Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-04-14

them; and hence they were gong Il
steal a Constitution, and fasten it on tht
necks of their fellow citizens behind thei
backs and against their will. The Pres
ideni has aided and abetted this fraud.
Now, sir, after the Lecompton Con
yention made this constitution, even i
there had been any legality about it, be-
fore it became binding on the people
the Legislature whom the people had
just chosen, took the subject under con.
sideration, and they sent forth their edic
of more than len to one, (for they repre-
sented more than ten to one of The peo,
pie of the Territory that this Conslitu.
tion should be submmtted to the popular
vote. But Mr.. Buchanan says, "abl il
was little too late" Good God, sill
When man lets judgment go against
him by default, | know of 10 court thai
will not permit him to pay the Gusts, open
the default, and try the case on its mer.
lis, but when the great cause Of human
li5erly and right, when the great cause
OF the American citizer is concerned,
when The question is, shall The American
citizen have voice and vote as to The
Constitution under which he and his pos
teriiy are TO live, perhaps forever, an!
then he is debarr, d, he has TO power tc
set aside! He is foreclosed, just as the
people were fcreclosed, because they
would not go and vote at your Peter
Funk election for a Convention.
THE PLEA OF THE UsURPERs.
There was default. Who was to
take advantage of their default? That
would be material inquiry, ii strikes
me. They were too late, says President
Buchanan. Too late for whom? Were
they not making a Constitution for the
people of the Territory of Kansas? VINO
had right TO interfere? Were they to
lose their right by laches, If they COM
mitted lacbes by suffering a defaull?-
TO whose benefit was il TO jnure? What
tyraEt is there that is ready, when the
people make default, TO claim that Il eed
Of liberty which should have belonged to
them? Why, sir, in an adversary suit,
L understand that if a man will not take
care Of his rights, judgment will pass
against him; and, after all the provisions
OF The law have been complied with, he
may forfeit his rights to his adversary;
but here there is no adversary. Iiis the
people themselves asking TO make a Con-
for themselves; and President
Buchanan and many Senators here liken-
ed 1t to some adversary suit, in which
there is party that has some right TO
take advantage Of any want of c0mpli-
ance with The law. Is this your new
tangled popular sovereignty? Who is to
take advantage oft? Why, sir, it is as
much slave State, says the President,
as Georgia or Soath Carolina. Was it to
inure 10 their benefit. if the people should
lose a day in asserting their righis?-
Was any other State 10 gain what they
lost? If-tbere ever was tissue of legal
nonsense dished up and sent to the Sen
ate of the United States, it is such
message as the President has sent here.
hate to use harsh terms, but have
-eason for them. Fit is new in the his
ory of this Government, the things l
comment on are new.
The people lose their own rights; thev
ire day too late; the tyrant has be.
Irode their necks: the Constitution is
ramed; and Mr.. Buchanan says, "ah,
Iou are too la:e to retrieve your rights;
omebody has got hold of them; do not
NOW wLo, but you have los. them
ou ought TO have been on the alert;
'ou have lost day, and your liberties
ire gone forever" Why, sir, even in
he good old Norman days they said the
iigniiy OF freeman was such, that even
heir highest courts could no. force him |
. come in under ten days. First, they
must go TO him. and invite him to come
n gentleman, tell him what the business
vas. fer which he was wanted, because
was beneath The dignity of free ciii- |
en- in England. at that period, to have
summons come in such a mandatory
orm that he must abey it in a moment
seemed 10 be mark OF servilude that
ur sturdy ancestors would not submit
,. 1t is not SO now, however. In one
ay, your liberties may be gone. In
ne day, you may become a slave, and
e denied all chance OF liberty.
Why do you say these men are rebels
nd traitors? You have had an army
two thousand men in Kansas, and all
ie parapherna.ia of war, for what pur-
ose? To compel that people 10 con
uct their domestic concerns in their own
ay! | Laughter They would no. do
. Did You ever hear SO perverse race
there is in that Territory? Two thou
md soldiers, with all the paraphernalia
war, are required to force a people to
0 Just as they please. Laughter -
ouernor Walker wrote TO the President,
yer and over again, before he got the
lng of these men. The first persons he
ct in the Territory, when he got there,
ere those busy Border Ruflians, alw ays
communication with the President,
no seem to have mesmerized him and
ltranced him. The Governor, no /:
'ubt. took letters of introduction to ;
me OF the first Border Ruifians in the
and they seemed to have OBJ
lned their knowledge at first from that ,
urce. They wrote ferocious letters for
'out a month. Governor Walker, how
'er, finally took it upon himself to act l
e missionary. He Numbered forth his ,
defamation. First, he told the people
; would enforce those Border Ruffian
lsurPed laws upon them; but he had !
e grace 10 say, that when the Consli
lion came 10 be acted upon. all ofthem '
ould have fair opportunity to vote.
e said, ''such are my instructions from
e president, such ismy will; and in 4
at respect you shall not be thwarted." {
e went amongst the people; he found t
EN- uneasy about the Government
nich was ruling them. He wrote to s