The Kanzas news., 1857-12-12

adopt by acclamation and without discussion
Gen. Lane several times attempted to b
heard but the Convention would not lister
even to him. The report was finally adopt
ed, with NINE riiuHpRR1Ne CHEERS FOR FREi
KAKzAs. GEN. LANE AND Gov. RoB1NsoN
Gen. Lane then spoke, in manner only
to be felt, but not described: Rising witt
the hour, he gaze expression to sentiment;
BETTING the occasion. He commenced BY
an allusion to the battle of Austerlitz ant
Napoleon's celebrated expression "''The Vic.
tory is ours Our position is not unlike
his. The sun has broken through the
clouds. We see the position of the enemy,
and though perilous struggle is before US,
we can still cry The Victory is ours AS
Napoleon looked back on his men, we car
on ours, and with 1900 Freemen bid de-
fance to our foes. We may be compelled
to strike all our enemies, and tonight we
calmly, wisely and with true patriotism,
say that ace mil strike even the Government
of the United States, should it continue to
Cypress u.s.
The General continued in this strain for
over an hour. We cannot attempt to repeat it.
Judge Conway spoke briefly and endorsed
the action of the Convention.
A motion was made that all the Dele
gates to the Convention be requested to
sign the resolutions.
DR.. Davis, of Leavenworth, was called
for, and spoke.
Gov. Robinson was called and addressed
the Convention.
VIM. A. Phillips was called and said:
''Mr. President, and Gentlemen of the
Conventioh:-Id do not rise to make lengthy
speech, nor to elaborate further any details
of the plan you have just adopted l rise
chiefly for particular purpose, but before
doing what purpose would briefly urge
certain things upon your consideration
The resolutions you have endorsed so unan-
imously and enthusiastically tonight, how
ever wise and noble, are but resolutions.
You have said to the men of our common
cnuntry and the world, that it is our duty
and our right to do certain things; and that
we aUW it. 1t is now our duty by acts-by
intelligent and energetic steps, to make the
theories we have resolved, into great facts,
and to write them in the political history of
our country-to show that we are equal
to the importance of the emergency before
US, and TO what we have assumed; that our
language is neither the Vapid defamation of
men under excitement, nor the tinsel that
covers irresolution and cowardice. Wemust
not deceive ourselves by assuming that the
facE hafOra IS nm
few and imbecile. Our task is to secure the
freedom of Kanzas-to recover our civil
rights as American citizens, and should the
United States government again aid the usuT
pers in their unhallowed efforts, we must not
be intimidated from maintaining what we
now resolve. This .perfdious scheme en-
bodied in the Lecompton Constitution is the
plan of powerful and unscrupulous meE.
Deeply versed in political chicanery they
have calculated that the peaceful character
of the Free State men of Kanzas would sub
NIT if thus boldly driven to the wall. 1t
remains for us to show those who thus tam
per with our most sacred rights that we are
fearfully in earnest. Some remnants of po-
litical conscience may still linger with the
Democracy of the North, and they may aid
US in our opposition to this political swindle:
but rash, indeed, it would be to trust a con-
tingency so precarious. On themselves
alone the men of Kanzas must RELY.
The prospect before us wears many threat
ening aspects. That the National Admins
tration endorses the Lecompton fraud we
have too much reason to fear. and we must
prepare to meet it, and to overthrow the
scheme here in Kanzas. Every delegate,
and every Free State man on this floor to-
night must prepare to go home from this
to aOork and scutch, until we have
accomplished what we propose.
The question the people of Kanzas were
now struggling to settle, was momentous
one. 1t is much to them, and to Kanzas;
much to the best interests of the whole
and much to all who love repuoli-
can liberty. 1t was not alone whether slave
~ should stain the soil of Kanzas. It was
not alone that Missouri fraud should be over
thrown, but it was whether the free institu-
ions bequeathed by the patriots of '76
should remain the heritage of our common
It was whether our republican
institutions should remain unshaken and un-
corrupted. In our victory comes the victo-
y of justice, humanity, and free govern
nent. The struggle is before US, and in it
We must prove that we are worthy of the
privileges we inherited and the political lib
,rty we demand.
A few years ago an old Federal Office
holder in Boston. lifelong member of the
Democratic party. said that the time was
coming, and that men now living would see
{, when our government would become a
lespotism, but it would be despotism un-
ier the name of Democracy. Perhaps we
If Kanzas had good reason to think that we
had already lived to see the fulillment of
his prediction. But there are still deeper
iePths of political degradation before us,
inless we feariessly meet the issues before
Is and conquer.
The speaker said he had but little faith in
he Democracy, or in anything that was of