Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-02-17

and that they are ,aoac opposed to the
Lecompton Constitution, and do not
wish to come into the Union under it.
But he says they might have voted
against it, and against the delegates
who formed it, though he knows that
none but registered voters could vote
for delegates, and both Gov. Walker
and Secretary Stanton have testified
that majority of the voters were not
registered, and were therefore disfran-
chised. 1t is also false that they could
have voted for free constitution by
voting against the slavery clause, for
perpetual slavery was incorporated in
to the instrument, by guarantying the
chattelhood of slaves now in Kansas,
AMI their descendants. The first Legis-
lature was elected, as the testimony
taken before the Cor gressional Commit
tee proved, by an armed irruption of cit
liens Of Missouri. And this legislature
established test oaths, so that none
thereafter could vote unless they would
swear to sustain slavery and the Fugi-
tive Slave Act.
The people of Kansas had no oppor-
tunity to vote and make their voice
heard, till the last election for Terri
torial legislature, and then they triumph
ed. The proposal to the Free State
men to vote on the Lecompton Consti-
tuition was amockery, because first they
were only allowed to vote for it and
not against it, and in the second place,
the officers and judges of elections
were in the hands Of the Border Ruff
fans, who would make just such re-
turns as they pleased. The statement
of the President, therefore, that the Le-
compton Constitution is to be taken as
the voice of the people, because they
mi ht have had it otherwise if they had
wished it, is glaringly false. His dec
laration that those who abstained from
voting authorized those who did vote
to act for them, as far as it applies to
more than half of the people who were
not registered and could not vote, is
adding bitter moekery to falsehood-
In two or three districts, the people
who were not registered did vote and
elect delegates, and sent them to the
Lecompton Convention and the Con-
vention Kicked them out of doors
treated them as the President has tfeat-
ed the Free State men Of Kansas.
The President feels that he is in a
tight place, and SO he says that when
he instructed Governor Walker in IA
vor OF submitting the Constitution to
the people, he did not think of any,
thing but slavery. So great is his ne
gromania that the constitution is sla-
very, and slavery is the constitution.
Slavery with him is like the poor toper's
whiskey-everything -victuals, and
drink, and pretty good clothes. In
short, he can see nothing and think of
nothing but slavery and his slavehold-
ing masters. But this is not all. He
says slavery is in Kansas by the decis-
ion of the .. S. Supreme Court, as
much as in Georgia and South Caro-
lima, and that there is no way to get it
out but by constitutional provision,
and that to give the people of Kansas
an opportunity now to form a free con-
stitution, before admission into the I'm
ion, would be "keenly felt by the people
of fifteen States Of the Union, where
slavery is recognized under the Consti-
tuition of the United States p The
servile who got his election under false
pretences, says that! And he tells
Congress and the country, if they will
admit Kansas as Slave State, he will
be enabled to withdraw the troops and
send them to Utah, where thew are
much needed, for, he adds, 81 have
been obliged to interfere with the ex-
petition to Utah in order to keep down
the rebellion in Kansas is. the
Free State men. And the President
INDUCES the vain hope that the adm;s-
sion Of Kansas under the Lecompton
Constitution, will quiet the slavery ao;-
tation. Yes-just about az much "a
the passage of the Kansas Nebraska
Act did. And this villainy is 80 much
greater than the former that even tho
author Of the Kansas-Nebraska Act
cannot stand it, and pronounces # an
outrage upon Republican principles
and wars upon it as a violation Of the
platform and pledges of the party.
We tell the President if this usurpa-
ton succeeds, he will need more troops
In Kansas to put the Lecompton Con
stitution into operation. We do not
know what the Free State men Of Kan
sas will do, but we hope they will re-
sist the Lecompton Constitution INTO
death. We hope they will treat all who
try to put it In force, as our fore fathers
did the officers under the Stamn Act
and as Grow did the ruffian Ke;tt in
the House of Representatives last week |
If the President undertakes to play the
part Of King George, we hope ENOUGH
of the spirit of '76 is left in the hearts
of the people to create new revoJu-
ton which shall overthrow the tvran-
nical slave oligarchy. If such usur-
patton as this is successful, and the peo-
pie submit to it, our liberties are lost.
and our government becomes slave
despotism. The people must prepare
to fight, for the ballot box is no longer !,
a protection. Federal bayonets bris-
tie at the polls, and the right of suf-
frag,e has become farce. Well said ,
Hale In the Senate, the other dav. not :