New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-06

COnnlvanCe OF the late AOmlnstThtlOu lOug ~
since the Missouri River was closed against travel
ers from One-haf Of the States ri this Union The
act admitting Missouri into the Union, as well a. nu-
merous other acts Of Congress- declared that the Mis-
sour River should remain public highway, forever
free 10 all the citizens 0f the United States; yet this
selfstyled Democracy, being IN power, protesting u
be the peculiar friends o. law and order aud declaring
in their political platform that every citizen OF every
section Of the country ha. right to demand and IN
sist upon al equality Of rights and privileges, and to
| be afforded by the Federal Government complete and
ample protection in biz person and property suffered
that great national highway to be closed to the mm
| grafton TO Kansas from the Free States nearly the
whole Of last season. Numbers OF persons nom our
own State last year deprived OF their liberty and
| of numerous acts Of Congress, and yet the
| Administration raised not finger for their pro-
| lection, or to prevent the outrage What an
example is this of equality OF rights to citizens from
ard property and of the administration Of law by the
| selfsiyled Democracy Had negro slave escaped
| and been found in Boston the whole power OF the
Government, through the army and navy would have
BE- en- brought To bear necessary to execute the law
of Congress for his recapture; but hundreds Of free
white men could be imprisoned and robbed, in viola
ton of law, public highway of the United States,
and the Govenmen nj refused to interfere. In the est
nation Of the .efstyed Democracy the recapture of
single negro slave escaping from bondage is Of more
consequence than the protection Of hundreds of white
men, Shame on an Administration and party which
enforce laws to protect Slavery, but refuses to
| enforce those which protect freemen.
The struggl, going on in Kansas is not whether
il shall be Free or Slave State though 1t Is doubt
ess involved in the issue but the grent and all impor-
tant question IT, whether the white people OF that Ter
ritory shall have an opportunity TO assert ther rights
and be free whether they shall longer be forced TO
submit to the usurpaton which mas been established
the people OF Kansas be permitted to form their
Stale Constitution, rhall they be forced to submit to
Constitution having its origin in fraud and violence
| ard imposed upon them against their CONSENT In
This issue the great principle of efgOvemment and
free institutions is indeed involved and is vastly
important than whether negro slavery shall or shall
not hereafter exist in Kansas.
The true question is shall the white population be
permitted TO assert their rights, shall they be en-
slaved by q cunningly devised system OF fraud and
violence, which is sought to be carried out under the
forms Of law Ii is known to you all that the Terrific
rial Legislature which first assembled in Kansas was
electt by Missouians and not by the people OF that
Territory. This Legislature, as wa natural took steps
to perpetuae its power, imposed test oaths Is quail
fcaon for voting at future elections and undertook
TO pass divers ohe unconstitutional acts The people
Of the Territory have stouty refused to recognize the
validity Of its proceedings, and by voluntary move
nent OF their own, got up an organic ation formed
State Constitution and asked for admission into the
Union This has hitherto been refused by Congress,
though bill to that effect passed the House OF Rep
lesentaves. In the mean time second bogus Legs,
ature assembled under the authority of the first and
passed an act calling Convention to form State
Cor sttuOn, prescribing a registry OF voters, their
qualification, &c, and retaining in their own hands
| the exclusive control of the election. Having Orig
nally usmped authority, and all OF them as well as all
the Territorial officials throughout Nle Territory, hold
ing III, r places against the wishes OF large ma
joIty of the people, it was. hardly, to be ex-
| peeled that men who had attained power by
such means would provide peaceable way for their
| own overthrow. They knew that through the regis
try Of voters to be made by their instruments, they
held in their hands perfect control of the election
In perfect accordance with the fraud perperated when
Kansas first invaded, the Commissioners to regis
ter voters made ust such lists as would insure ui-
Ixn Golf sfxl oh
patty; no person whose name not on the list be-
| ing allowed under the law to vote. The lists re-
TUNED embrace only about half the counties in the
Territory and upon those returned the names OF Pro
Slavery u alone general thing appcar-at all
events they constitute majority OF the listed v0'ers
The free men, constituting large majority, and some
sey fourfths of the populaiion refused under snch
circumstances to have any tbng to do with the cleo.
ton. Indeed but few Of them could have voted, had
they desired to, they not generally registered
With full knowledge that an election was to be
in only about one-haf the counties IN the Territory
and that in those the Free-State men had not been
On arriving in the Territory to issue an address to the
people, telling them that they were invited to parti-
epate freely and fairly in the election Of Delegates
| " TO fame q Constitution and State Government
What effrontery tell tue people OF Kansas that an
election to be held under such circumstances was free
and fair, aud that il would be their own fault II they
did not vote Tantalus, afflicted with raging thirst
and invited 10 drink Of the water in which ne stood,
| Which was made TO recede as often as he made the
| ATTEMPT was not more completely deluded o: grew
ously Ton mented than would have been the FreeState
| men of Kansas, had they attempted to participate
| in the election TO which by Governor walker ue!
| were invited. , .,
| Many persons wishing well TO Kansas have thought
the fec State men ought 10 have participated IN Inc
recent election of delegates but if the facts be as re-
ported it would have been utterly useless for them 10
have attempted it, and they wise III leaving the
matter wholly in the hands Of the self-syled Delnec-
rucy Ii, as is sometimes contended, that party az
much opposed TO the 81 read of Slavery as the kepuo-
| licans they will now have fair opportunity OF snow
pg it, The Republican. having failed TO participate
in The election the se!-syle led Democrats nave ua IL
all their own way. They have the entire Convention
and can shew by prohibiting Slavery that they are op
| rosed 10 its introduction; the other hand, should
hty fail to insert such provision, or insert one a.
| lowing Slavery the evidence will be conclusive mat
their prcepsions in this respect in many others, 10
not tally with their acts, and that as party they are
for Slavery. 1t will then be apparent that II rec ION
Is TO be maintained anywhere, the country must rely
| upon Republicans TO do 1t.
| S.ne suppose that if a Slavery Constitution Is
f,amed IN Kapso. il will have to be submitted to the
n,orle for adou.ion and that il will then he IN their
bower 70 vote It down. Sac people seem to suppose
that the election upon the adoption OF the Constita-
ton will be more fairly conducted than was that Tor
| tbe election Of delegates but what reason have we
| for believing that such will be the case The same
party will have the fixing of the qualification OF voters
an The control Of the whole working of the election,
| and if they submit the Constitution when framed to
| vote it will most probably be under sucn circum'
Stances as will be sure to keep the control IN their
own hands, SO difficult is it TO get rid o: usupation
| when once established, and when the usurpers nave
under their control the forms Of law, that can see
| no way Of escape while the people submit to give
expression TO their sentiments only IN the way "hch
| III cir usuIpers point cut.
The hope OF the people in Kansas hes IN tneinseves,