The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-04-24
In True INTERROGATION.

ment ice observe zee i1ere nsisinformed. In
stead of allowing the colored man 20 par-
ticipate in our elections, it provides as
ain all elections not otherwise provi-
ded for BY this Constitution, every male
citizen of the United States Of the age of
twenty-one years, or upwards who shall
have resided in the State" &c.
None but CITIZENS Of the United
States, or those who have declared or
oath their intention to become such, can
vote on the adoption of that Constitution,
or for officers under it. The question then
arises, "Who are citizens of the United
States?'
Gen. Lane, in speech at the Unitarian
church on Saturday evening last, stated
that the uniform practice of the federal
goyernment-and such was the decision
of the Supreme Court-was not to recog-
nize as citizens, persons of other than
white blood, save those who were declared
by law to be citizens, or those made such
by treaties. Negroes, he said, were not
citizens of the United States by the bred
Scott decision.
If this Interpretation is to prevail, then
the Leavenworth Constitution, to all in
tents and purposes, is HaeE ldw consti-
tuition, as effectually as though the black
man was prohibited from voting by en-
press provision.
Gen. Lane throws the responsibility
upon the Territorial legislature repre-
senting that the action of the convention
was tied up by the body which called it
into being. If tiled up" in one respect
tits tied up in all; hence the moment it
adjourned its session from Minneola,
where the Legislature provided it should
assemble and frame a Constitution, it
ceased to have any legal or binding au-
thority, and became like any other unau-
thorized body.
This quibbling and special pleading about
the Interpretation and intention of the
Leavenworth Constitution we do not like
We wish to have it either fish, flesh or fowl,
and not either or all of these in different
localities. We have designed nothing
else than to sustain that instrument, but
we viii not sustain it if it is all things to
all men. Its trainers are expected to ex-
pound it. We do know that in strong
anti-black law localities it has been rep
resented as a free Constitutions favor
ing free elections. When persons of this
character have been conversed with upon
the subject, it has been said that the bred
Scott decision was an extrajudicial one
that it had 10 binding effect-that it
should be trampled under foot. Whilst
with persons entertaining the opposite
view it has been said that the uniform
decision and practice of the general gov
eminent, and every part of it, has been in
accordance with that decision.
We have no disposition or intention to
take issue with black law men, nor with
antiblack law men. Whilst we have
our own views on these subjects, and have
not hesitated repeatedly to avow them,
yet we have felt it a duty to exert our
humble influence towards our own free
dom before we were too tenacious about
the freedom of others. Whilst we con-
cede that this question of suffrage under
lies the-whole subject, yet practically,
there being no negroes in the Territory
who could take advantage of it, it amounts
to nothing-is at present a mere abstrac-
ton.
The Indian did not like the practice
of the white man in "looking one way
and rowing another" We always have,
and always will oppose politicians for the
same reason. Our national parties have
been in the practice of framing platforms
which would be susceptible of as many
different interpretations as there were
different points of the compass. Our
candidates for the Presidency have pre-
pared biographical sketches. adapting
them, like an almanac, to fit the meridian
in which they were to be circulated; but
this thing must not be allowed in funda-
mental law which is to govern a great
State, and the sooner the attempt is aban-
doned the better for all concerned.
The Leayenworth Constitution is, by
the Interpretation of Lane and his CO.
adjutors, BLACK LAW or ANTI-BLAcK
Law, just as the person chances to think
with whom they are conyersing. At one
time they claim for it that persons of white
blood only have the right of suffrage, the
other that the negro has full and equal
privileges with the whites. Let this be dis
tinctly understood. and let the people vote
on its adoption with distinct understand
ing on this question. We ask no man to
oppose it for that reason, and do not ex-
pect to oppose it ourselves; but we oppose
those who attempt to palm it upon the
country for what it is not.
Selling out Cheap.
We observe that Mayor ADAMs, S. \.
LATTA, THos. FooTE, and several other
Free State men of Leayenworth, recently
joined in letter to John Calhoun, repre-
senting that they had understood that he
had determined upon removing the Sur
veyor Generals Office from Leeompton to