New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-04-12

-.v,.ittaA "a Ia Organized, under the Lecompton
Coustitutjoh; thatthe Lesvenworth Constitution, II
ratified BY the people, must be the Constitution Of
Kansss. Scientifically he alluded to those who
vishea to "take the Lecompton Constitution to
chapsei It." He drew comparison Of q eolder IN
the Revolution, going 10 Gen. Washington, just be-
fore the battle of Trenton, and saying: oh,
Misther Washington, / think we had better take
the British Government for ten days or 30, until
zee can change II"
Judge Conway next spoke. He made an eIabo-
rate argument to prove that although Congress could
make State they could make no State Con-
stitution; that the act Of admission was positive,
not conditional; that Congress might adult Kan
sas as State, but that il remained with the people
TO say what should be their organic law. Ii ad-
mitted the people could take what Constitution they
pleased. They were in the Union and had this
right as sovereign State BY the treaty with
France ths Territory was acquired under the stPu-
lation that It's people should be admitted as State
or States, with the same privileges OF the older
States. If Congress had the right to go into Kan.
sas and prescribe what it's Constitution should be, it
had the right TO 90 into South Carolina and Massa-
chusetts and say what their Constitutions should be.
Mr.. Forter Of Qsswotamie next spoke. He
made an eloquent appeal against organizing under
the LecomptOn Constitution. lie was sorry 10 say
that he had been elected under that Constitution,
hut he would state that he would nerernerer recOg
nize that bastard instrument as the organic law Tor
the people. He alluded to the Old2 Potawotamie
tragedy, when five of the Border Rufans had allied
themselves as the enemies of popular rights and
popular safety, and when their lives were the forfeit
Should Calhoun and his myrmidons come back to
Kansas 10 enforce the Constitution the people
rejected. similar fate might befal them.
t. Dwight Thatcher of The Laurence Republican
next addressed the meeting. He spoke with con-
siderable fervor against corrupting the organic law
of the future State. Should the history of Kansas,
through all time, exhibit the dsgraceful record that
all our institutions flowed from such source 1t
weuld be dangerous now, and a stain upen our
escutcbeon. He recalled them to the long and
arduOus struggle for Liberty IN which Kansas has
been engaged. They had succeeded virtually. Why
should they stultify themselves now Everything
that was great and noble, both in Kansas and
throughout the Union would protest against recog-
nizug or sanctioniDg that lnfamy.
VIM. A. Phillips next spoke. What the people
should do was grave matter to consider. 1t had
been SAID that the PrO-Slavery party had always
fortified themselves in the inner track of legality
This argument was used to persuade the people to
organize under the LecomptOn Constitution This
was fallacy. sUndcr that instrument there was no
law, no courts in Kansas the moment OF admission
Nothing could give the Government Legality TIL the
Legislature met. If majority of Free-State men
had certificates they could kill it by refraining TO
act; if they had not, they could not change it, on
this theoretical elmer track of legality The
government of Calhoun was cipher. Its friends
were fugtives to the SOIL Nothing could give it
an instants vitality bat the acceptance OF the peo
pie. As Judge Conway had stated Congress could
not make Constitution for the State. Official evil
dence was before Congress that the people had re-
iected it. The admission of Kansas now would be
its admission without legal Constitution. Should
the people adopt the LeavenwOrth Constitution,
they would have one
Mr.. Medl, editor of The Chicago Tribune, being
present, was called on. In response he said he
hardly knew what TO say to them. A Voice
'Gve us your advice He said they needed no
advice and those from the outside were least quail
fed to give it, They had generally been, he thought
right. He so regarded them now. He certainly
could comprehend the feeling freely evinced by
this meeting against the Kansas 0utrages and this
elimination in the LecOmptOn swindle. If the
Free-State men had, indeed succeeded in getting
possession of the elements of power in that gov
erpment they could kill il by holding it still. They
were now engaged in making Constitution under
legal sanction That instrument the people had GER
tainly the right TO accept. Even should minority
of that LecOmptOn swinsle adjourn TO Missouri, or
apy other safe place to elect two United States Sen
atOrs, and even should partisan Congress admit
them to seats, such an act would speak as badly Tor
the wrong thus inflicted as the most eloquent
tongue. The speaker was enthusiastically received
with cheering.
Mr.. Army made an able appeal against the
Lecompton Constitution covering to some extent
similar grounds to other speakers. Mr.. Barr made
a shrewd and forcible speech, full of his usual
felcitous hits. DR.. Morris of Leavenworth, Repre-.
sentative elect, was called. He had been supposed
TO be favorable to organizing, but said he would be
willing to abide the decision of his constituency.
He loathed the LecOmpton Constitution. Mr..
Walden made an energetic speech, opposing organl-
zaton under the LecOmptOn Constitution for any
time or purpose. A resoutOn was adopted author
izng the Central Committee to call Convention,
when the mass meeting adjourned.