The Washington union., 1857-12-01

te ol question which the free-state men themselves
have asked 10 have considered submitted 70 the poo
pie That large majority OF the people are M asof %
making Kansas free State cannot be questloned-he
recent election has demonstrated this fact beyond ali
cayi Ii becomes certain, therefore, that te sasei!
clause upon which the right TO vote is guaranteed CAN
BE VOTED DOWN. What follows Why, that haFsas' u
admitted at all must be admitted as FREE STATE is
not this what all northern want and should they
not encourage that of action which VIII most
certainly and quickly secure it
But say the black republicans we cannot vote against
the slavery clause without endorsing all that remains OF
the constitution II we vote ooastuoi ui no staoery,
we thereby pledge ourselves to retain the constitution u
til 1854 and then only amend it in the manner pre-
soribed in itself This il not true In the hst place,
the right to change the constitution is inherent in the
people of every independent community and may be ex
ecsed by the people of Kansas the moment they throw
off by valid act, and with the consent OF the iedera
their present territorial relation to the fed
era authority And besides il is not reasonable to say
that the people, by the act OF voting, decide any
question which is not directly submitted to them Ihey
cannot possibly defeat the constitution How then can
they be said to approve and endorse by taking the steps
necessary give expression of their sentiments ON
another question and which plainly is submitted to
them
We saw LET THE PEOPLE vorE on the question now be-
fore them Let them If they would not have slavery in
their State vote down the slavery clause. And II they
then honestly think that the constitution Is seriously ODD
jectonable whole let them speak their disapproya
of it, by protest and rely upon Congress TO do them JUS
tice This il strikes u.s. will be far better than to pr
sue a course which must embarrass the peoples repre-
senatves and may prove fatal to their own professed
purposes
We urge this course with earnestncss because we
s----i-- .Lat, lea~or vncst and sincere
the mass of the free-State of Kansas may be- the
whole purpose Of their leaders is to involve the Territory
in difficulties and if possible light the torch of civil
The past is full OF warning in regard to the reck
less ambition OF these men, and their present professions
not at all inconsistent with the charge we make
against them. They do not mam Kansas 10 become free
tapita strife wranplinp
turmoil, civil war.
The Eastern (Maine) Argus closes powerfully
written article ON the action of the Kansas convention
as follows:
But, without discussing further the general subject,
let inquire whether Lane, Robinson, and their worthy
disciples will vote the question of slavery nonsla
very in Kansas? Do not be surprised reader that there
should be for doubt upon this point for we assure
you there is However strange it may appear it is even
true that these prossed opponents of slavery and they
have somewhat ostenatiousy claimed to be its exclusive
opponcnts arc actually debating whether they will
oppose its establishment in Kansas and there is fair
chance that they will refuse to vote against it. 1t will
be recoected that they utterly declined to participate in
the election of delegates to the convention caedto frame
State constitution They could not consent to recog
Mise the bogus laws of the Territory they were
pleased to call them, by taking part in any cleo
ton. They at first, for like reason, took SINH
lar resolution in regard to the October election at
which delegate to Congress and legislature were
to be chosen They were however, fairly made asham-
ed of this position by Gov Walker and they suddenly
all their conscientious scrupes in regard to
'bogus laws and acted like sensible men, for once.
Their success, however in electng the delegate and
majority of the legislature to have discouraged
them victory what they did not want, 1t would
seem Defeat would have suited them better, and now
they are, apparently, much afraid that Kansas will
prohibit slavery that they manifest disposition to aid
in its establishment by declining to vote for sthe const
tuition without slavery in the approaching submission of
that question to the people of the Territory The action
of the convention in this respect has taken them by
prise. They really in an uncomfortable dilemma.
They have constantly asserted in the most offensive
ner that the convention would not submit the question
of slavery to the decision Of the peoples but it has done
it, and unless these Observation-Disclosures refuse to vote
against the slavery clause, Kansas is certain to be
free State that the 2ls of December shall arrive.
This brings them to the direct test Ii they desire Kan
TO be free State they can and will make her free.
We shall now have fair opportunity to discover whether
they hate slavery than they do the democratic party
We shall now learn whether secondary matter OBJ
ectcd to in the action of the convention is to outweigh
in the minds of these friends of freedom, the great
of which they proudly claim to be the chief il not the
only true champions. We shall whether these
northern disunonsts will join hands with the extreme
pro-slavery In establishing slavery in Kansas If
they refuse to vote against slavery, when, by doing
they can certainly exclude it from the State will not the
conclusion be fair and irresistible that the question of
slavery is with them, matter of secondary Importance
if not of Indifference that they less hostile to it than
to the democratic party and that they more anxious
to crafty their pro-savery confedeates than they to
maintain their anti slavery consistency
We make no apology for giving entire the leading
article which appears in last Fridays issue Of the
Belfast (Alaine) Journal:
The constitutional convention of Kansas has adjourn
ed and at length in possession Of the result Of its
deliberations 1t will be remembered that this conven-
ton called into being by an act OF the territorial
Legislature the validity of which the frecState party,
commonly called, did not recognise nor did they par
tcipate in the election of its members Although the
convention contained member of the eeState party
those who ofsubmtng the question slavery
slavery constitution Congress without such submission
The struggle in the convention between these parties
violent and for long time of doubtful ISSUE Atcngth,
however the friends of submitting the question of slavery
to the people, yay much to the discontinue of the
northern aboltonists and southern extremists umphed;
and thus the people Of Kansas soon to have the OPP
portunty to express by fair ballot their Sogyeiqa uH
upon the single question ucr there shall slavery aarey
IN he State Of Kansas
Choosing to present the single question of slavery TO
the people, unembarassed by any other subject and to
facilitate the speedy admission OF Kansas into the Union
as Statean object desirable for the peace Of the
countryside convention provided that the ballots shall
be endorsed
''ooNsTTuTI0Y WITH SLAVERY
s CONSTITUTION WITH SLAVERY"
If majority of the legal voters shall decide in favor OF
slavery then the constitution is to be submitted to Con-
gress with the pro-slavery clause IT, the contrary
majority shall declare against slavery, in the language