Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-08-21
MI Walkers Mission The Result


nor Of Kansas Territory to make Kansas
Slave State in spite Of the great majority
of the Free State settlers. The means
chiefly for preliminary operations to
effect this was what Jack Downing calls soft
slwder The great pacfcator' was emilia
zoned on his standard. No sound OF trum.
pet nor Of 'earpiercing fife, foreboding VIC
lence and bloodshed, was heard before his
footsteps. Soft music preceded him from
Washington soft music received him at
New York. The sound of flutes and soft
recorders only was heard on his arrival in
Kansas. The lovely sentiments Of the Kan
sas Nebraska bill were set to gcntlest music.
Tie rights Of the people were objects of his
chief delight. To force State constitution
upon them was abhorrcnt to the sentiments
OF their great father at Washington and
to his own. Surely tie people, the uhoie
people must he al owed 10 vote on Il matter
which so deeply concerned them as their
State Constitution. lie was with them
heart and soul on that point meanwhile
let there be no disturbances Let by-gones
be by-gonrs. lie would administer the
laws Of the territory with impartiality.
Every man could sit at case under the sha-
dow of his own vine and his own fig tree,
for the protecting providence of the COVER
nor should he round about him.
The \. Y, lines Lesought ultraists of all
parties to cease talkingabQut thedoad things
that were past. The Topeka Constitution
was dead and buried. No man in his SEN
ses could believe it would ever breathe
again. No doubt the bogus Legislature
came into power very unfairly, but the
Government says, and will say, that is the
true Legislature Of the Territory Better
therefore to consider it government de
tar'5 and yield to it 1t is madness to
stand out any longer. Vote for the dele
gates it has ordained to be elected to frame
State Constitution. Trust in Mr.. Walk
er. lie will heal all difficulties Don't
you see low fair he promises II all are to
have fair chance at the polls, what can
lie better lie Is the Joshua who will
lead all who will follow him. Free State
men and Pro Slavery men together, safely
over the Jordan which lies between the
wilderness of Territorial rule and the prom
ised land Of an independent and sovereign
State Government,
Whoever were lulled to sleep by gentle
sounds like these, the great body of the
free state men of Kansas were not. Their
wits had been sharpened in o school
whose lessons they were not likely to for
get They saw that the scheme was to gel
them to accept the government of the bogus
legislature as valid one. The moment
that was done they would find paddock on
their lips and manacles on their hands -
They would be placed before Congress and
the nation as cknowledged rebels if they
should resist any thing which that Legisla.
ture should call laws-if they made their
appeal against any wrongs to any other
courts than those acting in perfect compli
city with the usurpers. What those usur
ment officials had done, they knew by the
bitter experience Of the past, Why should
they trust savages who had barely washed
the paint off from their faces and bidder
their tomahawks behind them Why should
they believe that the tiger had changed III
nature by shutting its eyes and hiding it
tanGs in the soft velvet of its paws
Wisely and resolutely they said w no
over comes here under the authority of the
United States Government, and seeks tC
do justice shall have our respect. When
ever provisions are made whereby we all car
vote without let, or interference from
abroad so that according to the organic
act under which the Territory came into
being, the inhabitants thereof shall by q
fair vote be able to determine what sort of q
state constitution they will live under none
will be more ready to vote than we shall be
As for the bogus legislature, it was a
creature If usurpation and violence We
know 1t not. TO US it enactments are not
laws We neither heed them nor the men
whom 1t pleases to invest with pretended
power to enforce them.
The chagnn of the pro-slavery managers
at this result was extreme. They had not
caught the Free State men in the snare 30
cunningly laid. Their trick was exposed.
Not only so, but the Free State men went
steadily on to ascertain the numbers and
residences of the inhabitants of the terrific
ry, and in their preparations to vote anew
on the Topeka Constitution,
What need had Mr., Walker to wear
mask any longer Besides, the wolfsh
bowls of rage that were sent up from the
presses and political gatherings Of Che