The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-26

People to its logical consequence. No partisan
Democratic member of the House from the
free States can excuse himself in view of this
fact, for voting for Constitution made by %
members ofa Convention of so, chosen by only
l,5OO voters The American People are not
quite dead to all ideas of fair and manly deal.
ing.
Let the Free State men of Kansas demand
OF their Governor that he issue his call for an
extra session CT the Legislature This be is
bound to do. Has he, have they, forgotten his
solemn pledges, made in his Topeka speech, last
fall Here they are:
For myself, l wish to overlook the past, and
LOOK forward to better and brighter future.
isat territorial Legislature has, in respect to
the authority over this question, been recognised
by the acts of Congress of 1856 and 1857. That
LEGISLATURE has called a Convention to assemble
In September next. That Constitution they
VIII or they will not submit to the vote of the
majority OF the then actual resident settlers OF
Kansas. y they do not thus submit IL, I toill
Jotn yon' .JetIoic'citizens, IN lapfM opposition
10 mear course. Cries of good and cheers
And l cannot doubt, gentlemen. that one mncb
higher than 1, the Chief Magistrate of the Union.
will join You in opposition
But, gentlemen, for myself. I cannot donb.
that that Convention will submit such An in.
strument as they may frame for the adoption
or rejection OF the sohole people of Kansas. to
ail who now are or then NAV be actusl bono
1'de resident settlers Of the TERRITORY of Kan.
sas. Then, at that time, and in prrsuanea ~
the method designated by the laws of your
country, by the instructions of the Chief
Magistrate of the Union, who was placed there
by the people, and sworn by them to execute
the laws, do not entertain doubt but that
tnat convention will submit to the whole of the
then bona tide settlers of Kansas the determine
ton Tor themselves, by an actual meiority OF
the whole people. aohether they shall adopt on
is an end Of that ConrentioS. It has ner.
formed its office. 1t has adjourned. never 70
meet again. voice: What next?l
What next, you ask, gentlemen? There
are two other easy exits from the difficulty
aud, as the question is practical one, / pro.
| pose TO answer 1t. In October next. not under
the act OF the late Territorial Legislature, but
under the laws of Congress, you, the whole
| people OF Kansas, have a right to elect Dale.
gate 10 Congress, and to elect a Territorial
Legislature and through that LEGISLATURE yoql
can speak ydur vie1os, and instruct them either
to cdu ne'0 ConOention to submit a neac Con.
strtut'on tor the consideration of tie people. or
ttey can Instruct their Delegate TO Coagyess
chosen by a majority of their own votes. to ask
Congress to pass a Ian authorizing the peonLc
OF Kansas TO form State Constitution for
MemSet0es. 1t ls quite certain, gentlemen, that
IN tniS mooe there Is IN any event peaceful,
tranquil quiet exit from ali the embarrassment
and difficulties By which you are surrounded,
and that the time ia rapidly coming. if it has
not already arrived, when the rule Of iusice and
the people shall prevail in Kansas. TCheers." ~
Well-the Convention has not submitted the
Constitution to vote of the People. What fol.
loWs7 Il will join you, fellow citizens, in law.
tul opposition to their course" What kind OF
opposition You can vote next fall for new
Legislature, and that Legislature can speak
your c'edos." That is the remedy for the out
rage jlst perpetrated. But, how can it "speak
your VIEWS" unless convened by the Governor?
And how can the Governor refuse, being solemn.
~ pledged to join in lawful opposition to the
course of the Convention? Governor Walker
now is the time TO prove your sincerity. You
have been denounced on both sides-by the
Extremists of the South, as treacherous-by
some OF the Republicans, as hypocritical. We
have not denounced you, or questioned YOUR ru O.
ti7es, bat have fairly recorded your acts and
words, giving you due credit for whatever in
them appeared to be just and manly. The time
has come when your acts nOU must throw light
upon your past conduct, and show whether If
was adopted in good faith 10 the People OF
Kansas. Prove that you meant all that YOU
sad, when you promised to join in lawful oppo.
sIton to the Anti Democratic course of the Con.
Ventlon. Prove that all your fair words about
vote OF the whole People, for or against the
constitution, were not mockery. Prove that
you have the courage to carry out faithfully the
purpose for which you told the People of. Kan
that you had accepted the appointment of Gov.
ernor-to secure the settlement and oeace Of
the Territory by establishing the Principle of
Popular Sovereignty. Prove all this, by call
ing an extra session of the Legislature. and
give that body, representing great msioritv of
the People, an opportunity to prepare a protest
against the action of the Convention, and a
memorial to Congress, asking authority from
that body to form State Constitution, Just az
was granted Oregon and Minnesota. Or. q
mere protest against the action of the Conyen-
ton, would be sufficient This is the thing
needed. Let Governor Walker give the Leg;s.
lature OF the Territory an opportunity to be
heard, and Its voice will be authoritative
~