The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-03-13
IeccmpsOn Arguments.

comptonism. enters with all the zeal for
which new converts are noted upon the task
OF undoing his work of the last three months
in opposition to the Leccmpion swindle.-
lie "pitches i'm not only with great zeal,
but also with the ability and skill OF a thor
ouch bred criminal lawyer. II is Amazing
how quickly he has familiarized h;;nsclfwith
7 the arguments and P1foi- OF bis new associ-
a;es. Here Is Il specimen OF his argulncnta-
ton:
We take issue with ar. Peters CT lis ar
gumeHt that the Lecom9tCE Convention had
not power TO frame a constitution which
would bs legal and binding without being
submitted to the people, and, also, on the
point tLat the Convention aid not claim to
have power to make 4 constitution for Kan
saS. The Convention claim, and did posses
that power, and they were not required by
any law TO submit any PoTti2t o. the Con-
s;itution 10 the people. They were elected
10 f5THt q Constitution, without condition
or qualification. The legislature had power
TO order such 4 convention, in tic manner
in witch they did order it. The people rat
flied the order, and elected delegates to the
Convention accordingly, and the CCaven-
a
no; say lint il represented the will Of the
people Of Kansas. nor that the Constitution
which il framed represented the will, or
wishes, OF the people of Kansas; bat, If not,
us J;rnb lies ,riH MeH. The Eansas-Ne-
baaska bill gave them full power "to form
and regulate their domestic institutions in
their own way. subject only to the Consti-
tuition Of tae United States" and " hat more
in Heavens name, could they have wanted:
Having this power in their own haads, who
Is to blame If they have abused it, or failed
to use it TO secure their rights and the ac-
ccmplishment Of their wishes?
In this brief paragraphs, friend Pine has
undoubtedly embodied the gist Of the whole
pro-Lecompton argument, and rs far as it
goes, we are free to admit, among democrats,
it is nearly unanswerajle. But is this ali
Admitting the Lccompton Convention TO
have been legally and regularly formed, and
that it had a right to adopt a Constitution
without submitting It TO the people, and that
Congress has the power to admit Kansas
with that Constitution the great question
still remains, as matter Of justice and right
to the people Of Kansas, OrgAt Congress to
do 1t?
Friend Pine will not contend that whene-
yer Territory presents itself to Congress
with Constitution in hand, nothing more re-
rains fer Congress 10 do but to admit it
The admission Of new State is a subject
about which Congress does, or always
should exercise 4 wise discretion when
the Tocckaites, for instance, came before
Congress with tier Constitution, and q l.,I
to he admitted into the Union, Congress
said, why, this is the work of a party
this is not the work of the people Of Kan
sas-you can't come in Wei, when the
Lecomptonists come and present their con-
s;itution, has Congress any the less right
than in the other case TO ask, j" Is this the
work of tie PEOPLE or party in Kan +
sas:" The answer may be tina: in the form .
alton Of this document We 7ent through
more regular forms than the Tcpekaites fol-
lowed; but does that answer the question?
Congress says, 1--WE have nothing to DO
with your .tosaS-is it the work Of the reo-
ple:' For as in the good old days Of our
republic the only question on admitting
new State WIS 81 in these DAYS surely the
only question ought and can be, DO the PEG
PIE r-.rt 70 no .d,ri,..dz N honest ma,
ce-i,irIv viii ,,airt,i, ,b.t now State
shall be dragged into the Union against It's
viii. Wei, what DO you say, fiend Pine,
=. to tho ,risi,as of ,I,c ,eorIe o, this sub.
iec, WV ,-o,, ,5,,;. ,-o,rs.,f ~. co-s.i
t,t;o-, Doc ,c, r,-rc.o-,; t,,. ,-i1r ,tc,.eo.
,rr---,- %, ,,..-;-r..
s,ro ,n,,, ,,r.t.,fs :, dos The co3yor.fo, .
i.s,rf tia, ,,,fc tho co-s.,,,,,fon ,cr-ro,r.
l,5,,o1 prnpT = ,-o,,d st. H..
r H.. no, , c-.-,. 49, ,fro .,... o. -.
,ros,1 f7~ no, s,.l,,.,;.,;,,,i, p,, -, ..,.o.
no - Gov, ,-,,,, III -. ., or... -. J..
.au..--,..-, =. c.:,., =. /
~. n,,h.r.,r -. - oe c,tt t.,..J
-.:.,;--;. -. -. - o. ., ,,,a.
,;,o to -'o,ra or - % IL. IT
for rer,si,,iI,, a,,s,, from tho ,o,,,s We he.
licve in Congressional nOa-intervaHtion and
nor-impcr!inence Of all sorts. The people
.1-,,o.:...., ,,.,,,,,r, dcor t.,o,vs n want
=, :e.t-.,
io'"''s ~ w WEN '-'1 ''' -
had TO motive whsteVer, what right has
Congress to tell them they must come into
the V.i7, live under the domination Of an