The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-21

Press and the home organ of Senator Douglas
are as wide of the mark as the Washington
Union.
Granted that the Lecompton Convention
should have submitted their whole constitution
bodily to the vote of the people, will it not suf-
fee that they have submitted the only question
upon which there can be any serious controver-
sy to the popular vote! Can anything, in the
form of a State constitution, or in the forms of
its ratification, be expected of the managing
politicians of either party in Kansas, which will
be satisfactory to the opposite party? And con-
sidering the violent feelings of hostility existing
between the no-slavery and pro-slavery parties
OF Kansas, is il not best to seize upon the first
chance for compromise, and make the most of
it? Suppose, for instance, that this Lecompton
stipulation for a popular test of "slave-
ry'' or mo slavery" should be honestly met by
both parties in Kansas, can there be any doubt
of the results The decision would certainly be
mo slavery" and thus Kansas would certainly
come into the Union rs free State And once
a State, all these constitutional restrictions
against modification of the State charter
the people of Kansas could adopt new consti-
tuition out and out.
We contend, therefore, that the true policy of
he conservative democratic press is to make
the most of the first practical opening for the
fair admission of Kansas without stopping to
chatter upon secondary issues and non-essentials
The treaty of peace which Mr.. Trist made in
Ia ctr oh Of a,,4h ~
on his part, and yet it served the great purpose
of putting an end to the war. And so, open as
ii is to various objeo lions and suspicious of
trickery, this Lecompton programme may be
made the basis of peace in Kansas; and the OBJ
ject of the peacemakers should be to encourage
q spirit of Cancellation and an honest election
upon the single great issue of slavery" or 'nQ
slavery" for all the rest is leather and pru-
nela."
But with the Northern Niger worshippers
and the Southern niger drivers the great OBJ
| ject is not peace. 1t is excitement, agitation,
sectional strife, and a sectional Organiza-
ton of parties. Kansas is their stock in
trade, and they are not disposed to
let it slip through their fingers if they
can prevent it. Accordingly. while these
Lecompton constitution finkers have been
framing q programme calculated to excite
the wrath of the free State party, the niger
worshipping politicians and journals of that
party have seized upon the bait as a godsend
| for renewed agitation and sectional excitement.
Thus too, the Philadelphia Press and the Chica-
go Times, instead of pouring oil upon the
troubled waters, are playing into the hands Of
the black republican agitators and weakening
the hands of the administration.
In his Sillman letter Mr.. Buchanan fully
recognises the validity of the Lecompton Con-
vention, and comedies to it large discretionary
power in the work of State organization.
Has Colonel Forney forgotten this, and has
Judge Douglas discovered 1.-The error of his
ways and resolved to take the back track?
We expect to know very shortly after the read
| ing of the Presidents Message to the two
houses of Congress. We perceive, from late
speech of jefferson Davis in Mississippi, that
should Kansas be denied admission because Of
pro-slavery constitution the direct issue of
secession will be presented, and that she, for
one, will be in favor Of stern resistance Thsi
the card Of the Southern niger drivers-the old
scarecrow of secession; but in this instance il
means secession, right OF wrong, from the adj
ministraton camp. Between these Southern
niger drivers and the Northern niger wor-
shippers stands the President; but, unfortunate
ly, in the very crisis of the battle the Northern
conservative democratic press abandon him. and
thus encourage the anti-slavery politicians of
Kansas in their threats of an armed rebellion.
From any point of view the affairs of Kansas
now present themselves in a truly alarming
shape. The free State party will probably have
nothing to do with this Lccompton constitution;
1t will thus perhaps go up to Congress with
the onc-sided vote Of the proslavery party,
while the Topeka form Of government, in Sc
parate parcel, bearing the ratification of the
free State party, will, perhaps meet the Lee
comptonites at the Threshold. In this event the
only safe alternative will be to send both par
ties back TO Kansas for a new trial before the
people. As matters now stand we can hope for
nothing better. We hope there may be nothing
worse.
TIM ALBANY PAPERS AND THE New YORK
BASks.-We notice among the papers of Boston