The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-12-17
LETTER FROM A CITIZEN OF KANSAS.
FITcHBURGH, Mass, Dec. 5, 1857.
To the Editor fthe National Era.

LETTER FROM CITIZEN OF KANSAS.
FIrCHBURGH, Mass, Dec. s, 1851.
10 the Editor Of the National Era:
l have delayed few days making this re.
mittance, because was about leaving this re-
gion for Kansas, and thought of having nv
paper sent thither. Hearing, however. that
navigation on the Missouri river had ceased
and that the journey by land at this season
would be attended with good deal of exposure.
hazardous to person in feeble health, | have
given up the project until spriug.
have already resided in the Territory six
months, from March to September last, and am
sufhclently pleased with the country to make it
the future home OF my family, and especially as
am entirely convinced that it ia to be the fin
ture abode of freemen only. The bloody con.
hlcts and crafty Vaccinations of the Oliparobv
and its tools will come to naught. Its soil will
remain exclusively devoted to free labor. and. in
all future time, Kansas, with its varied wealth
which IN few years will be DEVELOPED. will be
the more emphatcally cherished as the Offspring
o. Freedom, by reason of its violent struggles to
avoid the curse of Slavery
The cloud which now obscures the clear
rays ofthe Sun OF Liberty s only the dust raised
oy the last movement of the foriOrn hope of the
Pro-SlaVery guerillas ard need give no anxiety
to the friends Of Kansas.
The Free State men, if they only be true 10
themselves and united. can well afford To leave
their enemies to quarrel over the means of sub.
Jugatlng them, as none of those means will avail
anything Taking part in the October election
was master-stroke Of policy as well as an i'm
Portant duty. The Free State men now occupv
an lmpregnable position, that of an indisputable
majority opposed to Slavery. The Convention,
H.
lIIeglumale In Its origin, was none of their be-
getting. That Convention has been merely
tool Tor playing out the ProSlavery game in
the Territory. 1t really seems a matter for re-.
Jolclng that the people are no ways responsible
for Its acts. They will not so much as take ccp.
nizance of its having existed, by voting for or
against any OF ltd suggestions. So far, the Rnf.
fans have worked well for the cause of Free.
fnding That it is not Likely 70 h Rffs they have
thrown the game into the hands of the party
the National Democratic party, of which they
have always claimed to be portiori-whose
views and principles they nave professed to be
carrying out.
That party has now the Government in all its
branches under its control, and must stand be-
fore the country responsible for the redenpti
OF lts promises and pledges made in every
form known to parties seeking the administra.
ton of the Government and the support of the
people at large.
The freemen of Kansas, having given to the
world nnmistakable evidence of their numbers
and oil their choice as to institutions, may we'll
call upon the Democracy, who are in power, TO
redeem their pledges, to carry out the measures
and principles upon the advocacy of which they
carried the Presidential election.
The people of that Territory NAV remain
tearessly quiet and laugh to scorn the attempts
OF the Rutfiaus to encbain them; they NAV
smile at the ghastly looks of the Democratic
leaders, as in their anxious conferences thew
ask each other, Chow shall we fulfill or how
evade our engagements? How save our partv
from fatal dissension or whitening contempt %
Let these leaders agree or fall out, the conster-
nation which they now exhibit, when they can
no longer dodge the solution by themselves of
the Kaosas question, will only afford amuse-
ment tc Free State men, who will complacently
Dide th;ir time, while the chiefs of the party in
power Indulge in mutual ordinations, or set.
tie Their differences as beat they can,
The labors of the Convention amount to
nothing, unless sanctioned by Congress, or, we
might az well say, by the National Democracy.
Kansas remains Territory under its regu-
larly.chosen Legislature and duly appointed
Governor and Secretary, until admitted as a
State. Any other Government before sdmis-
sion is reasonable, be it called the Topeka or
the Lecompton Government; and those who
shall attempt to exercise either, will be traitors,
and be liable to be hung according to law,
The "pariy" there have the choice, either TO
force upon free people Constitution against
heir will, or of passing an act enabling, under
proper safeguards, that people Ito choose their
own institutions in their own way" Kansas is
ready for either alternative, preferring peace
but, we are persuaded well prepared to resist
tyranny at all hazards.
Let our Republican friends in Congress give
the Democracy clear field, holding them un-
hinchingly to their pledges and TO a strict &C.
countsbility to tho country.
Walker will be nominated to the Senate. Let
him be confirmed The principles he laid
down in his Inaugural, repeated at Topeka,
Paoli, and elsewhere, are sound, and may be
sanctioned by Republicans; but let him feel
and know that he owes bis confirmation TO their
votes, that his national party is not strong
enough in the Senate W rRtify him and his
Kansas Administration. In his speech at Paoli,
he very clearly and in a mastery manner an.
ticipated completely the action of the late Con
vention, and furnished full answer to the
claim made for it, that it was q sovereign
body" invested with full power by virtue of its
very election to establish a Constitution, with.
out further consent of its constituents. He
there held that the sovereignty was in the PEG.
pie; that that sovereignty wss unit indivisi.
bic, always remaining in the people, and could
not he parted with or delegated to ANYBODY ;:
that the adoption of Constitution was an act
of sovereignty, and of course must Ia the set of
the people under submission TO their votes.
1t vas Walkers Gin In this speech to gain
for tn Convention the confidence ofthe settlers
and prevent their making up their minds in
sdva,, e to vote down any proposition it might
max, ,as it had been chosen by less .hsa two
tbous ,nd-a mere fraction Of The inhabitants .
and 9on that occasion, and for that very pur.
pose, undertook TO give certain pledges Of fsir
dealipg, and urged many plausible arguments
IN favor OF acknowledging its legitimacy. al
care not, nor need you care, who are in that
Convention, if they concede your rights, if they.
do right he laid it down as a fundamental
principle, that the institutions of Kansas were
to be settled: not by the people of South Caro-
lima, nor of Massachusetts, but only by ma
jority Of the bona tide people of the Territory;"
and, adding quotation from his own Inaugu-
raj, which he declared was endorsed by Mr. Blu.
chanan, 81 cannot doubt the Convention will
submit the Constitution to the bona tide resi
dents of Kansas" And most emphaticaly
said, assert as my clear conviction, that IN.