The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-09-17
MATTERS IN KANSAS.
THE CHRISTOPHER FALLS MASS CON
VENTION.

vENTION.
On Wednesday, August 10Th, Mass Con
vention of the citizens of Kansas was held az
Grasshopper Falls, for the purpose of deciding
whether the Free State men should participate
in the October election. About FIVE hundred
people were present. General Lane, from tie
business committee, having presented a series
of resolutions favorable TO the policy, q mum
Der of speeches were made by the prominent
men of the Free State party, for and against
the proposition, which are given at length by
the correspondent of the Missouri DemOcclt
SPEECH OF JUDGE CONWAY.
Mr.. Conway did not believe in this nice dis.
tinction of people of Kansas and the Free State
party. They were one and indivisihle. For
the action of this meeting and its result. the
Free State party would Justly be held respan.
sible. The resolution recognised the proceed
ing In October as an election. As no election
is held but by virtue Of some law, it follows
that we recognise the bogus ensctments, under
which we propose to vote, as valid statutes
if we 90 into this eection-in other words. tha.
the Territorial Legislature was legitimate
body. 1t the party assumes this position. it
abandons Its own, and takes the ground of the
enemy. 1t not only stUltihes itself but repudi.
ates Its past action. 1t admits that It's course
up to this time has been wrong. The world
has justified US in our past position. II ia
right position, and he would not abandon il
He would not surrender to the enemy BIZ cd
hitting, by this action, what they have always
claimed-that the Territorial Legislature was
Legitimate body. 1t was the abandonment
OF strong position in which we were sure 10
win, for a weak position in which there was
every chance of failure.
de maintained that we could never stand up
/ for the TOOaka OrUp pi1af;or
! cipated In this election. In opposition 10 Mr.
Redpsth, who had advocated that Territorial
| organization, if the Free State men succeeded,
| should give way for the Topeka Government.
he said that it could not be done, az that Gov
eminent was founded on the idea that there
was no valid Government in Kansas and We
proposed to undermine the foundation it stooi
on. They ought not, he thought, TO give wsy
to the Topeka Constitution if they succeeded.
They had no right TO do so; for W the mere
fact of being there, they held that the Topeka
organization was a usurping Government. and
they ought to put it down. Either the Terri
torial Government or the State Governmeu. is
spurious. By admitting the validity of the one,
we declare that the other is bogus concern.
Again the Free State party bad declared
that they would never pay the Territorial taxes.
But II we went into this election, We would be
stopped from refusing to do 50. The Border
Rutisns would throw it in our teeth, that We
could not refuse to pay the taxes, on the
ground that the Legislature which imposed them
was not legal body, if we got into this cleo
ton. The Democratic press everywhere would
repeat the truth. We would Be Obliged to paw
/ them, or, if we resisted their execution, would
do so without sympathy and without support
Some suggested that We accept the Lagislature
| THUG far but If, in the coming election. fraud
/ 10 d, -, I
This would be impossible. How, if We accent
ed the fraud Of the Both of March $50, and
the innumerable frauds that have been perpa-
trated since that time, could We consistently
repudIate those frauds, and the results of those
frauds, In consequence of another fraud and It's
results? 1t was a preposterous suggestion.
The speaker had been the first TO repudiatc
the Territorial Legislature. He did so on hIs
own responsibility and for himself clone. The
same reason which induced him to repudiate
them at that time, compelled him TO refuse
recognition of them now. Therefore he op-
posed the adoption of the report He read
Gen. Atchison's letter to South Carolina, 10
prove that the blue lodge propagandists had uot
yet abandoned all hopes Of Kansas. He re-
terred to the apportionment; but as | have el-
ready explained that fraud at great length,
need not repeat bis remarks. He showed that
carry the election without sending a man more
than twenty miles from the Missouri river.
The Judge concluded his speech by recon
mending that the military organization be COM
pleted and the election broken up-that it be
used for the demolition instead of the protec.
tiop Of the ballot. box.
GEN. LANE IN FAVOR or VOTING.
General Lane said he felt in the position Of
man who was imprisoned for a crime Of
which he was not guilty. There was ouly one
way of escaping from his cell, and that was BY
a sluice which carried off the filth of the prison
To get out in that way, he had to lie down in
the filth and crawl out BE did it. One oC
the jailors saw him, and tried to stop him. But
the prisoner threw filth at him, aud drove him
of. He escaped. This was what we proposed
to do now. We proposed to lie down in their
filthy laws, and bespatter them with them. II
we could escape in this way, he was in favor Of
doing it. He differed with Conway about TIE
character of this meeting II this was Free
State meeting, he begged it to be distinctly
understood that he was not there. Laughter.
He had no doubt that the Free State men had
handsome majority-a working majority
here; but it was meeting Of the people ire
fpective of party distinctions. There were three
hundred persons present, and probably not
three Pro-Slsvery men. The Free State party,
as party, had nothing to do with their pro
ceedings. There we're coed Free State men in
Kansas-prudent men, fathers Of families
who, before resorting to fight for their rights,
before plunging the Territory in war again,
we're DESTROYS of trying the ballot. box once,
even in spite of the disadvantages we had to
struggle under. he hoped that they would be
permitted one opportunity; and if we failed
Though fraud, then he had no doubt they would
be willing to put their muskets TO their shout
ders with the most radical men in Kansas. Ap-
plause. As the utmost unanimity was nects-
sary for success, he hoped that they who opros.
ed this policy would waive personal preiudices,
and unite in October for the good of the com
mon cause. Applause He did not regards
the sluice party as backing down from the Free
State platform. He appreciated the difficulties
we would have to encounter in getting down
into the filth" We would have the whole forca
of the Federal and Territorial Governments aud
the entire flibuster force of the State Of Mis-
souri, to contend against. Before pledging our.
selves to 60 into this election, he wished each
man to pledge himself before Almighty Cos to
carry it. We could not afford to be defraudsd.
All our hopes hang on this election. IF We lost,
Kansas would be slave State, or war, internal
and civil, within our borders and throughout
the Union, would be the result He asked
every man to pledge himself that he would not.
come what might, submit to defeat By fraud.
The General again urged the people to be
united, and prepare to meet toe Missourians, if
they come over, at the point of the bavonet.
If they came over, he hoped they would come
10 stay If you determine to 90 into the cleo
ton in October, let each man here, without ref
erence to his age or calling, at once Join some
military company, that you may be organized
for the defence of our rights, and let us support
this organization with determined hearts. Then