody ever thought Of
setting lhi. up as reason why the members Of the
party should not go TO the polls and vote.
We are no great admirers of the shamOcrasic
party Of this city; but The Times certainly does
that party great injustice in thus attempting to
Place il on the same level with the Border Ruff
fans of Kansas. That violence and cheating take
place at some of the voting places in our city il
undeDable; but they are eXcrescences, abuses,
and acknowledged to be so BY the very men who
practice them and profit by them; whereas in the
case of the proposed bogus elections in Kansas,
fraud and violence are the very essence and sub
stance of the entire operation. To vote at the
election. or to seek to be enrolled as voter at
IT, would be an acknowledgment on the part OF
the Free State men, like that which The Times
Itself makes, that after all, the Border-Rutfian
predominancy in Kansas is no worse and is no less
to be submitted to than the ordinary predomi-
nancy of parties throughout the country, or at
east in our great cities.
When The Times can cite case in which the
people of any city OF any State submit not merely
to little cheating, but to have their officers elected
for them by intrusive voters from abroad, it will
then have found case somewhat more to the point.
The Free-State men, though obliged to submit TO
the intrusive authority Of the Rufhsns, have still
one privilege eft-,hst, namely, of perpetual pro-
test against it. Nor is there any way in which that
protest can be more distinctly or impressivey made
than in refusing to take part in any of the bogus
elections. That is q sure means of keeping the
character of the government under which they live
constantly before the public which otherwise might
be too ready TO forget the outrages of which they
have been the victims As 10 the Topeka Consti-
tutor, and the exhortation Of The Times TO the
Free State men to yield to the terror of Chief
Justice Lecompte's bogus indictments for treason
snd to let it drop, lest it should involve the Terri
tory in rev civil war, the answer is equally OBJ
vious and decisive. II is impossible for the Free
State mep, so long as they retain particle of self
respect, to yield to any such cOmpulsion or to any
such threats.
Quite apart from the doctrine of Squatter Sow
eregDty, it was their right to frame Constitu-
ton, to chose officers under it, and to present that
c., Institution to Congress for approval. 1t is their
ri.h. to keep up their State organization with
view of presenting it anew for acceptance, ap-
provsl and adoption by the rapidly increasing popu-
laton of the Territory. To allow themselves to
be bulled out of this right by the Border Rufian',
or persuaded GU. of it by The Times, would only
be an encouragement to new threats and new vio-
lence.