Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-11-20
BURLINGTON :
FRIDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER 20, 1857.
Kansas Affairs.


IN such way that whichever way the peo-
pie vote, even if every man in the Territory
were DESTROYS of making it a Free State, il
would make no difference-lt must be n
Slave State. This is what our democratic
rulers and their slavish tools call allowing
the people to frame their institutions in
their own way, we suppose. What is to
come next, we must wait and see. A cor
respondent Of the New York Tribune. un-
der date of Nov. s. writes from Lecomp.on
as below. later despatch from St Louis,
Nov IA, says that the Convention adjourn.
ed on the 14th-and that
A Provisional Government, with General
Calhoun as Governor, was formed. to 10
into operation Immediately.
The Convention passad "a separate clause
sanctioning Slavery, which is the only Sec
ton that will be submitted to the people
Ii Is thought to be the design to get the
Constitution accepted 10y Congress prior to
the assembling OF the Territorial Legisla-
turc.
Gov. Walker has been appealed to, to
convene an extra session, to meet this con-
tingency. Tho apportionment of the State
provides for IS Representatives, and Is
Senators.
Correspondence Of the New York Tribune
We have, then, in any event,
Slave State. The Slavery in the
State cannot be abolished by the Lerls-
lature. The laws that create this Slavery
are part Of the Constitution, and that
instrument can only be amended after the
lapse of many years by two-thirds vote,
iirs OF the Legislature and then OF the
people
But 1t is in the regency thus created
that the bcldcst and most startling features
Of the plot are revealed 1t holds all the
powers of Government. Tho whole fupc-
tons Of the Territorial Administration are
70 cease,uo in the contingency Of the admis-
sion OF the State by Congr IS but a. certain
time the authority of tho Federal officers
expires by limitation. The regent. created
by this Convention, does not even wait until
the 2lst OF Dec. to assume the functions
ol Chief Executive. Before that time. he
tsta' fishes voting precincts, he appoints
judges OF election he prepares the machine
~ OF election, and is to cit in Judgment
on its fruits. Indeed after this Consti.u.
'ion receives the signatures of the delegates,
the fro-s!avery minions may prepare to
inrow up their hats and cry Long live
King J.hn'
But more than this, not only Territorial
aW-n'kers, but Territorial law ceas,s to
exist. The law making power is declared
to be null and void by this ungrsterul
lirIicide OF u Convention, and all incJrpora-
ted as Part Of this Constitution. Even tho
militia power is thus incorporated, Ind
the Judicial authority All the clements of
substantial authority are retained. but
these are placed SO }onday to this Constitu-
ticn--t0 this State Governmcnt--to this
Regent. lie thus holds both nominal and
substantial powers.
Now, is all this rebellion, We have
hearda good deal about rebellion" during
the past two years, the rebellion of the
Topeka Government, that quietly await
cd the action Of Congress. Here We have
high-handed usurpation. Here We have
the creation of an Office and an authority
not known to the Constitution of the United
states More this authority docs not
owe any part Of It's power to the people
More, 1t IL tue Bastard of. prinr of Conyen-
ton, We creature OF a ''Inisera bic MINOR
~. Still more-it proposes deliberately
10 depose the reguldrly-constitute authori-
lies o! the Territory, appointed by the Fed
efal Government, BY its act, it how as.
sumes to wrest from the People the light to
make laws 10y tho Territorial Legislature
lheoc are no common usurpatiOns-are
they rebellion On the question of Squat
ter Sovereignty, Congress has already
turned sulnmerset. Will they turn one
on "he9eIhon Let the powers that be
contemplate this 1t is no Joke. 1t is
ferrous game, at which the fortunes OF our
Republic and The veal and woe Of our pco-
pc are The stake. state the case thus in
the eye of c rtain facts. What keeps this
Convention here Wat is their power
Il United States army is around Lecompton
NaJor Sherman s battery, the most tormid-
aOle IN tho Ouited States army, Is here, and
these uSurpers c0ncoct their schemes Of re-
pcllon under cover of its guns.
Is the power Of the army to sustain this |
regency II not, at what stage of the |
nsurpauon is its patronage to cease The |,
People of the Territory want to know. 1t is
important at this stage Of the proceedings !
that they sh0Hd hnow. If they could not |
make their Constitution without United |
states army, reasonable doubt NAV arise !
as to whether they can maintain the Gov
ernmcnt they have thus boldly created with
out such an army. la the invasion of .
March, 1856, Missouri robbed Kansas of
her political rights. In this act Of these
usurpers the people are again robbed. AT.
ter toilsome effort to seize the fruit-tieIr
political birthright-it has turned to ashe,
on their lips, that is, If his at of The Con.
Usrtio- is 10 be tolerated.
have sad that crisis is urol the
people of Kansas Their enemies are in
earnest. There is no peaceable, constitu
tional way OF escaping. Does any one feel
Ike asking Shall the people Of the Terri
tory vote on the Dist OF December will
say that in contemplation of a possible sub
mission, even in way designed to secure
traudui cnt result, the people would have
yoV'd bnt how can they vote at thi. cleo
tom There 10 nothing to vote for. There
Il nothing on earth 20 gain, and their par
tic!pation Is % be construed into some kind
of an assent to the Constitution, even
though the Constitution be not submitted.
A. the State election, when it occurs. nu-
merOus difficulties are III the way. Ia the
first place, ali the mana cement of the e.ec
ton and the returns are in the hands OF
these men. In tina SECOND place, NJ length
oi residence Is required and in tho third.
n vote by ballot is to be "a ken, in the certi-
fed returns from which there requires t.
be nothing but 4 list Of names and a tally
# ballots. Only Il Governor and Lcuten-
: ut Governor are to bg elected all the 9TH
: State officers are to 10 appointed.
These magn1tcj OF Lccompton determine
tnat there shall be no earthly avenue of es-
cape from their Constitution That Con-
becomes fact the moment they
siGn 1t that is, if any part of 1t is q legal
fact. How are the people OF Kansas to
meet this Is there peaceful way Of &C.
cape, or arc We to have war While
write, can SEQ a long double file of dra-
goons vending their way to Kaw River, to
water their horses. They are the protNct-
ors OF this villainOus Convention of 'robel-
llous usurpers. Will they be the guar
dams OF the Regency Must the people
fight them in tho struggle for their rights
II they must, let me ask the most conserv-
alive man in the country Dmcy ought not
nder how many notifying and dlscour-
aging circumstances did the people of Kan
sas 60 into the late election The country
asked them to lorego cherished principles,
ana even to run the hazard of being over