Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-05-05
The Villainy Completed.

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1t will be seen from the Congressional
proceedings, published elsewhere, that the
Lecompton swindle has at length been
forced through both Houses of Congress.
As the question is therefore practically set.
tied and will undergo no further changes,
so far at least as legislation upon it by the
present Congress is concerned, we purpose
briefly to show wherein this bill, known as
the English-Lecompton bill, differs from
the one proposed by Mr. Montgomery, and
which was so fair on its face, and so just
in its provisions as 10 command tho sup
port of vast majority of the people Of the
country.
The Montgomery bill, it will not be de.
MED, submitted the Lecompton Constitu.
ton to direct vote of the people of Kan.
sas. If ratified, then the State was to be
admitted on proclamation ofthe President.
If not ratified, then provision vas made
for the formation of new constitution at
once, on the acceptance Of which by the
people, the State was to be admitted, on
proclamation by the President. The grant
of public lands, (simiIar TO that made in
tue case of Minnesota, was not contingent
upon adopting either course. Nor was
the question TO come again before Congress
in either event. No discrimination was
made in favor of slavery. No discrmina-
ton was made 10 favor of freedom. The
proceedings in regard to submission and
subsequent action were left to the manQge-
ment Of board, consisting of the Cover.
nor the Secretary, and the presiding Off.
GERS of the two branches of the Legisa'
ture. Was this not fan? Was this not
doing exact justice to both, the nti.slavery
and pro slavery parties of the Territory ?
Was it not leaving "the people perfectly
free to regulate their domestic affairs in
their own way?" Surely it was. Does
the English 'LecOmpton bill the one just
passed by Congrees--propose TO do this?
Far from il. 1t does not submit the Le-
compton Constitution to a popular vote
1t submits the Land Grant only, but makes
the admission of the State contingent upon
the acceptance of the land bribe. In 9th.
or words the State can have the land if
its inhabitants consent 10 come into the
Union as q Stare State. they will not
consent to take Lecompton, Slavery, &c.
they shall neither have the land nor ad.
mission, for an indefinite pelio of timo to
come. They are not authorized to form
a new constitution, if this one is spurned
until Kansas has population of $4,000
inhabitants; but they may come in with
Slavery and LecOmpton aoao, though the
slavery leaders themselves say the pres.
ent population is not over 10000! How
magnanimous indeed If they desire to
be admitted as a slave State 10000 of a
population is sufficient; if they desire to be
admitted as a free State they must wait
until they have population of 93,OO0-
enough to entitle them to a Representa-.
tive in Congress. But again: The Mont.
gomery bill so arranged the officers for sub,
mitting the constitution, and counting the
returns, as 10 give neither of the two par
ties majority; the English bill puts the
whole subject into proslayery hands, SO
that that party can have as usual any re.
turns which its leaders may desire.