The Kanzas news., 1857-11-28
The Felon Constitution.
SPIRIT OF THE KANZAS PRES.

written article which we have ever seen from
that side of the house
s-We do not know what viii be the imme-
diate result of this unfortunate proceeding
of the Convention. Whether the mass of
the people will participate in the vote upon
the alternative proposition, or leave them to
be decided by an inconsiderable party which
elected the members of the Convention, We
are wholly unable to predict. We are in
cIined to think that the Free State party
generally will refrain from voting, and that
trouble viii be produced by the adoption of
a Constitution known to be unacceptable to
the vast majority of the population.
Most earnestly do we deprecate a result
so unfortunate, and calculated to produce
such serious disturbance. VIII the troubles
of this unhappy Territory never have an
end ? Will parties never cease to struggle
for ascendancy, to be gained by stratagem
instead of by fair and manly appeal to
public opinion? We believe there viii never
be peace and quiet in Kanzas, until every
question of difference shall have been hon
estly submitted to the judgment of the peo-
pie, and decided by them without restraint
or hindrance. Any device adopted for the
purpose of evading this ordeal, will but pro-
long the struggle infinitely and give perpe-
tuity to trouble and to angry agitation.
With all our unfortunate history tefore
US, with the spirit of agitation and strife
still slumbering among US, and ready to be
aroused at any moment by the slightest
wrong or even appearance of injustice, we
cannot but repeat our declaration, that all
the laborious deliberations of the Conven-
ton have eliminated in folly, and are cal
culated to produce nothing but misfortune
to the Territory. The people cannot be de-
ceived by the mockery of an election, in
which they are at liberty only to choose be-
tween two propositions, when perhaps they
may not be willing to take either of them.
It matters but little, under existing circum
stances, whether these alternative propesi
tons are good or bad. The people, con-
scious of possessing the right of accepting
or rejecting, according to their own good
pleasure will not suffer themselves to be
forced in the matter at all-not even to .ac--
cept good Constitution, if it be forced upon
them in a manner inconsistent with their
right of choice. If a good Constitution
may be thus imposed upon them without
their consent, bad one may be as WE'LL
The accidental character of the two propo
sitions presented to the people by this STRAIT
agem, does not effect the question of right
as to the manner of their presentation, and
the utter want of freedom in the perform
ance of this great act of sovereignty-the
adoption of State Constitution
The Lawrence Herald thus defines its po-
sition at the present important moment
We welcome it as an indication of return
ing reason on the part of the Herald, and
are glad to see that it recoils from the effects
of the work that, during the past summer,
it has aided in consummating
''What shall be done? Shall we despond
give all up as lost, OF devise new plans of
action to meet the emergency; and, relying
upon that kind Providence who has thus far
sustained US, and backed by the eternal
principles of right, and oar Darn right arms,
work out for ourselves this problem? or
how shall we proceed
The platform of the Big Springs Conven-
ton resolved to ''resist" these encroach-
ments of the slave power ''to a bloody issue,
as soon as are ascertain that peaca6Le renae-
dies shall fail" We occupy precisely that
position; and, before Heaven, we solemRly
assert that we are ready to join the people
of Kanzas in crusade against our enemies
as soon as it is ascertained ''that peacable
remedies shall fall "
The Leavenworth Times has the ring of
the true metal in the following extracts:
s'The Usurpers' Convention met against
the will of the people, against every inter-
est of the Territory-materiai, social, polit
ical-and have framed Constitution which
establishes slavery.
''The first and last effort of this body was
to repress the will of the people-to prevent
them from having their say-and thus to
force upon them human servitude, whether
they wished it or not. Nothing done by it
was done fairly and openly. Their single
and selfish purpose was, to compel the free
men of Kanzas TO recognize absolutely the
right of the STAKEHOLDER, as against the right
of the freemen; to establish this right, not
only by crushing out every opportunity of
making liberty the ruling principle in the
Territory, but by interposing every legal
difficulty by which, or through which, the
WHITE MAN might assert his rights and de-
fend them.
Thus the Usurpers' Convention at Le-
compton have trampled under foot every
right dear to free people, and have dis
posed of, and virtually deposed Gov Walk
er, thereby defying the General Government
If that government were resolute on the side
of freedom and right. it would quickly make
that Convention, and its corrupt head, John
Calhoun, the scorn and contempt of the
whole country. But we cannot trust to it.
1t is bound to the Shareholders of the South,
or is afraid of them The freemen of Kan
zas, then, must rely upon themselves. They
must do the work the government in part
should do. We say, then, down with the
usurpation of the Lecompton Convention
and Its wretched dictator Down with all
such tyranny in this free Republic And
let freemen, struggling for freedom. have!