The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-05-19
KEY TO THE BLACK REPUBLICAN Foley


and, Of course, among those thus not admitted we
must include large body of themselves have
been greatly struck and greatly puzzled at the
strange course which their followers in Kansas are
now pursuing, doubtless under the orders of those
chiefs Seward, Weed, Greeley, & Coz who direct
them from distance, and to whom Kansas is moth
ing more than the political chess-board upon which
they are playing for the next presidency.
That course, we need hardly say, is to induce the
whole body of their fellow fanatics in Kansas to stay
away from the polls at the impending election there
of delegates to territorial convention that shall
prepare, for the State that is to be, constitution
BY thus staying away from the polls, they are of
course, they know, to fling the entire election of
delegates into the hands of their opponents the pro-
slavery men, whom they aver to be largely in the
minority.
This strange proceeding they attempt to justify on
several grounds. They alege:
LIST That the law for holding this election was en-
acted by what they call the bogus Legislature"
Why bogus7 q Because, say they, " it was
sided Legislature" Then, their Topeka convention
was bogus; for that was still more one-sided
I'd {" That unfair election intended to be
pioubhoapouo'
But do they expect to make that election fairer by
staying away from it9
3d. THAT 1t is point of honor with them not to
take part in convention called together by bogus lcgis-
lature.''
Truly nice of honor What? Stay away
from the polls and let bogus convention be elected
out of sense of honor? Honor consists in doing
ones duty dishonor, only in deserving it. Always
to go to the polls is the good citizens solemn duty
it can be only bad ones to stay away.
4th "That it was intended not to let freestate men
VOTE
If that is wrong to give in to it is curious way of
redressing it. But if it be crime in Atchison and
Stringfellow, why not when Weed and Greeley order
them not to voter
Now, these-all the black republican reasons for
not votng--are plainly SO bad that they could only
suffice for blockheads and since we are far from
viewing our friends aforesaid in any such light we
are compelled to suppose for them ration
al though unavowed reason for their conduct. What
we have just recited is series of excuses for
thing predetermined not rational causes for deter
mining upon it. They such as never could have
convinced any man whose mind was. not already
And, indeed, the fact is, that when people have de-
termined to do thus or thus anyhow and reason or
no reason, they are almost sure to find none but
extremely poor apologics-mere pretcnces-for their
course. In short, no man not egregiously lack
brain ever took in important matter an extraor-
binary course that was not capable of perfectly
rational explanation. That offered by the blackre-
publican excuses above stated is no such expIana-
ton they are, therefore, not the real grounds of
their conduct. What, then, are its true motives
They are evidently such their leaders dare not
avow. Can they be laid bare? Yes, beyond
doubt-so bare that none mistake them
Agitation--the keeping of the public mind in
false state of excitement, instead of letting it relapse
into natural repose after the turmoil of presi-
Dental electionis their only hope For agita-
ting they have but means, one resort-the Kan
sas question. If they let that question be settled,
there an end of them and of their hopes as party
and hence all know, they would not let it be settled
at the last Congress. 1t in their power to abro-
gate all the acts of what they sgmaze the bogus
Legislature, and yet they would not They denounced
them vlanous and oppressive and left them
They raved of bleeding Kansas :" why
did they not stop the blood 1t suited them better
to keep it streaming. To gain their ends, they
would suice every vein in the Territory. Peace they
cannot allow the country to have. No doves are
they to bring olivebranches they vultures that
have no hope of gorgng themselves if there is not to
be carnage.
Well a settlement of the Kansas troubles before |
the next presidential canvass would be ruin to them
they are resolved it shall not be brought about |
Stanton shall be foiled of his pacific as
Governor Walker shall effect nothing the very con-
vention, that might easily and naturally be made
the means of general reconciliation is, at an order
from the New York cabal, to be oil turned to
nought even before it is elected.
Thus far we are but pointing to what people gene
rally perceived well enough But not of that next
purpose of these pernicious plotters, which set
out to expose. We warn the country to mark well
what is really the next of these practisers
against the public peace Nobody seems to have de-
tected this part of their plan; yet this is evidently
the very pivot of the whole enginery.
Why do they forbid their followers to go into the
coming convention? Because, if they do go, they |
suppose they would be majority; and, being so,
would be compelled to enact constitution excluding
slavery from Kansas which would make an end |