Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-02-20

here last Monday They would say, "wsll, don't
many people did you see here about that time ~
well there might hage been City or sixiy..-there
might have been as many as hundred on The first
day OF the election, Qor 1t was held open for two
days) Some of them told us they had heard the Off
GERS at the window. the second day, crying out
almost the whole day, calling upon voters to come
forward, and yet nobody came. But In the mean.
time the clerks were busy, somebody else was busy
IN writing up 1928 names upon that long roll Of
paper. rIW ah1 sh
II was perfectly plain, therefore, that this was
great, monstrous fraud and from that day 10 this
no one in that country has seriously attempted to
maintain that Il was not As you all know those re-
turns were rejected for informality in the returns
themselves. Shortly after. there from another
county, in distant part of the Territory, McGhee
county, similar returns Of about 200 votes These
were still more Informal and we rejected them, be-
cause we knew perfectly well they were of he same
character. have not a doubt that if Governor
Walker and myself tor it was my duty as secretary
70 act upon them as well as his duty as Govern ~
had winked at this fraud IL we had overlooked the
informality Of the affair If had stood upon tech
ncalties and said that we could not 20 behind the
returns, have not doubt that as many more would
have been brought in from other parts Of the Terri
tory in order 70 elect member Of Congress, well
as the whole Legislature johnson county was at
that time attached to Douglas county, which had
very large bona Sde population and by this tremen-
dous fraud at Oxford eight representatives and two
or three Councilmen were given to the minority,
throwing majority Of the Legislature into their
hands. Their purpose was still to maintain the
power of the minority by these immense frauds
now discovered, for the first time TO my entire
satisfaction, why 1t was that the great mass of the
people of the Territory had been dissatisfied with
their government and were ready to rebel and to
throw it off. There never was moment during
my residence in the Territory Of Kansas that the
people would not have rejected their Government
utterly overthrow it. destroyed it, but for the pow
er Of the United States army within the Territory
The Convention met in October to prosecute its
work. The members of this Convention were elect
ed by and represented small minority Of pro-
slavery men--they represented scarcely body else
Mr.. President, / had confidently expected that the
Convention would have framed that Constitution
fairly and properly-that they would have submit
ted it to the people entire and that they would have
permitted them, by separate and distinct VOTE to de-
termne whether or not they would have slavery with
in the State. But to my great regret and mortfca-
ton, when they concluded their work. upon the
face of the instrument prepared by them, the plain
est indications Of predetermination and precontr-
vance for continuing the control Of the minority BY
the same means by which it had been maintained
from the beginning.
They based the apportonment to the county of
Johnson upon the fraudulent returns given at Ok
ford at the October election To that almost unin-
habted county they gave two Senator's out of thir-
teen, and four Representatives out of thirty-nine.
The great preponderance of Representatives was
given 10 the border counties of Missouri. And in
required qualification for voters except the fact of
inhabitancy on the day of the Election
l conscientously believed that the great mass of
the people of Missouri had nothing TO do with these
shameless violations of law and right in the Territory
of Kansas. Those who did participate in them were
comparatively few, and were the worst part of the
border population politicians Of the lowest, most
INSCRIPTIONS character
l had opposed the Lecompton Constitution, not
only because ! maintained the right of the people
10 vote upon their fundamental law, but because
saw in that instrument itself the most unjust the
most unfair Of all possible provisions In the sched-
ule 10 the Constitution, they profess, in certain
way, to submit it to the adoption or rejection of the
people; yet they afterwards qualify the matter in
| such manner as to give them only the power to
vote upon singl feature Of the Instrumentation the
with slavery; but for the Constitution at all events
aud under all circumstances. -a4
The President of the United States in his special
message had declared that the people of the Terri
tory had fair opportunity to decide whether the
State should be slave State free State With
out intending TO mpugn the motives Of the President
far less TO question his veracity feel bound TO say
that the statement was in my Judgment utterly in
correct
| would make the same declaration to an audi
ence of Southern men. Leaving out of view the
mode in which the Constitution was submitted, tina
| single question upon which they might vote was no
presented fairly The people could merely determine
| whether not they would permit the introduction
of more slaves into the Territory for the right
those already In the Territory could not be interfere,
with. l should blush, TO present in this way sucl
aquesiion as this 10 any community upon this con
tinent and say that Il fairly presented TO them tn
question whether they should live under State Gov
eminent with slavery or with no slavery. Grca
applause.
If the people of Kansas had BEN fairly dealt wild
l do not believe they would have thought for |
moment OF confscating the property ofthe slave hold
ers in the Territory; they would have dealt with
them generously,
II had been said that the sole object Of the people
Of Kansas in demanding the right to vote upon thei
Constitution, was TO vote il down, right or wrong
/ do not believe the assertion. Some such Their,
might have been, but such was not the sentiment OF
the mass Of the people. The men who have deep
interest in the prosperity OF The country were dis
posed TO take the Constitution and vote upon Il on it,
merits. y a-II ~. f4E
The Convention understood the will Of the people
perfectly well and IL was because they understood
the will Of the people, and because they had designs
in express opposition 10 IL that they refused 10 sub
nit the Constitution 10 the people
When the Convention framed this Constitution,
and presented IL 10 the people in the manner they did
you may naturally suppose that there was the most
Territory. The effect Of such proceedings the part
Of the Convention, and the gigantic frauds which
were perpetrated at the elections the 2st Of De
ccmber and 4th Of January was 10 throw power into
the hands Of the worst agtators in the Territory, and
10 give them voice and influence by which they could
rouse the people, and drive them 10 madness. They
did arouse them and il was well understood leaking
out il did from their secret conclaves that they
tcrtaned the fixed purpose by force, IL necessary. to
remove not only the president Of the Convention but
every other man Of that body who was clothed with
power under the Constitution 10 carry out its pro
visions. Ii happened that before these difficulties
became great that Governor Walker left the Ter
rtory by permission Of the President Of the United
States for the purpose Of consulting with the Pres
ident and his binet in reference 10 these very mat
ters. We thought that his presence was necessary
in Washington city, and upon his departure was
for the se-ond time clothed with the whole power Of
The executive Of the Territory under The organic law.
The people In great Masses and the Legislature that
had been elected with almost unanimous voice,
clled upon me 10 convene the Legislature In order
that they might take such steps they could 10
counteract the misfortune which they conceived was
about 10 befl them in the adoption Of this Constiu
ton. TApplausa. I did not doubt for moment
that Eve 10 Of the people in Kansas against
the Constitution formally, and determ-
nedly. / knew IL for The people themselves had
told me 50. l saw them in their masses, heard
them In their public meetings, and Of them through
their representatives everywhere they proclaimed
their determination not 10 submit 10 the imposition
Of this Constitution.
What was 10 do under The circumstances What
might too hare donci You all know what i did ]
took the responsibility Of calling the Legislature to-
gcther The speaker here inter- upted by burst
Aud il under the same circumstances i was 10 be
placed there again, would repeat my action though
y thousand scaffolds stared me in The face [Cheer
after cheer here went up for Stanton and man in
the crowd observed these are regular old jackson
t,nnce