The true Democrat., 1857-05-05
The Prospect in Kansas.

The anti-slavery press evince trepidation concerning the probable result of the political struggle Cover the formation of State Consti- tuton) now commencing in Kansas, that bodes well for the cause of the South. The anti slavery party there insist on continuing to ig- nore the existence of all that portion of the l territorial government that does not emanate directly from the authorities in this city. That lS of all the elective portion of the territorial government This attitude on their part in wolves refusal to participate in the election of delegates to the convention to form the pro- posed State Constitution and therefore amounts to insurance that those siding with the South will have majority of the body. The New York Times ably exposes the fact that for its friends in Kansas to hold such an atttude-and the hour has passed when they could have abandoned 1t to advantage-is to give up the contest before the first blow is struck on either side. The Era (published here) also scolds the Free State settlers roundlv for their want of common sense, as thus manifested
 But the truth is, there is something behind this foolish attitude of aboltionism in Kansas which those journals seem to us indisposed to explain. It is the fact that had the abolition party in the Territory done its best, it would have been defeated in the struggle. All know that an immense amount of money, and the | labor of an immense number of abolition dema- go ,ues have been devoted to the work of abo- litonizing the Territory; and that, according to the abolition press, that work has long since been accomplished. Their every account of the proportions of emigration to Kansas has represented perhaps five free State settlers go- ing there, to one from the South. They have consistently claimed an overwhelming majority of the settlers, though beaten up to this time in every election. While we believe that vast y more persons have gone into Kansas from non-slav olding than from slaveholding States, we are satisfied that the means resorted to by the agitators there and elsewhere to carry their ends, have defeated their object. Or, in other words, that large portion of the Northern set tiers who were there as independent emigrants, have joined shields with the Southern party, in order to rescue the Territory from what must necessarily be the evil effects of the ascenden- cy Of the grant-Aid- Society people in the management of its affairs. Ifslavery be reject ed, the State (new) Government is to be in the hands of ultra abotlonists who, in playing abolition pranks, as in Massachusetts, will de- stroy all prospect that the pew State will thrive; as what may be done by the authorities in Massachusetts with impunlty, can by no means be done In Kansas without generating and per petuating civil war there Hence, large DOT ton of the Northern men of real character and substance n Kansas prefer to sustain the policy of adopting the institution, to placing their new State government in abolition hands,
 We have no idea that the Times and Era are correct in holding that mere obstnacy is at the bottom of the refusal of the abolition party o the territory to linite in the approaching cleo tlfn I'1,no i,lo |. solution of the enigma is to besfsund in the fact that were they to attempt t5> kontest the election with the advocates for the institution of slavery, they would be ingloriously defeat ed; and they would then be unable to conceal from general public knowledg the fact that they have been fairly and squarely beaten. Their | hope Is In such assistance from the East as has been showcred on them up to this time; on which they cannot calculate, after it should become apparent to every one that in free and perfectly fair election they have been out voted
 Despite the efforts of free soilism, the prn- clpe of popular sovereignty in the territories as laid down by President Buchanan, and con tended for in the late Presidential election by the democracy, Is now overwhelmingly popular throughout the country. The right of terri tory, on the adoption of State Constitution, to accept or reject slavery, is admitted by nearly all; and many of those who, not long since, protesSed adherence to the doctrine that a new State may be excluded from the confederacv on account of its adoption of slavery as one of its institutions, are abandoning the position as un. tenabe, because sober second thought sat sfed them that it i5 in flat contradiction to the fun damental American principle of popular sover- eighty, explained above.
 We entertain much slighter fears of the re- suit ot the current contest in Kansas than a few weeks since; for we see in the refusal of Its abolition party to test its strength against our friends, where there Is no pretence that it cannot have perfectly fair field, proof that it shrlnkS from the contest because satisfied of its weakuesS.- Washington Sur.