The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-04-02
THE FATE OF KANsAs-THE TOPEKA CON-
vENTION.
From the 81. Louis Democrat, March 1S

Kansas will come before Congress with q
Pro.Slavery Constitution in her hand, or rather
the faction which is recognised as the legiti
mate citizens of that Territory will faunt an
instrument of that nature before the eyes oil
Congress and the world, next winter. OF this
there can be no donbt. The recent silence and
inactivity of the Border Rufiians were the
silence and inactivity of an ambuscade. When
it was generally supposed they had acquesced
in the laws of nature and the laws of the land
and were willing to trust their cause to the
popular vote in that Territory they had resolved
to prosecute their ancient plans with renewed
vigor, to play out the dabolical game, which
they commenced in fraud and force; and hence,
fnrnfng; preparatory to the decisive struggle in
the Constitutional Convention.
If ever means were taken to pack Conven.
ton, they have been taken in this case Moth
ing has been omitted-nothing left to chance.
The plan of packing is as elaborate and as per-
feet as the wit of man can make it. The time,
the mode and the machinery, have been select.
ed with satanic skill. Every contingency is pro.
vided for in this compact and complicated
scheme. From the taking of the census by the
county sherifs, to the organization of the Con.
vention through the graded surveillance of cleo
ton judges, probate judges, &C., the felon Leg.
islature has provided as effectualy for securing
the desired result as Louis Napoleon did for
getting himself elected Emperor
The responsibility of the Convention, and
the integrity of its production from the subse
quent action of the people, are also carefully
provided fox. The ratifying voice of the people.
contrary to usage, is Ignored. No freedom of
election and no official fidelity can be expected.
Afraid of the spring immigration, the felon Leg
islature disfranchised every one who should not
be q resident on the 10th instant, and, to pre-
vent the rejection of the Constitution, adopted
long since in the caucuses of the Blue Lodge. J
no provisions were made for submitting that
radiant scroll to the people. The Convention
will be packed from the foundation stone to the
eave-stone, and every honest man in Kansas
will therefore see the propriety of stunning it
as he would pandemonium itself
1t is useless to deny it; the Kansas question
is yet to be settled. The task devolves upon
the new Administration. The lull that followed
the general election has passed away, and we
all perceive that the strife has deepened. The
entire organization of the Territory of Kansas
must be remodeled, if peace is to be restored.
or 1t popular sovereignty is to prevail The
fabric built by the felen Legislature must be
RACED to the ground, and the whole legislative
and judicial institutions reconstructed Espe.
cially must the Surveyor General, and the nest
OF vlpers IN his office, be squelched. In our
humble judgment, the Kansas question has
never worn the ominous aspect and the colossal
proportions which it is now beginning to az.
sumo. 1t is impossible to conceive that the
people of the North will acquiesce in the final
triumph of system of fraud, violence. and
ruthless tyranny-equally impossible to con.
ceive that the Slavery Extensionists will forepo
their purposes, and therefore the prompt and
vigorous Intervention of the President is de-
manded by the most serious considerations. If
the non.intervention policy is followed, then
the people of the United States will review the
decision of the Kansas Constitution Convention.
and the late decision Of the Supreme Court at
the same time, with what incidental agitations
and possible collisions may be easily surmis.
ed.
The Topeka correspondent of the Democrat
says:
The Kansas Free State Convention was in
session at this place on the 9th and l lth inst
Y. +. Currier presiding. The Committee on the
Platform reported a series of resolutions stating
that the people of the Territory cannot partici.
pate IN the election called under the Pro-Slavery
Constitutional Convention act, without compro
missing their rights IS American citizens, and
leoparding the public peace that the Topeka
Constitution is still the choice of majority of
the citizens of the Territory, and urge upon
Congress the immediate admission of Kansas
as State under that Constitution; that peace.
full relations between all its citizens are regard
ed as indispensable to the welfare of the people
OF the Territory, and they urgently appeal to
all men to submit all differences of opinion
growing out Of the question of its domestic in.
stitutions to the box, provided that anv
attempt to abridge or i'm pair the freedom Of
speech or Of the ballot-box shall be held as lust
cause tor the departure from this policy that
20 tests shall be made for membership Of the
Free State party, save the exclusion Of Slavery
from kansas; and, finally, that they are infiexi-
bly determined to abide by the principles of
equality and squatter sovereignty, as enumsr.
ated in the Kansas Nebraska bill"
In compliance with resolution passed BY
the Topeka Convention, Mr.. Robinson has with.
drawn his resignation of the Governorshio of
the State of Kansas, and declared his adhesion
TO the Topeka Constitution. A committee was
appointed to frame petition asking the Presi- |
dent TO hold the lands of the Territory subject |
to presumption for two years from the present |
time. The Convention was the largest ever