Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-12-05
Remarks in the Kansas
Constitutional Convention.

IL IAooioy, vi lsicJ Couh1Js piSCHeu
into both reports. He denounced the
proposition of the majority as a base at.
tempt to swindle the people, and the min.
lonty repor. a ~high-handed outrage. He
said hat the "Nationals" wanted to slip
poison into the Freesoilers' cup, while the
Atchisonites were for blowing out thei,
brains ~openly,& that was all the differen ce
between them on the slavery question. He
then offered q substitute promising to sub
INIT the whole constitution to all the legal
voters with a proviso requiring every voter
20 swear to support this constitution if ii
should be ratified, the Nebraska bill and
the fugitive slave law! His substitutes
was tabled by a large majority.
"Col. Jenkins, fugleman of the Ultraists,
next spoke. He took the broad Southern
Democratic ground, and claimed that the
Convention held the sovereignty,and sho'd
decide not to submit the constitution, or
any part of it, to the people. He said The
public good and the proper equilibrium
between the free and slave States required
that Kansas should come into the Union
as a slave State. He knew it would be
received if a slave constitution was sent up
to Washington. He said that he hal read
ia letter from President Buchanan to n
prominent member Of the pro-slavery party
in Kansas, to the effect that 'the constitu-
ton would be received in the form as sent
up by this convention"
"Mr. Wells, Douglas county, was oppos-
ed to both reports. He denounced in bit
tier terms those who were designated as
Abolitionists in the Convention. They
were all National Democrats; there was
not a Black Republican. among Them
Although he considered Republicans as
enemies to the Constitution and country,
vet they were citizens and entitled to a
voice in the institutions under which they
must live. We cannot get over this, and
we should not, says he,make a constitution
lin which the people were prevented from
expressing themselves on the institutions
under which they wish to live. ThisCon.
~vention represents only two thousand vo-
tiers, and there are twenty thousand inKan
Isas. 1t was repugnant to all his ideas of
right for two thousand men TO attempt to
dictate to ten times their number and force
upon them institutions which they hated
and abhorred. He did not believe that
Congress would accept a constitution 50
framed; he thought the Northern Demo
Gratis would not dare to vote for admitting
aStato under such circumstances; and, If
they did, the Black Republicans would de-
stroy the party in every free State. The
destruction of the Democratic party in the
North would be a calamity which the ad-
mission of a dozen slave states would not
counterbalance."
"Gen. Calhoun, of Springfield, lI,made
ia long speech in favor Of the majority re-
port, and Of only submitting the slavery
clause to the people. He was opposed to
giving the 'Topekaites' a chance vote down
our Democratic constitution. The MAORI
ty report would compel the Abolitiohists
to vote for the constitution, while they
were voting down the slave clause, no
matter how repungnant it might be to
them. in this way we have got them
tight said he, 'and they can't help them
|~selyes.' There several provisions in the
body of the Instrument which sufficiently
protect slave property, which, with the
bred Scott decisien, is all that Southern
gentlemen should ask. By this means
Kansas will come into the Union as a
Democratic State, like Illinois! M b
"A dozen other speeches were made,
which we have no room to SKETCH 9a i
"Judge Gilmore offered an article to be
incorporated into the constitution, viz
That from and after the ratification of this
constitution by the people the further en-
~igration of slaves in this State shall be and
is hereby prohibited That this clause
shall be admitted in the following shape
sConstitution without slavery 1t was
voted down by rs to II. A vote was
then taken on the minority report, which
provides for sending up the constitution to
Congress with its pro slavery clause, with
ont submitting it TO the people at all, which
was lost: Ayes %, nays 25.
1.-THE Sou.hern members then stormed
and ragged, and swore they would leave
the hall, never to come back. The Ma
%tionals' became alarmed. A motion to
reconsider prevailed by ayes %, nays 20.
A motion was next made to table the
minority report, which vas lost on a tie
vote-ayes "a, nays "a. The Southern
members again stormed. The final vote
was then taken on the adoption of the
pro-slavery minority report, and resulred,
ayes 26, nays 23-carried. The ultras
then followed up their victory by attempt
ing to put the whole constitution upon its
final passage. After a fierce contest the
|Conventio1 adjourned at a late hour &c
meet at 8 A. M. Monday morning, No
venber 8.
.As the matter stood at adjournment
1.-THE Fire-Eaters bad achieved a signal tri
umph. A clause bad been adopted in the
constitution making Kansas forever a slave
State; and this constitution was ordered
to be sent te Congress without submission
to the people in any shape-not even IN
the sw indling form proposed BY the Doug
~lasites. The people of Kansas are in a fer
mont An explosion may take place at