The Washington union., 1857-11-21
KANSAS AFFAIRs.

isiiWepublish from the New York Times the follow
ing fair aud candid article upon the recent action of
the Kansas convention II contrasts most iavorabiy
with the harsh, ungenerous, and captious criticisms
of the opposition presses generally. Having com
mtted themselves upon the false telegraphic rumors
TO which we alluded yesterday, many of CO.
temporaries seem to prefer a persistence in error
to frank confession Of the bunder into which they
were led by confding in the first false rumors- We
commend the article Of the Times to readers and
it's spirit to our brethren Of the press
KANSAS ArFAIRs Tins STATE CONSTITUTION. We pub
lish this morning authentic statement of the
in which the constitution OF Kansas is to be submit
ted TO the popular vote and also an article from the
Washington Union upon what II styles the peaceful set
Element Of this territorial controversy
A careful pernsal Of the schedule of submission, as
adopted by the convention will show that the reports
hitherto received Of its action have not been entirely
liable 1t ut first announced, and is still very gen
orally repeated that If the majority of the people
should vote for the constitution ,oa the slavery clause
the constitution would then be simply silent the sub
ect and slavery would be recognised in the State by
virtue of the federal constitution interpreted by the
Supreme Court and enforced by the national adminstra
ton perusal of this document will show that this
impression is not well founded and that the people of
Kansas have it fully in thei power to prohibit slavery by
this vote, if they see fit.
The eleventh section OF the schedule provides that
the lst day of December next the vote of the people
shall be taken that the ballots cast at said election
shall be endorsed constitution with slavery and 'con
stution with slavery that ii majority of the bal
lots are cast for the former then tho constitution shall be
Immediately transmitted to Congress but it shall APP
pear that the majority is in favor of the constitution
with slavery, then
"The article propdg for slapey shall be stricken from Ae
consolation by he president of this conoeio and NO SLAVE
RY SHALL EXIST IN THE STATE OF KANSAS er
ces aat The right Of property SLAVES this Territory shall
manner be iaarfved acah.
The effect of vote therefore, striking out the slave
ry clause will DO to make Kansas free State In spite Of
all that has been said upon the other sde the language
of the schedule to leave doubt whatever upon
this point.
After the people shall have thus rutifed the consu-
ton and decided for themselves whether Kansas snail be
free slave State it to be sent to Congress for its
action. An election for governor and State officers is
fixed for the first Monday in January next only weeks
from the present time and oil laws in force and all
territorial officers in Office to be continued until
that date After the year 1864 the call of convention
amend the constitution shall require vote of t,oo-trds
the members of each house, and majority of the people,
until that time the fair inference is that the majority may
alter amend it they fit Whether this is, is
not the intent Of the provision it is very clear that after
Just they may fit 1t is not in the power of this
convention Of Congress, to bind restrain their
tion
The ncreduity which expressed two three days
since to the reliability of the extavaga reports that
reached concerning the action of the convention is
fully Justified by the result That action is far less excep
tonabe than the public at first led to suppose 1t
romans to be how it will be received by the free
State party in the Territory.