The Washington union., 1857-11-24


the in hand that Of the reports concerning the con-
stitutiona convention of Kansas The letter writer's had
taken extraordinary pains TO make il appear that the cit
zens Of Kansas were after ALL going to be cheated out
of their rights by the hocus pocus of this convention No
statements TO this effect too intense for them 10
make. Rebellion was TO be the only remedy. The peo-
pie would be satisfied until, as Mr. Burlingame
pleasantly expressed It In the late canvass they
permitted TO wade up to their knees in blood. But in
few days the aspect Of things entirely changed These
reports all contIadicted The schedule Of the con-
venton In submitting the constitution to the people for
their approval the contrary explicitly puts the denial
on them So we declared il would turn out in the first
place We had learned enough OF these extaordinary
reports the journal calls themto know just about
what they were good for, and that was nothug
1t has been very ndustriousy circulated that even
the people Of Kansas did pass upon the question Of
slavery slavery when the constitution submit
ted to them 1t all amounted to nothing for if they
voted for the constitution oa slavery the constitution
would only be silent upon it, which would be equivalent
its recognition under the constitution But this not
The schedule provides in section eleven, that the
2st day of December the popular vote ON the oonsttu
ton shall be taken the ballots shall be inscribed with
the words constitution with slavery, and constitu
ton with slavery" If majority of the ballots are
found to have been cast for the former then the const
tuition shall be transmitted it is to Congress for its ac
ton but If the majority is the other way then g the
article providing slavery shall be stricken from the
constitution by the president Of this convention and
slavery shall era in he STATE Of Kansas, except that the
right of property in slaves now in this Territory shall IN
Thus stands that matter IL majority of ballots,
therefore, shall be found opposed to slavery it will have
foothold in Kansas and Kansas comes into the Union
free State. viii the insatates ON the other side be
satisfied with this do they yet ask for something that
is impossible
When the people have finally passed this constitu
on ii is to be sent to Congress On the first Monday
in january the election for governor and State officers
will come off, and the present territorial laws will remain
force under the execution of the present territorial
officers until that time After the year 1864 1t shall re-
qre twothrs vote Of each branch of the legislature
TO call convention to amend this constitution as also
majority of the people besides Nothing is said to imply
that up to that time it will be perfectly competent
for majority Of the citizens of the State to make
such alterations in their organic law as they may think
proper Neither the convention Congress itself pos
sess the power to restrict their free action.
The only matter remaining is to in what tenn
per the reeSate of Kansas inclined to receive
the constitution thus submitted Upon them rests
the responsibility it, they continually assert they pos
sess the controlling power--in the new State
The article from the Union commend to all our read
alike II is well calculated to put this matter right
in the minds of the people.
The Rochester (New York; Union, in its issue Of
the Goth, not only condemns the action of the
vention but publishes extracts from the Detroit Free
Press and the Philadelphia Press TO show that it is
not alone in its opposition Fortunately, our Roches-
ter contemporary was convinced that his condemna-
tons had their origin in misapprehensons, for, in
the same issue, we find the following timely post
script;
Since the above written the mails have brought
authentic advices which materially qualify the
poets of the conventions dongs above set forth and
prove the necessity of the caution gave few days
ago, to trusting republican representations of Kan
affairs 1t appears that the slave question is
submitted very fairly to the popular vote of the whole
people of Kansas and that the regular territorial gov
ernment is superseded in the manner alleged.
Tho St Louis Leader, after publishing the consti-
tuition entire, says
1t will be observed that the constitution thus submitted
to the people of Kansas is copied almost verbatim from
the declaration of rights of the constitution of the United
States and of the individual States and there is scarcely
clause in the entire constitution which is not taken
from the constitution Of of the States In refer
the clause slavery would further state that
the convention provided that the constitution should be
submitted to all the male citizens of the Territory of
Kansas the age of twentyone years for ratification
rejection Also that the ballots cast at such election
shall be endorsed constitution with slavery constitu
ton without slavery In other words those voting for
the constitution may do So at the time accepting
rejecting the slavery clauses.
Such is the constitution and such is the mode in which
it to be submitted to the people of Kansas One would
suppose that nothing could be farer, nothing sats
factory to the people of both sections of the country