The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-11-20

the sentiment Of the people against max
ing Kansas a Slave State.
Special cersYesdsnes Of ns T,spsu"
Important from Kansas.
DsisSs Of tie Constitutional Conpenfion
Majoiiy and Minority Reports.-Projeet.
Of tie Pro Slavery Men to Control IN
STATE Gopernment.-Ihe late Election fo'
Delegate 10 Congress, &c.
RENEE, November 5th, 1857.
To the Editor 9th Traveller:
Yesterday the Committee on Schedule 70
ported to the Convention. This is q mos
important matter, for BY It was to be deci
ded whether the Constitution should b
submmitted to vote Of tho people or not
All the details Of the FIRST election for Statt
of ers are also regulated by this dCcnmeut
There were two reports,one submitted by
the Chairman, Hugh NJ. Moor Of Lawronct
and signed by q majority Of the committee,
the other by DR.. Little OF Fort Scott, in BE-
half ola minority.
The only point Of difference between two
reports is In regard TO the submission or non.
submission OF the Constitution, or any part
of it, to tho people. The majority report IN
favor Of submitting. not tho Constitution,
bat the section relative to slavery. Tho mi.
nority do not provide for the submission in
any way. The majority report is by far the
most dangerous scheme, though the other
is the boldest and therefore most In conson.
unce with the feelings Of the ultraists.
The principal points in the reports are a.
follows: By them all the past acts Of the
Territorial Legislature arc endorsed and
made binding, and thus all the charters, mo-
nopolies and "vested rights," claimed by
that Legislation will be sustained.
The Territorial Government is declared to
be superseded, upon the adjournment ofthis
Convention.
The majority report provides for tho sub.
submission Of the slave article alone TO the
people and appoints the 2lst Of December
next rs the day ofsubmission.
The ingenuity displayed in this suggestion
will not strike your readers ut first, and
therefore two or three things ire to be kept
in mind. First The power by which
this Convention sprung into being has been
repudiated rs base usnrpation by the peo.
ple of Kansas, and therefore II We vote at all
Il must DO to vote IL down, which this scheme
does not give US chance to do. IL necessa.
rily compels Us to vote for tho Constitution.
if we vote at oil. The ballots will read
with the slave article" and
. Constitution without the slave article
We have no chance left between not voting
ut ut all or voting for document which will
be disgrace forever to US. In either case
whether We vote or not, the Constitution
will be considered as being ratified, and wall
DO sent to Congress. Secondly, 1t must be
then under the fancy construc-
ton, slavery exists in Kansas, and can only
no prohibited by positive enactment As
this document will be silent on the subject
Of slavery, should the section which regu.
lates it be voted down, Kansas will still he
q slave State and even more ultra than with
the slave section, for where no positive
regulating 1t are IN existence, 1t
ID claimed that there is Tree trade in negroes,
and consequently all tho worst features Of
the system will. in theory at least, have q
chance to develop themselves.
Again, it must be remembered that the
schedule If adopted, legalizes and endorses
all past actions of the pro slavery usurpa-
ton and that grated on its statute book,
Is the blacklist code Of laws relative TO slav-
ery that have ever yet been framed. ! be-
lieve the adoption Of this infamous scheme
to be the prelude to the most intense and
iercest struggle yet seen In Kansas. and q
struggle which will convulse tho whole
country in its throes, and wake again the
fires Of past days.
The report further provides that John Q.
Calhoun shall have power to appoint oil
Judges of Election; appoint day Tor the
State Election; convene tho Legislature to-
,ether by proclamation receive and count
al the election returns and issue certificates
10 those he may consider elected.
This decapitates the federal officers, who
however are graciously permitted to remain
until the Legislature Is convened Thus
an interregnum Is created, and
Gen. Calhoun appointed Regent. As he is
,ne Of the most INSCRIPTIONS par,izans In
Dr. out of Kansas. 1t will DO seen how effect
ially they have guarded the avenue against
is.
It il further provided that the constitution
,annot b. altered for twenty years after ITS
and then only bya two thirds
rots Of the whole people. The minority re-
port has property qualification clause for
voters In il There was an animated de-
bate yesterday evening, and to-day the dis.
custom of the report was made the special
business. Gen. Calhoun and the Douglas
men are for the msjority-and jenkins and
the Ultras are for the minority report
The convention is about equally divided. and
the debate will DO strong one. God only
knows wha. the present results viii be-
But il seems to me that the people Of Kan.
,as rising en- masse in their dignity - Free
men will tell these unscrupulous men " stay
their hands, and that too In terms that will
be unm,stakable. There Is something grand
u sublime In the power ofnumbeg, and If
the twenty thousapd freeman Of Kansas
speak a. they can and must If they desire
Their past to be living light and glory to
their future. il would rsem that the traitors
now playing with the liberty Of the country
and the dearest rights Of humanity, viii
pause before they awaken . storm which
will sweep thcm away as the rushing tor
nado sweeps all that opposes Its progrea.
The vote ut tho late election for delegate
l., O,n,~..s -. a c,llovu. psrrott frna