The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-26
Kansns-The Administration and the WASH
ington Democratic Organs.

Kansns-The Administration and the WASH
ington Democratic Organs.
We transfer to our columns to-day an article
on Kansas affairs from each of the three organs
of the democracy at Washington-the Union,
the Erening Star and the States. They do not
throw much additional light upon the subject,
but the views of each of these would-be ad.
ministration interpreters are decidedly interest
ing and amusing when compared with the pc
culiar notions of the other two.
The Union, the would be administration Or
gan, par erceVence pleads the binding force of
the legality of the Lecompton constitution; but
spoils its case with an excess of injudicious cpl
thets and windy philosophy 1t is hardly ne
cessary to 60 all the way back to the democra-
cy of Athens in order to illustrate the border
ruffanism Of Kansas. Nor are such outbreaks
of virtuous Indignation as "a pell-mell ma
jority." "the ballot box Of the mob, the "ballot
box Of brute force" and 'away, then, with the
demagogue appeals for the will of the majority
calculated to benefit the Lecompton constitu-
ton or the administration in the slightest de-
gree. We apprehend that il will be many day
hence before the opposition will have forgotten
these expressions. and how to use them in their
''demagogue appeals for the will of the ma
jority.'
Thus much for the Washington Union. As
an organ of the demoralized democracy, ii sad
" needs the advice of Talleyrand, that words
are intended to conceal" and not TO betray our
ideas and, as an administration organ, il has
been an incubus to the administration from the
time Of father Richie. The little Star has an
easier Office, a. the chifionier Of the Cabinet,
and wider margin of license. But even the
Star, in the present instance. has exceeded its
proper limits. By this time ii has learned that
the free State party of Kansas have carried the
State officers, the State Legislature, and the
member to Congress in the election of The 4th
instant, and that thus, though admitted under
the Lecompic. constitution, Kansas, to all
practical intents and purposes, will be admitted
az a free State.
But our little Washington organ. the Star. fur
Their assures US that I" it will be found, when the
official returns reach Washington, that their az
gregate vote (Lecompton) far exceeds the ten
thousand majority alleged to have been polled
on the same day (the 4th instantly against the
Lecompton constitution What this means we
cannot undertake to guess but If the reported
vote for the Lecompton constitution of six
thousand or so in Kansas, is swelled to twelve
or fifteen thousand by the time it reaches Wash
ington. the fact will be abundantly established
that John Calhoun Is a most wonderful man.
Yet such explanations as these by a Washing
ton democratic organ are made TO strengthen
the trembling nerves OF the Northern democra-
cy in Congress.
The other little democratic accompaniment,
the States, stands upon its dignity. 1t has evil
IDENTIFY taken offence at something which the
administration has lately done, or failed to do;
for Major Heiss scarcely attempts to disguise
the fact that he has gone over, bag and baggage,
TO Senator Douglas. The New York Tribune IL
self has not presented a more plausible array
Of facts figures and assumptions in behalf of
the rejection of the Lccompton constitution
than are embodied in the article we give to-day
from the State. But the correction of single
mistake will demolish the whole fabric of its
argument.
The States Gays that the legality of the vote
on the ith instant against the Lecompton con-
stitution having been recognized by the Presi-
dent. through the letter Of Gen. Cass to acting
Governor Denver, and by Governor Denver, in
his address to the people Of Kansas, we are au-
thorized to look at that vote in connection with
the vote cast on the 2lst ultimo upon the fea-
lures Of the constitution" No such thing. The
President recognized the authority which called
that election of the itb January and the right
Of the people TO vote therein; but in no shape
or form has he recognized the legality of that
election in reference to the Lecompton constitu-
ton. The President holds that the popular
work upon that constitution was consummated
on the 2lst of December: and that the legal
ratification was perfected in the majority of
votes cast on that day The statement of the case
by ourWashington contemporary is adrotly done:
and il is well adapted to serve the purpose of
Northern trimmers in Congress or Southern
artful dodgers. But II miTepresents The great
legal issue upon which the whole question
turns, and upon which the administration has
resolved 10 stand.
Admit the vote against the Lecompton con-
sttution on the itb ofJanuary to have been ten
thousand, or even fifteen thousand, still, in a
legal point Of view il amounts TO nothing at ALL
The legal ratification of that constitution came
of on the 2lst December. The result of that
election could no more be affected by The cleo