The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-12-17
THE LEcoMproN CONSTITUTION.

TEg.paper, which Mr.. Buchanan, it is said
thinks pre-eminently goo Constitution, is
publsAed in the Intelligencer of this city. We
cana3t spare room for it at present.
Il provides, in relation to the Governor and
Lieutenant Governor, that " they shfll be al
least thirty years of age, shall have leen 9Th.
zens sf the United States t,csnty wars, and
shall have been residents of Kansas at least
FIVE years next preceding the day OF election.
Is L the Know Nothing favor Of THIS provis-
ion tbst so delights Mr. Buchanan?
Power is conferred on the Legislature to in.
corporate one bank of discount and issue, but
not mere than two branches in other words,
to confer the exclusive privilege of banking
upon q single corporation. And yet, the bill
of rights, part CT the same Constitution, de-
clsres that all freemen, when they form go
cial' compact, are equal in rights, and that no
man or set of men is entitled to e4clussce sep
arate public emoIuments, or privileges. but in
confederation Of public services"
In the bill Of rights it is declared tha free
nega'es shall not be permitted to live in the
State under any circumstances" Mr.. D 1uglas,
in hi speech on the 18th, remarked Il at Hi
nois prohibited the immigration of free sgroes,
but DIG not interfere with these already ,sident
in the State. This class of persons may at
times become the subjects of oppressioh in the
SLAVE states, but no State has yet disgraced
Itself ~ the cruelty of driving them ont. II
was reserved for the Lecompton Convention,
so highly favored by Mr.. Buchanan, to attempt
this .nfernal outrage.
TIE article in relation to Slavery is as fol,
lows:.'
IL, "ARTIcLE VII-Harery
"Skc /. The right of property is before and
higher than any constitutional sanction, and
theIight of the owner of slave to such slave
and Eta increase is the same and s. inviolable
as The eight Of the owner of any property what
ever,
'fSEg. 2. The Legislature shall! have no pow.
er to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves,
without the consent of the owners, or withou:
paying the owners previous to their emancipa-
ton a. full equivalent in money for the slaves so
emaAeipated. They shall have no power to
preyest emgrauts to the State from bringing
with them such persons as are deemed slaves
by the laws of any one Of the United States or
Territories, 80 long as any person of tie same
age lld description shall be continued in Sla-
vers,Ey the laws of this State; provi, ed that
such Herson or slave be the bona tide roperty
of such emigrant; and provided, also, { at laws
mag lie passed to prohibit the Introduce on into
this State of slaves who have commit d high
crimes in other States or Territories They
shall have power to pass laws to pc NIT the
owners of slaves to emancipste them, SO ling the
rights of creditors, and preventing the N from
beeGmiug a public charge. They sh, Il have
poyef to oblige' the owners Of slaves TO treat
them with humanity, to provide for q en- the
necessary food and clothing, to abstain from all
injasiss to them extending to life or Ii, ID, and
in cage of their neglect or refusal to'comply
with the directions of such,laws to haze such
slave or slaves sold for the benefit of II oyne,
or owners.
"-SEC. 3. In the prosecution of g. ives fol
crimes of higher grade than petit lar, .eny, the
Legislature shall have no power to- deprive
themgof an impartial trial by petit il ".
q PE sBBffsg Ys1e 7 df hgg siQg BaIf
fer snch punishment as would be injected il
case she like offence had been commit ed on q
free Hbite person, aud on the like proc excep
in case Of instruction of such slave.">
Thig is recognition of the right of property
in slaves, of the right of holding suchy sroperty
in Kansas, and of the right of Introducing it
1t .s t,lso a recognition of The right of he Leg
islstpte to abolish Slavery, on certaia condi
tons, and of the right of the owner tc enamel
pate Dis slaves. If adopted, Slsyeholt ers may
settIein the new State with their slave,, and the
slave. already there will b. continuedsn bond
age ;.but the Legislature Or the owne., on GER
tain conditions, may emancipate, and he State
may be rid of Slavery.
Ba3 if, according to the schedule, /. / should
appear that majority of the votes returned
are efor the Constitutioa without I:lavery,'
this sgticle shall be stricken from ths Consti
tutioa, " and Slavery shall no longer exist in
the State of Kansas, (ercept that the right o,
propsyty in sldoes noaO in this Terrtt,ry shall
in Hosmanner be interfered aoith.")
Tha Constitution, Nth the Slavers. article,
opens the door to slaves from other States. con.
tinueS in bondage the slaves already IN Kansas,
but recognises the power of the Legs allure to
pus an end to all Slavery, and make Kansas a
free State. The Constitution acitAou, Slavery
shuts;.he door against slaves from OTIS ,r States
bus continues in bondage the slave ALREADY
there and at the same time denies alf power to
the Legislature to put an end to Slas.ry, or to
inte.fere Nth in any manner. Epder the
ConsStution with the Slavery article fhe State
may pc made free by law; bat, und n the Con.
stiiptson without the Slavery artick the State
canh{t be made free by lawl
Inst the Convention acted by des en- in this
msa, + is proved by section 10th of he Seized.
ule, l,oviding for an amendment of Ike Consti
tutios this section expressly prohibits any
amendment affecting the rights of property in
slaves, as follows:
"But, no alteration shall be made to afect
the right Of property IN the ownership If slares. =
Choose, then, the " Constitution 10. hout Sla.
vers,'' and still Slavery in the State perpetu.
ated forever, so far as written c. astitution
cou5t do it.
The following extract of letter to the Jack,
son NtSSiSsippidn, from friend" n the Lee
compton Convention, written on the light that
body closed it, labors, shows that thi was the
preciae effect intended to be secun 1. should
ptjority of votes be returned /" for the Con
stitpzion 'citaom Slavery"
=" Thus, you see that ahile, by subj itting the
question in this form, they are bounf to have q
ratification OF the one or the other; and that.
'chsLt Il seems 10 be an Election bet,ce J, Free
Stat and Pro Stacers Constitution IL is in
fact bat question Of The future IN reduction
Of iflaoery that is an controversy; I'D vet il
furnishes our friends il Congress basis on
WHY , to rest their Wind cation of the .dmsaion
of Fausas as State oder it into te Union
whiA they would not ht,ve it sent dil CITY from
the Convention.
a M :. Il - I