The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-05-09
ped t,n Ct tbs Free s:ats Party II.
Kansas.

York Republican journals in relation
to the position of the Free State patty
in Kansas, but we cannot see the wis.,
fom of their policy.
They tell US of the trickery of the
,ensus-takers, who, it is alleged, re-
used to "insert any of the names of
he Free State emigrants" arriving in
he Territory this spring, no matter
now early, while "they are putting
thousands of names on the lists who
nave never lived in Kansas, and who
never will" Ifthis be true. why have
lot the Free State men been on the
alert, to record and expose the facts :?
It is Just this kind of dishonest deal
ing they ought to have prepared them
selves to resist and expose-but they
were counseled to do nothing-to
stand aloof-to let everything go by
default. 1t was the duty of every
Free State resident in the Territory
on the 18th of March to have his name
entered as voter: if overlooked. to
report himself; if rejected, to insist
upon his rights; and if these were de-
MED, to have witnesses of the fact. SO
that It might be put on record and au-
thenticated. If the names of thou
sands of men, not resident in the
Territory and not intending to reside
therein, were inserted, it is not yet too
late to expose this fraud. Let the
names of these thousands be obtained
and recorded, with the proofs which
show that they were not residents on
the 18th of March. The Convention,
the preliminary proceedings. its delib-
erations, and its work, will all come
before Congress with an Admins
tration majority in each branch and
if Fraud and Iniquity shall have
marked the whole operation for the
formation of Constitution and State
Government, the Free State men ought
then to be ready Nth their charges,
specifications, and evidence. Mere
newspaper reports and defamation
will avail nothing.
Let the Free State men stand aloof
take no part in the election, adhere
to their plan of Constitution and
Government, what then ? The census
has been taken; incorrect and fraudu.
lent lists of voters, as is alleged. have
been made ont; the election will be
held; no Free State man will vote
every delegate elected will be Pro.
Slavery; not majority, but the whole
of the Convention will be Pro-Slave-
ry; Pro-Slavery Constitution will
be formed, an election for State officers
and Legislature ordered, which will
he carried in the same way the con-
stitutional election was carried, anG
the Territorial authorities will abdi'
cate in their favor. How would the
Free State party then stand ? On any
better ground than if it had takeI
part in the election? Would it no
still be denounced from Washing
ton, menaced by the Federal army
and in peril of drum head execution
under the atroeie US Rebellion act q
Would its plan of State Government
find any more favor in the eyes of til,
Administration than it does now
In the name of common sense. wha
good is to be accomplished by tn,
stand-aloof. do-nothing policy? We
can understand what it is to measur,
our strength with an adversary at the
ballot -box-what it is to count heads
and we can understand what it is tc
resort to the last argument-revolu'
ton; but between these we can see ne
middle ground. If our friends il
Kansas mean to maintain their Free
State organization as an Independent
Government; to maintain it by force
of arms against the Pro-SlaveIy set,
tiers in Kansas and their allies in Mis-
souri; against the United States army
and the United States Government; j
they mean that the Legislature unde
the Topeka Constitution shall be 1
bona fds Legislature, to enact laws fol
Kansas, and provide for revenue; ant
that Governor Robinson shall enforc'
these laws against sll opposition; tha
in or ont of the Union there shall b
no Government for Kansas but tina
provided for by the Topeka Constitu
tion; let them proclaim it boldly; ant
if this be the meaning of our cotem
poraries of the Republican press. le
them declare it. If this be not tn
meaning, then let the motto of ever,
Free State man in Kansas and out o
it be. ITO the ballot-box |" If over
powered by violence, if cheated b,
trickery, publish your wrongs TO tn
world. reorganize your forces, and tr,
it again, and again, and again. til
Truth and Justice triumph, and Free
dom be forever established.
Whatever may be the decision o
our friends in Kansas, let them avoic
the fatal policy of doing nothing; sno
let them avoid, too, any act calculated
to furnish a pretext for the armed in
terference of the Federal Governmen
against them.
Some unthinking persons may CT.
that this is very tame but all We hav'
to say to them in. when we feel it ou
duty to advise others to adopt meas
ures which naturally lead to civil war
we shall feel bound to stand side b,
side with them, sharing in all the per
sonal responsibilities of the conflict
We are glad to see the New YORE
DAnY TINES takes the same view o
the position of our friends in Kansas
and is urging it with great force o
argument.-W Washington National Era
EAa.kis-.