The Kanzas news., 1857-12-05
ME to regulate theirown institutions in their

pie to regulate their own institutions in their
own sEay.pl IS xEET@s3
Resofued,. That, although the events of
the last two years have amply demonstrated
that the Topeka Constitution is the free
choice of a vast majority OF the people of
kanzas, the present aspect of political af-
fairs is such as to render it expedient in our
Judgment that both Constitutions should be
formally submitted to the people, by an act
of the Territorial Legislature. and that the
peoples verdict of ratification or rejection
should be regarded as final.
ResolUed, That, should such deliberate
and solemn verdict of the people be disre-
earded, and Kanzas be admitted into the
Union as State uader the Usurpers' Con-
stitution, in open defiance of the peoples
viii, by the votes of partizan majority in
Congress, that then We pledge ourselves,
with arms In our hands, In the name of the
Great Jehovah and the Declaratian of indie
pendence, to try the question, whether
non-slaveholding white men have any rights
which Democracy in It's dotage is bound
to respect. e..-..
After the report was received, a motion
was made to adopt it, when Mr.. Eskridge
objected to the resolutions as being calcula-
ted to drive the Conservative and Dem
oeratic" from the Free State ranks. He
also opposed the Topeka Constitution as not
being polite enough, and offered as an
amendment to the report of the Committee
a series of resolutions, drawn up by him
self, as indicating a better policy. Mr.
Eskridge then read his resolutions :
Whereas, the Bogus Leconipton Constitutional
Convention, being a creature of Illegally cho-
sen Legislature and therefore illegal itself, having
transacted the business for which 1t called to
gether, and having submitted to the people, not
the Constitution which they framed, but only a
clause thereof, the voting which Is prescribed
in such a manner as that whether vote is cast af
frmatively negatively on the proposition 1t Is
cast in favor OF the Constitution, thus taking from
the people the privilege of accepting or rejecting
the whole document, Whatever may be the charae-
ter of its other provisions and
Whereas, the Objectionable manner in which
the election is to be condueted-the judges being
appointed, indirectly, by that over-heated pro-
slavery partizan, the President of their COnyen-
tion and the vote made returnabIe to hinl-and
the fact that every male citizen OF the Territory,
at the time named for holding the election is made
a qualified voter without previous residence of
any time being required-a deficiency acknow-
ledged in our Organic Act, and door opened for
invasion and the illegal voting of non-residents
and
Whereas, in this emergency our policy should
be so directed US not to entlngls the Free State
party in this network of fraud and vilIainy now
being practieed upon already too much abused
people therefore -..--
ResotoeG, That the Delegates chosen by this
meeting to the Lawrence Convention be instructed
to their influence in preventing any partlelpa-
ton in the election the Constitution by the Free
State party.
ResolUed, That, strong our feelings OF at
tachment to our free institutions and to the Gov
ernment, should Congress and the President so far
forget their duty the people of this Territory
unjust illegal, iniqutous Constitution, pledge
the support of the 18th District in resisting it,
whatever the consequences may be- even, if neees-
sary, to IA "bloody issue"
: ResolUed That no physical resistance should be
made to this Constitution, or the officers elected
under it. until they undertake to exercise It's pro
visions over US. But, in the inca time, every
lawful effort should be made by the people OF Kan
Zas to save themselves from the necessity of as
suning rebellious attitude.
E P Bancroft and L. d. Bailey supported
the resolutions of the Committee, and, on a
call for the question, they were unanimously
adopted.
On motion, the Convention then ad-
iourned G. D. HUMPHREY, Charm.
A. R. BANCROFT, Sec'y.