White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-11-05
Official Report of the Meeting held at
Lecomptcn, to protest against the
Bogus Constitutional Convention.

1 Lecomptcn, to protest against tn,
Bogus Constitutional Convention.
The Free State people of Kansas having de
termined to hold meeting in LeeOmpton, 70
the purpose Of repudiating the action and sgsn
cy Of the bogus Constitutional Convention, tn
citizens from the several portions Of the Terri
tory to the number of FIVE or si1 hundred as
sembled at that place on Monday, the 18th in
slant.
1 As2 O'Clock, P. NJ. the Convention was or
gained by the election Of Judge Schuyler a
President, with Msssrs- Root, Deitzler, Richie
Fitzpatrick, Walker, Shore, and Whitman, Al
Vice-Presidents; and Richard Realf, of Law
renee, and o. E. Learned. of Burlington, Secre
taries.
Judge Schuyler, on taking the chair, entered
into calm, dispassiOnate, and philosophic re-
view Of the principles which had been staked in
this contest, and appealed to the mAnliness oil
the PrO-Slavery party, whether they would net
now that they were so fairly and so unmistaka-
bly, defeated, submit to their discontinue with
graceful resignation, and accept the consequent
|
A Committee on Resolutions was then appoin.
ted, consisting of the following gentlemen: w.
Hutchinson, E. B. Whitman, C. f. Warren, C,
w. Deitzler, J. B. Abbot, o. E. Learned, and
DR.. J. P. Root.
These gentlemen having retired, Gen. James
H. Lane, being loudly called for, came forward
and addressed the Convention.
After the cheering which greeted his appear
Gnee had subsidized. he said this was the first
time he had ever addressed Free State meet
ing In Leconpton; they had come there now to
set the ball in motion, and intend to keep it roll
ing till it gathered strength, and majesty, and
grandeur, the glory of which should fill the
whole earth. Two years and a-half ago the slave
oligarchy had established the usurping despo-
tism; but the people of the Territory had spat
upon them and it until now. Without consult
ing the citizens Of Kansas, the Territorial Leg
islsture had authorized Convention to frame
a State Constitution, in view of which, now that
the balance of the power had changed, and the
people had declared their preference for free
institutions, it was incumbent upon them,. as a
matter Of courtesy to the defeated faction, to
requestin all kindness of feeling, that they would
adjourn the usurpation mis-calleda Convention,
sine die. In making this request, the people did
but retain their old defensive position. 1t was
thGirduty to give notice to those who had Jump
ed the claim Of their liberties, 10 remove them
selves forthwith; and he hoped the intruders
would make an actual virtue of an existing NOR
al necessity, by accepting and adopting the ad-
vice which he then rendered.
He then adverted to the election frauds at
Doniphan, AtchisoH, Kickapoo, Marysville, and
Oxford, and made mastery expose of the sub
stratum of villainy, on which they rested. Al
luding to the vote cast by the U. S. troops, at
Kickapoo and MarysyilIe, he cited the case Of
contested election in Virginia, wherein, it be-
ing proven that several United States soldiers
had participated in the election, the otherwise
elected member was rejected by Congress, and
his opponent admitted to a seat; the action of
Congress being based upon the opinion that
soldier in the service of the Federal Govern
ment has not the power of locomotion. but is the
creature of the will of his commander.
VIM. Hutchinson, Chairman of Committee on
Business, here returned and reported the follow
ing resolutions:
WHEREAS, The right of the people to make
their own laws and to elect their own rulers, has
become fundamental maxim with all Demo
cratic governments, that has constituted the CO.
hesiYe power by which they have been held in
fha do 80 H. r.
Grafton: And, whereas, all alliances and COM
pacts, and amenability between the people and
their rulers are nugatory and imperative when
ever and wherever there is a violation of this
supreme inherent right: And whereas, Congress
passed law for the establishments of a free gov
eminent in this Territory, with a formal provis-
ion that the people be left free to make their
own laws and regulate their institutions in their
own way: And, whereas, under that act this
Territory has been peopled with an unparalleled
rapidity, by population highly sensitive to their
civil rights: And, whereas, at the first election
under this law Of Congress, for Territorial Lee
eislature, the most shameless and high handed
frauds were committed by an invading force
from Missouri, with arms and munitions Of war,
thereby disfranchising the true citizen, and sup
planting freedom by an arbitrary usurpation that
would have disgraced the Draconian age: And,
whereas, since that hour there has been no rec
oRnized authoritative government in Kansas,
but bloody tyrannizers have been foisted by the
Federal Government to high places in power, TO
trample down our rights, while pretended gov
eminent, the fondling Of . miserable minori-
ty,n has been struggling against 4 tide Of num-
hers with barely sickly existence: And, where
as, one of the offspring Of this usurped Govern
ment has been known a. q Constitutional Con-
ventiOn, purporting to act for the people of Kan
sas in that most sacred duty Of framing Con-
stitution for their mutual peace and security,
which must reflect the will Of a majority, or else
it bears upon its surface the evidence offs sWn
Impeachment: And since il is believed and fully
proved, that more than seven-eights Of the bona
ide settlers in Kansas are zealously opposed to
both the men and the measures combined in
that Convention
By the people noNat Lecompton assembled,
be It
RssolVed, That we utterly and forever prs.ssat
against the assembling Of any body of men at
Lecompton, on this day or hereafter, claiming
the right 70 set as our agents in making . Con
stitution for our common observance; that We
delegate TO no finite power the high response
biIity of Representatives, unless the people are
6rst the fres instruments CT their election; and
that II L the duty of the whole people tofer-
ventIv rs-udiate and spuru any attempt 10 force
upon them 80 coI::emptible an imposition as me
urofeased work of that mispamed C0nSsntons
and to set at norght Whatever may emanate
from them
RssoIueS, That said Constitutional COnvsn-
ton, representing in no sense the opinions OF the
people Of the Territory, a. shown BY the recent
popular vote, will, If they have any respect for
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