Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-06-18
Letter From Kansas

) busiiy engaged in securing the necessarie
of life, and in planning some great epecula
tion. to do much fighting; but what a few
months will bring about. He who knows al
things only knows.
Some may think that the declared po lie.
of the administration with regard to Kansa
has the coloring of honesty and fairness, a
least; for according to the instructions giveI
to Governor Walder, the bcna-fde citizen.
are to be protected in the right to determine
the character of their institute rs, through
the baIlot-box. But ie the administration
has the laws of the bogus Legislature faith.
/ fully executed, as it has determined to do
will be matter of impossibility to admin.
lister justice to the people-to have fair
election or Constitution rejecting the
will and sentiment of the actual citizens
The lav authDrizes the delegates to frame a
state Constitution, which is not to be re-
ferred back to the people. Good or bad,
they must accept it. Who ever heard OF
such a thing before, in republic or any
where else! In order to participate in the
election of these potent delegates, your
citizenship must date back to 18th of March,
and your name must be on the census list.
But if you can get your name recorded you
can vote if yeu do not come in the territory
till the day before the election;for all who
have their names on the roll have the un-
disputed right to vote. There are hundreds,
if not thousands, who have been in the
territory from six months to two years s,and
have never seen the Commissioners appoint
ed to take the census. A number of such
know of. The Legislature, in organizing
the election districts, had no regard for
county lines and former districts; but so
arranged them as to secure, if possible,
pro-slavery majority ty-coDsequently. pro-
slavery delegate. For example, they put
Lawrence, In Douglas county, into the
Shawnee district, in Johnston county; for
that district borders on Missouri, and the
Shawnee Reserve is taken and held by
p.o-slsvery men. to the entire exclusion of a
free-state man. Last week there were
ninety-four Alacamians landed on that Re-.
serve, and | have no doubt but every man
will get his name recorded on the census-List,
if it was not already done before he left
home. All the judges Of the election are
pro-slavery. and should the fiee-state party
go into the contest, and outnumber them
fairly ten to one, l honestly believe that,
when the returns were made,the pro-slavery
delegates would be elected. believe there
are hundreds of the pro-slavery party who
would, in order to get vote, swear they
landed in Kansas out of Noah's Ark; and
they could find plenty Of Witnesses who
would swear they saw their footprints in the
sand
Such are few of the many schemes plot
ted to make Kansas slave state, and such
is the character of many of those engaged in
it. The iree-state party are in majority,
at least, of seven to one; and vet pro-
slavery Constitution will be formed, ,and pre-
sented TO Congress for admission. Next
winter there will be, in Congress, long
and angry debate about the admission cfI
Minnesota and Kansas. The pillars of the
government iDiA be shaken Our wise states
looming up in our political horizon, threat
ening the destruction of our glorious and
priceless Institutions, and, to avert this most
fearful and awful calamity they will become
extremely patriotic, make a compromise, land
do justice to both sections of the Union, by
Kansas as slave state. This, | believe,
will be the result, land thus a meager minor
ity will force slavery upon large majority
OF the citizens oi Kansas. Now, is it the
duty OF honest men, Of American citizens, of
Christians, to submit TO such foul and un-
princiPled measures-such gross injustice!
Ay, ii is the duty Of Buchanan Democrat
10 submit? | gave my vote and uoice for Bu-
chanan, in the late contest, being impressed
that the people OF territory should shape
their own Institutions; in other words, be-
lieving that the doctrine of popular SOW
ereign,y, as set forth in the Cincinnati plat
form, is the true policy OF this Government
But if the bona.fde citizens OF territory Can
not have the opportunity of regulating their
own institutions, and the party which holds
to that doctrine having the power TO remedy
the evil, and will no., the professed adher-
ence tc the doctrine Of popular sovereignty
is gross deception. If Congress admits
Kansas under the contemplated Constitu-
| ton, the great mass of the people OF this
territory will resist the State Government
even unto death. But if fair vote should
| be given to the citizens, if all the actual
citizens can have the privilege to enter into
an honorable and fair contest, there is not q
man but that would submit to the will of the
majority. Nj. s. BoNNIFIELD.
Big SPRINGS, Kansas Ter. April 81 1857