The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-11-21
D,a.r.n. opinion. In Regard 10 Inc Crisis.
LAwRENoE. KAN., Nov. 19, 1857.

a call for public meeting, to be held in
the Unitarian Church that evening at
seven O'Clock, ito consult upon the public
affairs of Kansas, and especially in ref
erence to the present crisis" Inthe body
of the bill twas announced that General
Lane would be in attendance and address
the meeting, and as never had the pleas
ure of hearing the General, / determined
to attend. Attic appointed time Ienter-
ed the room. A large number of citizens
were present, and as I failed to recognize
your countenance among them, and think
ing that you might not be favored with a
report of the meeting from any other
source, l determined to give you, and
through you, your readers, the benefit of
what l saw and heard on the occasion.
Shortly after entered the room, the
meeting was called to order by appointing
E. B. WHITMAN, President, and WV.
HUTCHINSON, Sec'y. Mr.. WHITMAN, on
taking the chair, made few remarks in
regard to the occasion which called them
together, and stated that they came there
for the purpose of consulting together with
regard to the plan to be adopted by the
Free State party in relation to the "Bas-
tard Constitution" which the Pro slavery
ties lately assembled at Lecompton, were
trying to force upon the people of Kansas.
He closed by stating that Gen. Lane had
not arrived in town, but that his place
would be supplied by other speakers.
Mr.. PHILLIPS, the correspondent of the
n. Y. Tribune was then called upon and
took the stand. Mr. P. referred to the
objectionable clauses in the bastard Con-
stitution," the manner in which it was
brought before the Convention, the many
changes it had to undergo while before
that body, and its final adoption. In the
course of his remarks, Mr.. P made some
serious charges against Gov WALKER and
Sec'y STANTON. He said, in substance,
that "the Governor and Secretary were
privy to the outrage of trying to force up
on the people of Kansas Constitution,
without giving them chance TO say yea
or nay, and that they distributed money
freely among the members of the Conven-
ton to accomplish their object; and that
it was through their influence that it was
placed before the people in the form that
it now is"
These charges say, are serious ones,
and their truth should be inquired into.
If true, it certainly places these dignita-
ries in strange position before the people
of Kansas; if false, it should be known,
that the people might hurl back, in the
face of the -calumniator, the base fabrica-
ton: The mere assertion of Mr.. P. was
not sufficient to convince me of the truth
of these charges. have always taken
Gov. WALKER to be a man of his word,
and he has told us repeatedly that the
Constitution should be submitted to fair
and impartial vote of the citizens of the
Territory. This he has avowed not only
in public but in private, ever since his APP
pearance in our midst; and these assu-
RANGES are made just as fervently now as
they were prior to the meeting of the Le-
compton Convention.
When Mr.. P. had taken his seat, a Mr..
ELLIOT, editor of the Delaware Free State,
was called upon and made few remarks.
He repeated, almost uer6atim, the latter
part of Mr.. Phillips speech. He was
opposed to sending petitions to Congress
was a. Topeka Constitution man, and
would have nothing else-would fight
till he died before he would submit to
anything but the Topeka Constitution
would tell Congress that unless she adj
mitted us under the Topeka Constitution
we would have war; Cries of "good," by
the reporters of the Eastern Press, who
are seated in the back part of the room
taking notes of what happens to suit
their purpose; intending, I suppose, to
have it published throughout the North
ern States as the sentiment of the Free
State party of Kansas etc, etc.
Gov. Robinson was then called upon
and responded in brief but telling speech.
Every word that he uttered had its effect.
He said, in substance, ''The Constitution
al Convention has framed Constitution,
and is about to force It upon us. The
people of Kansas don't want this Consti- |
tuition. But we are in scrape, and how
are We going 10 get out of it? If we can
do it in legal way we had better do it.
If we can get the Government, the U. S. |
Troops, and the Law On our side, so much |
the better. It seems to me that the only |
proper way of getting out Of our present |
is through our Governor
Governor Walker is dissatisfied with the
Constitution framed at Lecompton, and
be will.do anything in his power, as / am
informed, to get nd of it. The |
Legislature, by repeating the act under |
which the members of the Constitutional |
Convention were elected, would render
void the proceedings of that Convention.
Gov. Walker 50 understands the Law
He promises to cali an extra session of !
the Legislature, provided the members
viii interfere with nothing but the Le- !
compton Constitution. I think that is |
fair enough. He is under no obligation |
to do even that much. But some say, if /!
we allow Gov. Walker to be instrument !
tai in bringing Kansas into the Union as !
3 Free State, it viii be the.ineans of max |
ing him President of the United States. /