Freeman's champion., 1858-02-25
.I ''' '' A Protest ''' q
To the Honorable the House Of Representa-.
tines of the United States, I'.,

tGUes W INC OHHou StdtoS' '. ~ D..
The undersigned were appointed q
Committee, @ by a Delegate Conven-
ton Of the people Of Kanzas. held at
the town of Lawrence on D6c.84, to
memorialize your honorable body,
and to protest, in their name, against
the admission of our Territory into
the Union, as a sovereign State, un-
der the instrument known as the Le-
compton Constitution. '''
In discharge of the duties thus i'm
posed and accepted, we.@sk you to re-
Ilect the Lecompton Constitution.
Because the Legislative Assembly,
by which the Convention which
framed it was called into existence,
was elected by armed companies of
Missouri invaders, and did not repre-
sent, but did constantly and willtully
misrepresent, the political and moral
sentiments and wishes of the people
of Kanzas. .YNaw, ..
Because-accordin to the opin-
ions and decisions Of eminent judicial
authorities ; a Territorial Legislature,
even if legally elected, has no con-
stitutional power to originate a State
Government. u M aI. U
IBecause--this power to initiate or
establish Government, being vested
in the people or in Congress alone
by thu fraudulent census and iniqui-
tious apportionmeht for the election
of delegates to the Constitutional
Convention, the majority of the act
ual inhabitants Of the Territory were
deprived of the right of representa-
tion in it. '.
Because the instrument thus ille-
gally framed was not submitted for
ratification or rejection to a vote of
the people. .....
Because it establishes in our land,
forever, an institution which, in the
opinion Of majority of our people,
is politically and socially q curse,
and morally a crime against God and
man.
Because the Constitution itself,
apart from its origin and its slavery
clause, is imperfect, anti-repubHcan,
inconsistent, and in many other re-
spects justly obnoxious to the people.
Because-as your honorable body
will soon learn from official records
Ia vast and earnest majority of our
people have expressed, through the
ballot box, their opposition to it;
and in delegate conventions and pub
lie assemblies have sworn to resort to
revolution by civil war, rather than
submit to the tyranny which it seeks
to establish.
From the manner in which the
Territorial Legislature was elected !;
Becauseit had no right to initiate
a State Government !; a.h. 5.i howl.
Because the people were unrepre-
Sented and miSrepresented in the Le-
compton Convention; '' '' "'
Because the Constitution framed
by it was not submitted to the popu-
lar vote; 7. .l oIl. .r' o.,
Because it is intended to extend,
establish and perpetuate an organized
crime; ','' y t'.'N''..' '''i'i'''''
Because the So called Constitution
is unsuited to us, obnoxious and i'm
perfect, and in order to prevent re-
newal of civil war, we have the right
to expect, and do ask your honorable
body to reject it, and we do most SOL
emnly protest against its acceptance
by the Congress Of the United States.
And your petitioners will everpray.
JAS. REDPATH, CA'a.
@. ROBINSON, "a.'N 'N
YEN W. Y. ROBERTS, o"a
.gM a w. OAKLEY, ,G ,u..u ID
a Il. D. THACHER,
S. g. P0MEROY,
j. p. ROOT,
j. H. LANE, '''..'.'
1a'io SgF. TAPPAN, @ omgl
.!ys. ~ PyB. PLUMB, 1g roH |
10 o A. A. JAMESON,
JOSIAH MILLER
Z. B. WHITMAN,
y. M. WALDEN, 'iN''''l'l
a WIN. "A. PHILLIPS. iHJd|