The Kanzas news., 1857-11-14
The Bogus convension---Its Results

delegates have gone home. and the result OF
their labors Is TO place another inchoate or
ganic law for. a State alongside Of the To-
peka Constitution, mutual competitors for
popular favor and official patronage. On
this point. then, the Pro-Slavery and Free
State parties are equal. The Topeka Con-
stitution is not partisansiocument-except
that it provides for free State, and that its
Bill of Rights declares that slavery or inrol-
untary servitude shall not exist in this State
except for crimes. On the other hand. this
bogus Constitution is eEninently partisan.
It is not only that it is Slave State Consti-
tution-it is even worse il is the sink into
which all the bogus corruption is poured.
It dei6es all the crimes of the Missouri
elected Legislature. Not content with en-
deayoring to thrust minority government
upon the people, they determined to thrust
into it all the crimes of bogus legislation.
This Constitution proposes in fact to be the
simple succession and perpetuation of the
bogus government.
We question if as deliberate piece of
villainy was ever concocted. We have no
question as to the fact that it was not con-
cocted by the Border Rufians, who have
heretofore held sway in this Territory. Il
bears the cunning marks of willy diplomacy,
and smells of Washington and of Governor
Walker all over. 1t is one of the most
abominable pieces of despotism ever devised
to swindle the public. Furthermore, we
learn from positive and reliable sources that
it sUas not the scheme of the ultra fre-eaters
in Kanzas. They, frightened by the results
of the late election, wanted to send the Con-
stitution direct to Congress. There would
have been no treachery in that; it would
have been high-handed villainy merely. But
this politicians scheme this executive
thimble-rigging, pretends to have an election,
and to submit, when it does not submit. 1t
wishes to swindle the people into the cleo
ton, and then claim that they have ratified
the Constitution, no matter how they vote.
This is done in a project, every syllable of
which breathes lie. Constitution with
out slavery" and Constitution with slave
ry;" while in any event Kanzas viii remain
slave State, and the Constitution cannot be
changed until 1864, and then only after a
two-thirds vote of both branches of the
State Legislature, and such change gires
no poaOer to interfere Nth the rights in slave
property The only point that is pretended.
is that it will prevent the introduction of
more slaves: but even that is the merest
pretence. No law can be made to interfere
with the right of property in slaves; the
Dred Scott decision settles il that slaves can
be brought here, and the Constitution that
they can be retained.
When we charge this scheme upon the
National and Territorial Executives, we speak
advisedly. We do not hesitate to say that,
not only was all the power of official patron
age brought to bear on it, but MoSEY-aye
MONEY was freely expended in the effort to
make the bogus Convention manufactory
OF this nefarious yillainy. We would add
that, on the night of Friday, the 9th. a
messenger was dispatched to the Executive's
office for more money. by those who acted
as their agents in the Convention, as with
out it the design might fail. Need we add
that the fresh subsidy was forthcoming. and
that thus was the result secured.
Nor was this all. There were members
in that Convention who were in favor ol
submitting the Constitution itself to the
people. In order to secure these. provis-
ION to submit the Constitution was incorpo-
rated in this scheme, and after the votes OF
these delegates had been thus fraudulently
obtained, and the matter carried this way,
these tools of a corrupt administration then
set about their last great struggle, and by
swindling and barefaced corruption struck
that, it's only fair provision. out. and thus
left 1t in the very worst condition. But tbs
degradation of the administration men was
even deeper. Many of the ultras. after they
were defeated in their plan of sending theil
Constitution direct to Congress. then insist
cd that the Constitution be itself submitted
if there was any submission. This was de-
feated only BY the efforts of the men who
In that Convention, worked at the bidding
OF Gov Walker and the administration.
= Let US add. that this is the most danger
Gus way of placing the question. Had tn.
Constitution been sent to Congress. tha
body, unwilling TO take the responsibilit,
even for the slaveocracy, might have sen
it back to submit. and made fairer provis
ions for the submission than ever can b
obtained from the pro-slavery rufians o
Kanzas. But this piece of tricksters' worl
opens no avenue by which the people ma.
obtain relief, Its reailythe bre-eatiag, war
bere:tinr project.