The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-10-01
A Budget Of Binndprs,

"""btk u bthHttEs.
/ If the remark OF Talleyrand, tha,
in a statesman blunder is worse
than a crime, be true, the Lecomp-
tonites have fearful array of sins
TO answer for. When the Calhoun
contrivance was first sent to Wash.
iiIgton, they rallied themselves under
sinpicj>,' cj>'"aRGG aRGG Sa6GoWaet9u, ST Waet9u pure and
energies were directed towards
Strengthening that position.
Legal libraries were ransacked
and legal brains were taxed to the
.uttermost, TO obtain arguments to
prove that inasmuch as the Lecomp-
ton Constitution had been made ac-
cording to the forms of law, and all
legal requirements had been proper
ly observed, an impressive obliga.
ton rested upon Congress to almit
Kansas into the Union under it.
Mr.. Green's report in the Senate
bristled with tecbnicalities in dem
onstration Of this idea; and Mr.. Ste
phens. in the House, employed all
his abilities to strengthen it. In
vain did Judge Douglas plea,l for
the recognition of the right of the
people 10 modIl their own institu.
tions. In vain did Governor Walk
or proclaim the undying hostility OF
the people Of Kansas to the great
fraud which had been practiccd upon
them.
Ii the arguments then used by the
advocates Of the administration pol
icy were honest and true, there was
but one straightforward course for
them to pursue. and that was to
stand or fall by the Lecompton Con-
sttution. Tho whole tenor Of their
speeches, il not their positive assert
ions. pointed to the conclusion that
Congress had no right to do any
thing else than to admit Kansas un.
der that instrument. The submis-
sion OF it to the people for their act
ion was declared to be entirely nm.
necessary. inevpclicnt, and an un.
inst cxerci4e oi Congressional pow
ler. It was said that Congress- had no
more right to prescribe the manner
in which Constitution shGGl, be
framed. if the proper legal require
ments were observed, than it had n
determine tho m,tter which il
would contain.
! But, gra iually, "a change came
over the spirit Of their dream. -
Finiin- themselves routed and over
thrown in their first position, they
fell back upon another, and in ~
doing utterly demolished, by their
own acts AMI votes, the ground
works behind whicl they hal first
been enirenched. Notwithstanding
their rotuSal 10 grant r fair sdbmis-
sion Of the Constitution to the pee
pie, their cOnsciences did not prevent
them from ordering an unfair sub.
mission. Notwithstanding their ob
jections to doing the right thing il
the right way, they determined upon
course equally antagpnistical to
, their first policy, blt lacked the wis
!, dom and justice necessary to ref
the matter back whore it belonged
to the people OF Kansas. withou
, coupling the boon with unjust an,
numiliating conditions. Tney pass
+, ed the English bill, providing tn l
, while the people Of Kansas shoui,
|, have an opportunity OF dcciiing B.
, their votes whether they would, q
! would not b, admitted into til
. Union under tie Lecompten Cons,i
tuii0n, they were to he punished 70
~, n refusal TO submit to the outrage q
-. having a fundamental law impose
I; upon them against their will, by be
+, ing kept for years ont Of the Cnior
a The people Of Kansas recently, b
y their votes, have shown their hatre
!. of Lecompton. 1t is lead tOrevc
G but 1t will be succeeded by ne
II Constitution, fairly framed, and hor
= estIy ratified by the people, and the
Congressional iaskmasters will
= called upon to administer tho pur
v lshmont prescribed for their cont,
d macy. Time will show how the
= will tlunder through this operation
y At every step of their progress, Il
y. ghosts of their own arguments wi
, rise mp in Judgment against thenI.-
a II, when Kansas makes her app
N cation, they object that her popul
m ton is insufficient, the Senate repo
,e Of Mr. Green, the House report
Il Mr.. Stephens, and the other l.
IA compton documents with which tn
In have flooded the country, will brsl
ne the plea with iniamy. Ii they o
al ject, by saying that the people
he Kansas do tot desire admission, b
II prefer remaining in territorial co
~ dition-an argument upon whi
m their organs have already seized =
,as Thousand fscts will crush the fal
he hood, for all parties in Kansas ha
nv declared in favor Of admission
Or, parties have formed Constitutions
ow secure it.
The Besides, under the original
Nv. compton argument the mere wis
mt, OF the people of Kansas are of
nj. possible account whatever, for
'er, Lecomptonites advocated admiss
II against the known will OF nj
'ss, tenths Of her population. Ev
,an technicality that sanctioned the
,me compton Constitution will, no do,
be observed in the formation of
or new one, and it will have the vii
late ty which popular approval al
vo- lsould give it, How can the st