Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-11-25
PLAIN TALK,

Gel Fornev, in his new Democratic paper,
The Press, is down sslike a thousand of brick"
on the Kansas Constitutional Convention. We
the following article from recent
number of his paper to those who have hereto
fore so vociferousy denounced the Republi
cans ass observation-disclosures" Wonder wheth-
er they will denounce Forney as s'shrieker'
also. eve shall see what we shall see.''
ssTHE LAST News FROM KANsAs--The drift
of all the news from Kansas, by mail and tele-
graph, shows conclusively that the so-calied
pro-slavery Constitutional Convention, like
other bodies of whom We have read, Is another
formidable instance of the adage that 'swhom
the gods wish TO destroy they first make mad. :"
Some of the propositions presented to that
Convention-which, be it remembered, repre-
sents a nnere fragment Of the voters OF the
Territory-would disgrace a despotism, others
are merely ridiculous, while the whole affair
looks to US, at this distance, as if the parties
engaged in it had entered into q contract to
mortgage the new State to their own individ-
ual interests for century to come.
ssThere is consistent disregard of the peo-
pie manifested, a cool resort to trick, and an
utter shamelessness, which altogether make up
4 satire upon representative bodies such as we
have never before had the luxury to enjoy.
The leading spirit in this Constitutional Con-
vcntion seems to be person called ''General
Calhoun" /" who, we regret 10 say. was appoint
ed from the free State of Illinois, by General
Pierce, as Surveyor-General of Kansas and
Nebraska and who in all his actions indicates
desire to initiate rather the character OF a
| member of the French Senate employed to
| carry oUt the designs of Louis Napoleon, than
| the representative OF an honest American con-
| stituency. We give in another column some
of the doings of this Convention; and have
| only to say, that if the Constitution fabricated
by this body is sent to Congress, we trust that
short work will be made of it. 1t deserves
nothing but contempt. Ifit has single merit
| il is its consistency with the fraud and wrong
which it is intended to perpetuate, and from
which in great part it has grown The idea o
| set of men chosen as delegates to this Con
veniion, attempting to bind pOsterity to theil
work, and daring to nullify in advance the vii
| of the majority, is so monstrous that we won
| der the outrage did not excite the whole peo
| pie TO civil war. The usur2ation becomes the
more amazing when we reflect that these very
men who are trying to fix upon the Territory
the rule of minority were vociferous in de
nouncing the Topeka Constitution, which Sc
out with asserting similar principle. and wa!
| repUdiatcd b. Congress and the country.
| sin speaking OF dongS like these, we fee
that it is idle to mince phrases, and we sincere
| ly hope that if the Constitution of Kansas i
anything like the instrument it promises to be
from the intelligence we lay before our read
| ers this morning, it will, when presented Il
the Congress of the United States, be thrown
out OF both branches by 4 unanimous vote
At any rate, we trust that the Senators an,
Representatives from Pennsylvania viii boldl
and at once put their feet upon il, and spur
it as it deserves to be spurned.'