The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-13

sales embraced about 500 900 hhds ut prices given In
another place. Coffee quiet and sales limited Freghs
were without change Of moment in quotations About
$50 bales Of cotton engaged for Liverpool at 31sd;
-four at Is 10hd 2s chiefly at the latter figure; and
bacon At Dos To London, -four engaged a D. Cd.
The Test Question upon kansas-Wm the
South Back Dovvn3
We spread before our readers this morning
several additional newspaper articles North
and South, upon the present sharply defined test
question of the Kansas imbroglio.
The first of these articles, from the Richmond
South (fre-eater), deplores the Tammany Hall
letter of Gov. Wise, as amanifesto which, from
one end of the South to the other, will be read
with establishment and modification" Mr.. Pryor
therefore calls earnestly upon the Legislature
to put an extinguisher upon this frebrand with
out delay. The second of our extracts is from
the Richmond Wing (oppostion), and says that
"this letter of Governor Wise is calculated to
do more harm to the cause Of the South at the
North than anything which has yet transpred"
in this Kansas squabble. Our third extract is
from the New York Tribune, which emphatically
declares that 4" the Lecompton constitution is
doomed" on account Of the motive Of Mr..
Brown, of Mississippi, in the UnitedpStates
Senate on Monday, for postponing his remarks on
the Kansas question-because ait was undergo
ing changes every day." and because he was
anxious to shave it presented In a more definite
form, which would probably be the case ere
long" Our fourth extract is from the New
York Times, and it expresses the opinion that
zcC =, al
some other recent Developments of public
opinion, "will pretty certainly give the coup de
grace to the Lecompton movement"
Thus II will be seen that, notwithstanding
the different lights and shades under which this
subject is exhibited by our several cotcmpora-
ries referred to, they all substantially concur in
the opinion that the Lecompton constitution is
dead and done for, and that to Governor Wise
belongs the honor Of giving the finishing blow
to this.policy, involving Che admission Of Kansas
as slave State. The COUP d'6tn Of Walker and
Douglas is thus contaminated through the couple
grace given to the Lecompton programme by
Gov Wise. And we must admit that in this
excuse of Senator Brown for postponing his re-
marks upon Kansas there is a manifest letting
down; while the Richmond South, lately all con-
idence and exultation, can only speak Of its
astonishment, modification and despair
But what is the difficulty with Southern men
in Congressl Why do they hesitate? Mr..
Brown says he is waiting for this Kansas ques-
ton to assume a more definite form" But could
anything be more definite than the form in
which it stands under the Lecompton pro-
granmei The regular Territorial Legislature
OF Kansas provided the necessary laws for the
election of Constitutional Convention. IN
der those laws Constitutional Convention was
elected. and the members thereof assembled at
Lecompton, fully recognized by the federal go
vernment, and framed State constitution for
Kansas, embracing the institution Of slavery.
The Convention also provided for an election on
the 2lst Of December, at which the people were
to decide whether they would have this consti-
tuition "with slavery" or with no slavery"
The election was accordingly held, and by
large majority ofthe votes cast the said consti-
tuition was adopted with the slavery clause.
Thus, through regular chain Of legal proceed
ings, q slave State constitution was established
for Kansas; and beyond this point II Is not the
duty nor the policy Of Southern men in Congress
10 go.
Mr.. Brown, no doubt, lie waiting for the re-
turns of the elections Of the fourth Of January;
but 70 far as they legally affect the Lecompton
constitution, these elections are mere surplus
age, and of no legal value. If the friends of ex-
Mayor Wood next week were to get up q new
election for Mayor Of this city, and If they
were to cast majority Of fifty thousand votes
for their candidate, IL would not in
the slightest degree affect the result Of the regu-
larry authorized Mayoalty election of last De
cember. So in regard to the regularly appoint
ed Kanrss constitutional election. Granted
that the free State party command an over
whelming majority Of the people Of Kansas,
and that the Lecompton constitution, slavery
and all, were carried by default, from the re-
fusal Of the free State men 10 participate In the
election--what them The legality Of the re-
suit is stil az unqucstionable as If every man
In the Territory had voted, and simply because
all popular elections are decided by the MAORI
ty Of those who do vote, and not by any MAORI
ty which may refuse TO vote.
The January election was called by the Terri
torial Legislature; and that election, we dare
cay, has resulted In very heavy majority
against tts Iecompton constitution, out and