The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-12-26
Mass Convention,

I lOA q N ooS SN4DtHlIOU,
to assemble at Lawrence on the 23d inst
was responded to by large number of
citizens. TWAS organized Immediately
after the adjournment of the Delegate
Convention, by the appointment of Judge
6. ". SMITH as chairman, with G. W.
BRowN and NORMAN ALLEN as Secreta-
ries.
On motion committee of five con-
sisting of j. P. Root, Chas. Stearns, S. n.
Wood, A. D. Richardson, and DR.. Davis.
was appointed.
An animated discussion followed:
Thomas Ewing, Jr, ESQ.,, of Leaven-
worth, was invited to speak. He said he
was not delegate, but looker-on. His
views would probably i'll accord with
those of great majority of the Conven-
ton; but he would speak his mind, hit
or miss, and claim free speech in free
Kansas. He had differed radically with
the Free State party in the spring, and
had been for voting then, and did VOTE
He was for voting now. He was for Ac-
TIoN, and opposed to inaction. The pol
icy of inaction will destroy us. It will
lose us our cause, and the respect of our
friends in the States. They will tell us.
we should have fought through the ballot
box.
He was apprehensive we would be ad
mitted under the Lecompton Constitution.
Since the days of General jackson, the
Federal Executive has, almost uniformly,
carried through Congress any measure it
adopted. Should Mr.. Buchanan deter
mine to force this measure through Con-
gress, he can do it. The spoils are not
yet distributed. Many boilers from the
administration will be drawn into rank by
the attraction of public plumber. And
Douglas will fall with his eo-adjutors, as
the stubborn oak before the storm.
The only policy is to go into the cleo
ton for Stae officers. Every resident
can vote. The opponents of the Lecomp-
ton party are in majority of at least
1900. The plea that we cannot have
a fair election is pusillanimous. The
Territorial officers, aided by a civil posse.
can arrest and punish fraudulent voters. |
And, if the people are determined, the
laws can not be overridden-If we vote,
we can be defeated only by official fraud. If |
so defeated, we can stand frmer than now.
If we carry the State officers, and Con-
gress admits us, the Governor can at once
assemble the Legislature, which will call
new Convention to frame and submit to
the people new Constitution: and no
power outside the State can call in ques-
ton the validity of the Constitution when
so framed, submitted and ratified.
1t will be objected, that this is an aban-
donment of past policy and past resolu-
lions. 1t is no change of principle, but
of the mode of carrying it out. The
principle is, the Constitution must repre-
sent the will of the people. With the
shifting of events, the mode of action
must change, or fail. Do not sacrifice
your rights to the consistency of your lead
ers.
Thare is but one course suggested other
than that of voting. 1t is to set up an
independent Government. That is Re
belliOn. That man is mad who advises
this as mode of redress for grievance
which can be redressed at the ballot-box. |
1t would inevitably fail, and involve us
in ruin. Look at the past attempts at
rebellion in this country-and remember
how the nullifers acent down, and how the
whiskey insurectionists were PIT down. |
We may profit by their example. Talk
not of friends from abroad who promise |
to come and fght-they are summer
friends. The troops designed for Utah |
will stop IN Kansas; and instead of going |
to Leavenworth to see them parade, in
all the "pomp and circumstance of glori-
Gus war;" you will have to meet the fed
eral bayonets and fall before them in |
utter and hopeless defeat. The only |
mode of opposing this Lecompton Con-
stitution from which we can or ought to |
hope anything is the lawful mode. Let |
us go into the election for State officers
Let our platform be, THE PEOPLE against
UsURPATIoN. We can vindicate our SOW
ereignty at the ballot box. As Ameri- |
cans. as men of sense and patriotism, we
should adopt that remedy, and seek no
other.
Judge CONWAY followed. His speech
was characterized by his usual vigor
and force of reasoning, and he advocated
at length the voting policy He urged
his friends to go into the election, and if
defeated to adopt other means to defeat
the Constitution. The Judge replied to
several positions of Mr.. Ewing, which
called out Mr. F. in reply.
Mr. WALDEN followed with lengthy
speech against voting. Our space COM
pells US to omit it.
DR.. Robinson was called for. He said,
wish it distinctly understood that l am
as much in favor of the Topeka Constitu-
ton as any man, and in favor of the res
olutions of the I'd of December. The
resolutions of the I'd of December say that
the election of the 4th is misdemeanor
and crime. 1t was never designed by |
the craftsman Of that resolution that We
should not go into the election. But it
is not a backing down. Were it so, l
conceive it no crime to change my posi-
ton with changing circumstances. If an +
army was drawn up, and they should at
oi- No IN 4bo vao. sIo,,ll r.. LIo,,4 |