The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-11-14
From the Lecomptou Demoer,.
The Constitution, Mott be Submitted "a ;. -

Cbifs4tttt' ts'tts W a q fIioNiSluD iOf Sillmis
ting the Slavery clause TO vote Of ~
reeple. Itremains 10 he seen wbs,haS
this pariial ard imperfect orroruritr :.
mould the irs'itufinns of the rss... 20
Safe. viii satisfy the peolle who =.
most interested in them.
The proceedings of the Convent,
have not yet been published. and We ~.
not altogether certain that We are eor,ao.
ly advised in all particulars. But asroS
ding 10 orr information, the question ~
On which the peoplear authorized "a 4
eide is upon The peculiar provisions n-s
sented an the subject of Slavery, Tbsr
are called ulop.o vote s'For The Cons;
tuition WITH Slavery or "For the Co..;
triton wITHouTSiaverys' bat at all evrr ,.,'
they must vote for the Constitution. in oae
or the other of the two exact form< :
which the Convention has chosen :.
frame il.
We are even Informed. though We -.
scarcely credit the statement. tia, \.
admission is not even in so good a fa.
as this. According to this iniorm,.;o-
the question left to the people is o,l1r
whether slaves shall hereafter he ir,,o
duced into the State, ar whether II an
continue in the condition in which \.
Territory now is, with limited ppnls.
of slaves, to remain rs such urde, u,
new Constitution. If this be the -.
character Of the propositions suhmit.edbv
the Convention, it is very evidep, ,b.,
they do not meet the exigencies of ~.
case, and will never satisfy the peopls
independent of the fact, that there : >.
given to reject the instru.
ment altogether, or TO adopt IL bv 4 ia.
and unconstrained vote in its favor. ibp,.
is in truth, nothing substantial involrsj
in the alternative presented. II Is notb-
ing,but the old story Ofthe white man ana
the Indian "I'll take the turkey AMI
you take the huzzard: or YOU take ,bs
buzzarl and I'll take the turkey.p kk
nothing but a dodge of the most disrepat.
able character.
We cannot but consider this resui; =,
most unfortunate, and calculated TO r-n-
long the difficulties in the Teritory. |.
was perhaps the necessary consequence si
the peculiar circumstances attending The
election of the Convention itself. Tar
body was chosen by mere faction a
the population, and could not be consider.
ed as representing the masses. Hayir-
no sympathy with the people, aid CT.
scious of not commanding their Confderce
it would have required more than onlifs.
nv wisdom to have induced them to ha7.
ard their work by putting it fairy and
unreservedly to the popular vote. Tkey
have chosen what, in their sharp sighiei
cunning, seemed to them the more efec..
ual mode of forcing the people to asCeR
one of two alternative propositions, CIV
ing the meiority absolutely nO opp0rm..
ty to reject form of government, which
may not be in accordance with their soy.
ereign will.
We think the Convention has commit
ted capital error. 1t was in their P'rsF
to redeem themselves in The
eyes ofthe people, and TO cure all the de-
fects of their original election. They
ought to have risked themselves fIahk,'y
upon The popular support, appealing io'hs
patriotism and justice of the people 90
their acts. With the exception Of
Judge Elmore, A. w. Jones, and a few
,ther good men, they seemed to be haunt
ID bv the fear that the majority would a.
ect any Constitution that they might
make. Better. thousand times, TIA;
heir Constitution should be rejected, ih8h
hat it should he forced upon III UrW'i-
ing and dissatisfied people. But We do
lot believe, that if frank and manly
confidence had been exhibited iowaFis
he people, that reasonable and fair Con
titution would have been rejected lF
hem. They wculd have been e"Dcilia-
ed by the full acknowledgment Of Their
light to decide upon the adoption Of Their
law, and 10 considerable TaT'
# them would have sacrificed their sense
# duty 10 a mere feeling OF resentment
Ne have had abundant evidence to salts
Y our minds that while the more raneoF-
us and heated partizans were ready to
,ote down anyfhing that might be PIE
ented, the great body ofthe peoPie, intel
igent and sober minded men OF bushes.
Iaving but little interest III mere parry
ere prepared to judge OF TIE
Constitution upon its real merits, and 70
ote accordingly.
With all our unfortunate history before
5, with the spirit of sgitatien and STRIFE
i'll slumbering among US, and ready to
e aroused at any moment by the slight
st wrong or even appearance OF injustice,
e cannot but repeat our declaration, ihai
II the luxurious deliberations of the Con
eniion have eliminated in folly, anG
re- calculated TO produce nothing but nii'-
,rtune to the Territory. The people can
OF be deceived by the mockcry of en- cleo
on, in which they are at liberty only TO
hoose between two propositions, when
erhaps they may not he willing 10 iake
ther of them. Il matters but little, NJ
er existing circumstances, whether these
Iternative propositions are good or bsa
he people, conscious of possessing the
ght of accepting or rejecting aeeorcingio
leir own good pleasure, viii not suHsT
to be forced in the matter At all
mot even TO accept a good Constitution
it be forced upon them in manner u,
with their right of choice. u
good Constitution may be thus imposed
pom them without their consent, fFa
be may be as well. The accidental char
TER of the two propositions presented 70
lie people by this stratagem, does not el-
'ct the question of right as to the nan
er Of their presentation, and the ut'e,
ant of freedom in the performance o.
lis great act of sovereigniy-the aaeP-
on of n State Constitution.
We do not know what viii be the IN
ediate result of this unfortunate 20
,eding Of the Convention. Whether the
Ass Of the people win participate ID 'ns
,te upon the alternative proposition, @
ave them to be decided by an ineonsia-
able party which elected the membeiS
the Convention, we are wholly ursiAs
predict. We are inclined to think ina
ie Free State party generally will TeiraiE
ON voting, and that trouble will be Pc
need by the adoption of CONSTITUTED
1own TO be unacceptable to the Vas' ma
rity of the population. ;.
Most earnestly do we depreeafe resal.
unfortunate, and calculated 10 pTodpes
l. = al no