The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-01
VOTING II KANSAS.
RosRDApAK. T., Sept. 7. Is

the furtherance of Il !, Free State cause in
Kansas, has at length iumphantly prevailed
the people in Mass al Delegate Convention
held recently at Grassl upper Falls, unanimous
ly adopting the same and resolving to take |
part in the October tectioa, and make an |
effort to obtain posse sion IF the Territorial
Legislature. Many o. the most true-hearted |
Free State men in Kar sas have all along IA |
vored this movement but some of those who
held the leading string of the party have tried |
to drive them from the position, by denouncing |
them as traitors to the cause Of Freedom, and
prescribing them (bet cue they dared to think |
for themselves) as "P O-Slavery" tools of the
Democracy. These leaders" have seemed
determined to force Il Free State cause into |
the Circumlocution fice,' but their favorite |
policy Of " how not to oft" did not take at all
with our intelligent an | reflective community, |
and it was very graf fying to see these cir |
cumlocutonsts whet round into frank and
file when they found ne popular voice deci-
ding in favor of the measures they had con-
demned.
Many anticipate a rm time at the election,
but we hope and trust that Gov. Walker will
redeem his pledges to as, and then we doubt
not that our cause will triumph, and perma-
nent peace be inauguf ted in Kansas.
Very respectful 2, &c.
We must confess on qualification at the new
position taken by the rec State voters OF Kan
sas. Our only regre is, that they did not
adopt it in regard to the Constitutional Con-
vention. 1t was objeO ed by them in that case
that, voting under ru and regulations pre-
scribed by the spuriou Legislature, they would
recognise the authorit. of body shich they
had denounced as b. wing no authority, and
that the disabilities i'm ,osed on them were such
IS to secure the po er to their adversaries.
1t would seem as if the objections had been re.
considered and set asi e. The Territorial cleo
ton to be held in ,tober will be conducted
under rules and reguI ,tions prescribed by the
/ spurious Legislature and tae apportionment
1 made by it is unfair, sing evidently intended
TO disable the power of the FreeAState men.
But, as the ALTERNATIVE is to vote, or to submit
without struggle, tey have determined to
vote. Everybody knt US that they have not
changed they opinions concerning the illegiti-
imacy of the so-called Legislature. They still
regard it as the offsps ng of usurpation, with
out lawful authority, b t it is Legislature de.
tdctO, though not Of GIT; they conform their
action to fact, still protesting against the
! usurpaJOn anu lTduu ulCu gave IL Jill 40
10 disabilities, what else can they expect
They must encouter .ese just 30 long as their
opponents have the pc ger. If they wait, inact-
i've, till the PrO-SIavs Party consent to give
them fair field, they will wait forever. No
matter what the disad, antage they labor under,
they must engage in e struggle, or lie down
like slaves at the feet 2f their masters. They
may not succeed this -,me, but let them try it
again. They will hass organized, ascertained
their numbers, lesrnetato cop6de in each other,
determined how much the real, how much the
Fictitious strength Of the enemy, and caused
an exposure of the fl udulent management by
/ which they were defes Ted. If they are FIVE to
one, as some claim, il two to one, nay, if they
: have simply decide$S majority, frmness and
r perseverance will at / st give them the victory
What other course can they pptsue2 Sub
NIT and protest? n party was ever held to-
D gether by such a pc cy. If adoated, in less
chan two years there would be nc Free State
> organization in IA, sas Would you fight I
!. Whom? What2 N 4 the Territorial officers
not the Territorial GI5ernment, but the Unite S
: sever were prepared ,r this, you ase not now
t he who advises such /, course, on che suppose
ton that the People a. the States who sympa.
thize with you will rusN to the rescue is a mad
man, or worse.
/ Organize, then, an& vote Perfect your or.
ganzation, vote agaiIe and stick to it, till you
have wrung power o. ) of the ha.1ds of your
? opponents. And yet, we cannot go quite SO
, far as the N. 7. TFi&Jne, which, last summer
| an opponent Of the vo ing policy, now goes all
lengths in support Off
eve trust few Ere State men) will be re.
PEELED by their natura repugnance to paying
tn tax imposed on tbs a by the Border Ruffia
usnrpers. Let them gay anything, do any.
tn ng, to wrest the W, Apon Of legality out of
the hands of their opp. .essors."
Weshould say, " let hem pay anything" but
not, I" let them do any hing" For example :
should an unconstitutional oath to support the
Fugitive Slave Act be ;equired as condition
to vote, we should say Let them reject it, and
then, erect their own oils, cast their votes at
them, make an accurae record, and then for.
ward to Congress a N ,morial embodying all
the facts Not even % wrest the weapon of
legality out Of the HANGS of their oppressors, y
is it right or necessar. to violate ones con.
science, to swear to sup ,ort what we intend not
to support. 1t is quite ,ossible to be practical,
and yet always right.
Nor can we agree wI;h our cotemporary as
to the alternative he presents, shoald the Free
State men fail at this ELECTION
Should they fail in tnis effort, through the
frauds of their adversalie or otherwise. their
only remaining choice would seem to lie be-
tween civil war and sui uniting to aee Kansas
enter the Union as sic re State"
We cannot see how vii war is 70 prevent
such result, unless it hould 90 s., far "A 70
break up the next Con sress nor should the
admission of Kansas int the Union as a slave
STATE, lamentable as sue an act would be- he
for moment considered final settlement of
the question. True, the Constitution may con-
tail. clauses prohibiting emancipation without
the consent OF the ownes, and throw as many
obstacles as possible in tie way of amendments.
butf the power Of nun 3ers, steadily exerted
must in the end prevail Kansas, even if ad.
mitsed as a slave State, cannot .remain 80. if
the Free State party be s large as it is repre-.
scented, and if it be tru, to ITSELF With the
accessions 1t may receiv from the free States.
1t would In time inevitat ly obtain the control
OF the popular vote and he Legislative power,
and lind a legitimate WY to carry out what
would then be the populs 8 will
After all, turn the Question as we NAV. we
mutt come back to tn, ballGtbox. That is
the ehcsen inatrument &C frao-6 m,