The Washington union., 1857-11-22

Yours, always 5asi ssg III tah ANON.
gsssssa as @ W m the Argus
KANSAS CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION WHAT
HAS IT DoNEa m IS ssl..sar
We alluded few days ago to the contradictory ruinors
in relation to the action of the Kansas constitutional
venon and to the difficulty of understanding at that
time precisely what TINT body had done. We, at the
time, expressed expectation that the stoles
which had been put aoat by the correspondents OF presses
like the New York Tribune and by telegmphc dispatches
in relation to the action Of the convention would
to be groundless and calumnious. asri11pa ~ s5Es
Among the stories written and telegmphed we,e tie
That the constitution adopted by the convention was
na be submitted to limited extent tc the reo
ple stft5s, n. e. ss.l5ae aSis. q &sl 81 q
That only the slavery clause was to be submitted and
that if that voted down, other paris Of the c,sipa
established and pepetuated slavery e@3M
That provisional government had been established
by the convention which superseded the regular teo-
rial government Immediately gga4
The fog now begins rise and the proceedings Of the
convention as finally adopted have come to hand We
give in another column those portions Of the constitution
which are material TO understanding of the points
ferred to- and Of all the subjects of controversy This
official record Of the oings Of the convention proves that
every one Of the above stories was falsehood
We desire to put readers in possession of the pre-
else facts concerning these matters that they may be able
to form their opinions We, therefore, proceed to
state briefly what has been done far relates TO the
slavery question to the constitution In another
column for the correctness positions to
rect of the misrepresentation which the republican
press are rccklessly making on the subject 5a g IS
The struggle of the convention its close was on
the question of submission of the constitution
of the people proposition not to submit it first
carried The next day it was reconsidered by close
VOTE and after struggle the proposition for submission
adopted 1t is not to be submission Of the whole
constitution but Of the slavery clause The form Of the
ballot will be constitution with slavery" 'constitu
ton without slavery We think full submission Of
the whole constitution would have been the faest mode
of treating the subject It Is undoubtedly true how
ever that the question Of slavery the only about
which there is any controversy feeling in the Territory
That fully and fairly submitted with the qualification
to which we shall presently allue) the vote oH @
mals citizens Of Ae Territory Of Kansas he age ray
one gears for ratifcaioe rejection broader constitu
ency could have been provided Every actual citizen
of Kansas however recent his arrival in the Territory
will be permitted to vote This will admit large
Der of State votes which were nadmissble at the
cent election for want Of residence for the length Of time
required by law, te-rea rs sgys sst at58s5.fss ~ ssa
The only pretcnce which the constitution as adopted
which would sanction slavery even ifthe slavery clause
should be rejected Is the fact that protects the right
Of property in slaves In the Territory In other
words II does not deprive saveowners already there Of
their property. OF how little consequence this s will be
understood whom we recolect that we had the testimony
afew months ago Of of the active agents Of the free
State movement that there not than hun
dred slaves in the Territory The language of tls
stituon prohibiting slavery in the people is
very emphatic II is that in the event Of such popu
lar vote, Ae article procsdag for asruy shall Be stricken
from this constitution by the president Of this convention or
in his absence by of DEATH resignaton other
wise, by the president pro trm and SLAVERY SHALL
STATE or KANSAS (ezcsrt thai he right
efwopoty a sars IN as Territory sha1 N no b.
n.lerfered ,cah,) NJ, ,,,..,.g .s,, s,e.,qs s
Probably any convention which could be assembled
would make provision 10 protect the Of slaves
already in tho Territory and that the popular vote would
sanction such provision But should the popular sent
ment be otherwise it will be very easy for the State after
admission TO change The constitution 10 provide for
the gradual or immediate emancipation Of the very small
slave population already there -, -, .4et-. Z
This leads ms notice the incorporate and false ale
cations Of the Tribune on this branch Of The subject
Speaking of the power the people of Kansas to change
this constitution after its adoption the Tribune says they
have no possible escape from power TO modify this
constitution prior to 1864 thereafter unless two
thirds Of the members OF both houses of the Legislature
shall to submit the call Of convention to the pco
pie nor then unless maioriy Of all the ees 9 nc
Sas (not merely majority Of all who actually yote
shall ratify the call Practically, therefore change
ever be made in this constitution long asapy