The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-25
AFFAIRS IN KANSAS.


you, that anything would so soon occur a. -
make it justifable for me to trouble Won ,;,S
another letter.
But the news of the Lecompton Copst;tp,ior
having reached Congress in due form. and ,bo
Presidents message urging that the people Of
Kansas be at once admitted into the Upo,
under that instrument, as the best mode Of &C,
thing the Kansas question, has caused a up;,v
OF feeling amongst all classes of men, which b..
not hitherto existed. All with one voice unbs,
atatlngty declare that, if we are admitted upda,
that instrument, it being differed by the Pro.
Slavery men, those INSCRIPTIONS aspirauts will
at once be eteoated to higher position than
they have sought.
The people protest against being admitted
under the odious thing, even with the power 70
kill it at once; but, if that power be taken from
US, the next best thing seems to be to kill ,bs
men who have conspired against our Liberties
The President thinks A" it will give peac4ln
that the soldiery can then be withdrawn from
Kansas" and we can settle our difficulties in On,
our o,On ,oay." Well, if the United States forcas
are Withdrawn, we can settle our difficulties in
our own way and that way will be a very ann.
mary one.
There has been, and still is, conservative
wing in the Free State party; but the idea o,
q conservative element always presupposes ,bot
there is something aoorh conservinq. Let Tho
Administration beware, lest all that ia worth
laboring to save be taken from us. The peonja
of Kansas have borne long and much; but bare,
tofore they have not been desperate. Hone has
not entirely gone out. If this last great anchor
be torn from US, and we let 90 all else. tbera
will still remain the noble spirit that could de-
family cry in the ears of the British King
Give me liberty, or give me deah!n
Under ordinary circumstances, the people of
Kansas would not feel themselves justified in
disturbing the peace and quiet of the Territory.
from the simple fact that men who did not fair.
ly represent the majority of the people are
placed at the head of the Government but the
circumstances in which we should be placed
were we to be admitted under the Lecompton
Constitution, would be most extraordinary.
First, we had no voice in framing the Consti.
tuton; second, we are not permitted to approve
or disapprove OF the instrument when II ya7
claimed to have been submitted third. by our
own unaided efforts, Except SO far as the Secre
tary assisted US, and which we fully appreciate.
we procured the passage of law whereby we
were permitted to express our dissent from
not only the provisions of the instrument. but
from everything connected with it, from its in.
cipiency to its final contamination.
Our dissent was expressed by an overwhelm.
ing majority.
Fourthly and lastly, lest our vote against the
Constitution should not be needed by CONGRESS.
we elected the State officers and members Of
the Legislature, with but portion of cur
strength. Certificates were refused rs. and we
nave instituted an investigating committee.
VINO are now In possession of facts that would
satisiy any court on earth that our claim to the
government is beyond question.
The men claiming the right to govern us. By
virtue OF certificates which i. is understood will
De issued to them by John Calhoun, are not
men simply without character but thew are
guilty of crimes which Justly exclude them
from all decent society, and they have copse.
quently fed the Territory, are fugitives from
Justice, and have become the comnan;ons and
conhdants of their allies in Washington. Thew
are guilty of frauds, forgeries, and periuries. 30
palpable, and conspiracies so vile, as to redeem
the damned. There is not a man in the Terri.
tory that pretends to justify or spologize for
them IN the least. Sheriff Jones said to Mclean.
when he applied to him as to what he should
40, lake the straightest road to Missouri"
when ne (McLean) applied to Colonel Young
OF Lecompton, asking what he should do after
the discovery of the returns under the wood.
pile, the Colonel said $50 and tell the court
you swore to G-.d.d-d he.n Mclean. il
Is said, plead for the Colonel's counsel. but the
only reply was as above.
The ultra men in Kansas will seize upon this
effort OF the President to force it into the Union
under the Lecompton Constitution as a mani.
fest disregard of the popular will.
The advocates of the Kansas. N ebrsska bill
claimed that the people should be left perfectly
free to manage their affairs in their own way.
But II the Presidents Kansas policy, as under.
stood here, is correct exposition of the doc.
trine OF non -interrention," then have only
to say that the people here are opposed to non.
While the people of Kansas were generally
opposed to the repeal of the Missouri Compro.
mise, they would still be satisfied with the pro-
Visions OF the Kansas Nebraska bill, if fairly
carried out. But measure which never Sc
cured the assent of their judgment can never
win their confidence by attempting 10 carry it
INTO effect by force, by fraud, and by riolenes.
am still, however, not without hope. As |
SAID to you In my last, it does seem that when
all the recent developments reach Congress in
Que form, they will produce the same effect
there that they have in Kansas
On Friday of this week, the Territorial Leg.
isiature Will close its session. The Topeka
Legislature was to have reassembled today.
One of its prominent members is writing in
the room with me, and have Just asked him
q u
" Upon my word, had not before thought of
the matter" How many others have forgotten
that this was the day for their reassembling, |
am not able to say. E. HEATH.
P. S.-A bill has passed the Legislature,
providing tor Constitutional Convention. Del
egates to be elected on the second Tuesday in
March,. Session in April, and election of off.
GERS in May, believe. The Convention will
be composed of one hundred members.
On Saturday of this week, q mass Convention
will be held in this place. The Territory is
very generally represented by members of the
several Legislatures. A very great deal of in.
.erest will be felt with reference to the charsc.
er of the delegates elected to the constitutional
Convention.
Thi. will be the third effort made to frame
! Constitution that shall prove acceptable to
he people. Some are in favor of readopting
he Topeka Constitution. do not think this
vill meet with general favor. Should the
Measure be carried, it will be by the same
means that are resorted to to push certain Ad-
ninistration measures through Congress Pc
ition, salary, and pride, are the capital stock
n the Topeka movement. The Legislature
'ill probably send on messenger with the
'rinciPal facts which the investigating commit
ee have developed. Probably Mr.. Adams, or
Or: Ewing, will be that messenger. Mr.. Ewing,
o long as the Free State party refused to 60
INTO the elections, refused to have any partlcl,
'ancy with them; and, accordingly, he b h WIS.,
yer, one of the most able, efficient, and liberal
oung men. The element of strong party