Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-03-18

msjority Of the people Of 3 State fTams
their government. That is vital ques-
tioni Il Involves the precise difference be-
tween Democracy aud 0ligarchy, Monarch
y,or Despotism. 1t is the first ARd / fear
the last step towards the overthrow Of our
free institutions, and il this can be done
now, and BY an authority so high IS Con.
grets, what will be the demand next made
BY the MINORITY Why that they the
minority shall control, not only Kansas,
but the Federal Goyernmeni,under thrests
of overIhrowing the Constitution aud the
Union. Ii submission is now yielded to
this doctrine, il is very plain to me, that
the Federal Government itself must pass
into the hands Of minority, and that the
great fundamental principle Of the Consti-
tuition must be ovehhrown aud subyerted.
] cannot by q single vote, for a solitary
moment, sanction . doctrine which must
gradually undermine our system, and
lead directly to anarchy or despotism.-
II iS not the case Of Kansas alone on which
we arc now celebrating. but upon great
fundamental principle, which is now to be
sustsined or subverted. That principle
comes home TO the heart and judgment
Of every elector in the Republic. Shall
the elective franchise become an empty
form? Shall the votes of the majority pre-
vail, or shall they be superseded by tech
nical quibbles, unworthy the consideration
of statesmen, or by an organized system
Of frauds aud fOrgeries? Shall the most
clear and palpAbls evidence. which would
carry conviction to the breast Of any hon
est Judge or jury, be suppressed or super
ceded by crimes. which should condemn
their authors and aecomplces to disgrace
and punishment. There is a great moral
as well as a political question involved in
tSis controversy. We are asked not only
to sanction the overthrow ofa great fun
damental principle Of public Liberty and
the Constitution, but TO approve also 8
series of frauds and forgeres, the iuOsl
palpable and tho most wicked which have
ever disgraced any age OF country, and
thus forfeit our own self-respect, aud tha
Of the whole civilized world, which mus
be the spectators ofthis infsmy. If ther'
be any crime which is more altrociou
than snv other, it is the forgery Of elec
ton returns, end especially in an election
involving al the dearest rights Of ola free
people in the establishment of Stat,
government. 1t is now proved incontest
ably, by legal evidence taken on oath be
fore Legislative Committees, that in fou
precincts only in Kansas, where more thar
three thousand votes were pretended Il
have been given, that four 6llhs Of tht
whole we're entirely fictitious, and that thu
returns were forged and fraudulent. NJ
man can or dare deny this testimony
From an intimate and personal knowledge
Of each and every one of these precincts
know that this testimony is true; anC
vet we are asked to sanction Constitution
based upon crimes like these. Would We
not become accomplices Of these crimes j
we should aid in the establishment Of I
, government based upon theml If success
can be achieved by these and kindred
atrocities, ana the high sanction Of Con
gress can be obtained for them,do we no
! open forever the flood gates OF vice ans
/ immorally? Republics are based upol
public virtue, aud when this subyerted. .th
vital spark of Liberty will have been OK
tinguished. The parchment upon whicl
the Constitution is written may still re-
main, but the life giving principles of pop
ular feeiom and Of public virtue will hav
g0ne forever.
But, although the justice Of the prime
pies for which we contend may be admit
ted by our advesares, yet it is contended
that it is expedient to disregard them no'
10 Kansas. The sanction of crimes an,
injustice can never be expedisnt. w
should never do wrong. in the hope, per
haps vain and illusory, that it may b
hereafter corrected. We should do al
ways what is right and JUST in all our act
whether public or private, and leave th
result in the hands Of that oyerruling Prov
ldence, who can never give his sanction o
ultimate success to crimes or injustice
rheNTeritorial Legislature Of Kansas i
now in the hands Of the majority of he
people. The control was obtained in DC
lsber last, in an election in which both par
ties participated, and freely measured thei
strength. Let the Leccmpton Constitu
ton be defeated, and the territorial gov
ernment SO long as it exists, will be con
Quoted in peace asd quiet, until it is su
perceded by a Constitution legally frams
under a call of the Territorial Legislature
ratified by the people, and adopted by Con
gress, all of which may be done in fey
weeks or months and the great doctrin
; of popular sovereignty have been vindca
ted. But, force this Constitution upo
: the people Of Kansas now, against their will
r and no mortal vision can penetrate the dar
; abyss in which lay hidden the deep disas
ters now meuacing Kansas and our couu
3 try. l cannot take this dark leap into sue
= vortex Of crime and uncertainty. If tn
: people Of Kansas submit, nevertheless th
damning truth will still remain, that th
, State would have been forced into the Un
ion against the will of the people. Sh
! would enter the Union, not rs the peer an
equal of her co.sovereiguties. but she woul
would be driven into the Union disgrace
} by the chains Of an usurping minority, an
covered all over with shame and degrad'
ton. The very parchment on which he
} Constitution was written would be staine
by crimes and forgeries. The Siguet {
the people would never have been alike
= to the instrument. but in its place, a vi