The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-10


ment. Wheat to Liverpool taken, in bags, at Cd
-four at s. Is 3D.. and cotton at sgd Flour was en-
gagged 70 London at Is 3D. Is 3D., and turpentine at
3s Cd. per $50 lbs, and whext 70 Glasgow at 10d in
bags One two charters Of vessels were made pr-
vate terms.
The Kansas Pro-Slavcry Constitutional Con-
vention and Its Probable Consequences.
The Kansas Pro-Slavery Constitutional Con-
vention is in full blast at Leeompton, and the
latest accounts of its proceedings indicate an
out-and-out pro-slavery State charter, of the
most ultra Southern type. Nothing very def
mite, however, had yet transpired as to the
policy of submission or non-submission of this
forthcoming pro-slavery constitution to the peo-
pie; but from the gravity with which the Con-
vention is conducting its work, it is believed
among the free State men that with the conclu-
sion of its labors beautiful scheme will be de-
veloped for evading or suppressing the popular
vote.
By some il is conjectured that not only will
the Convention send up to Congress their con-
stitution dispensing with the little formalty of
a popular ratification, but that they will assume
the authority of electing a member of the
House and two Senators of Congress; Governor,
State officers, DC, in order that the people may
be relieved of the delay, the trouble, expense
and perplexities of an organic State election
But this conjecture is too absurd to be seriously
of usurpation could not be supported
in Congress, even by Jefferson Davis.
Again, it is supposed that the Convention,
through decree declaring who shall BEEN
titled to vote upon the constitution, and who
shall not have the right, DC, will make such
careful determinations and conditions as to Sc
cure popular ratification of their work sufii
cient for a democratic Congress, and that in
this way Kansas may still be Struggled into the
Union as a slave State, with all the modern
But the prevailing idea in Kansas appears to
be that the Convention will form the strongest
kind of a pro-slavery constitution and send it
up to Congress, without the tedious ceremony of
a popular vote, and upon the plea of Senator
Hunter and all the fre-eaters that the submits
sion of new State constitution to the ratiica-
ton of the people is a formality which may be
allowed or dispensed with at the discretion of
the Convention. This plan of non-submission,
we think. will be the plan of these Lecompton
constitution makers. With the results of the
late Kansas elections before us, and with the
most convincing assurances that the free State
party are resolved that there shall be no more
outrages upon their constitutional rights, we
apprehend that no scheme can be devised
whereby the voice of the overwhelming majority
of the bona fde people of Kansas can be stihed
or suppressed. or evaded. 1t is probable that
the Convention is impressed with this opinion,
and that their policy and their purposes for some
time past have been committed to the expert
ment Of carrying up pro-slavery constitution
to Congress without the ceremony of consulting
a refractory people.
The late interesting letters from Senator Hun
ter. and the late flaming manifestoes from the
leading fire-eaters' organs of the Southern
States all go to show that upon this aforesaid
experiment the secession faction OF the South
ern democracy have resolved in Congress to
drive the administration of Mr.. Buchanan to
a surrender, or to break up the democratic party
throughout the South and to array against the
conservative branch Of the party and the adj
ministration the balance of power Of purely
sectional Southern ultra faction. The whole Of
this formidable programme, we say, depends
upon the submission to Congress of pro-slavery
constitution from this Lecompion Convention,
dispensing with popular ratification
There appears to be no other way by which
this secessionist frebrand of Kansas as a slave
State can he introduced into Congress; for If the
Convention submit their work to the Kansas peo-
pie fairly and squarely, II will be rejected. On
the other hand, If the Convention shall resort to
fraudulent juggle with the people, the trick will
recoil upon its authors; for upon this allimpor-
tant issue Of popular sovereignty in Kansas the
administration has shown that it can support no
other policy than that Of the organic law. We
therefore adhere to our opinion that this Lee
compton Convention will dispense with the
popular vote upon their constitution, and send
1t forward, unratihed to Congress, not with any
expectation that IL will be accepted there, but
to serve as the pretext Of the deliberately
planned rebellion ofthe Southern fire-eatcrs from
the camp Of the administration party.
Reduced within a nutshell we suspect that
the original game Of the pro-slavery leaders of
Kansas to make her slave State has become,
since the appointment of General Cas- and Mr.
Cobb to the Cabinet, subordinate to the game
of driving Mr.. Buchanan TO the wall at the
hazard Of a premeditated rebellion in the South
ern camp. In THE view, We can only look upon
these Lecompton constitution makers a. The in
struments of the leaders Of the Southern fire.
eaters in Mississippi, Alabama Georgia South
Carolina and Virginia. But we may be mis-
taken. The chiefs Of the Lecompton Conyen-
ton may be intent only upon the spoils and
plumber incident to the organization of new
state, and not very pasticular as to the means,
30 that these spois rfs " be even temporarily Sc
cured. But whatever may be the ohMtts or the