Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-04-02
i1oIiticaI.
"LECoMPTON."

The Government casting about for tool
to carry out the treachery of the Nebraska
swinde found one in an inscriptions law
yer, by name Samuel Dexter Lecompte. He
was appointed Judge for the new territory of
Kansas. In three months he earns the rep
utation of Jeifries. He packs iuries defes
the common law, imprisons the innocent, and
sets the guilty free. From the bench he in
vites mob to burn down a hotel as a "nuis-
anoe, and to cannonade printing office. He
sentences peaceable farmers to wear ball and
chain like common felons, and helps con-
victed murderer to escape by writ of hdbeas
corpus
The Missouri border raffians are charmed
with these evidences of congenial spirit
When, for more convenient access TO Nilsson
ri, they remove the seat of government to an
Indian mission, they name their new Capital
after this bold, bad Judge
Thenceforth the head quarters Of knavery
is located in the town of Lecompton. Bogus
Legislatures" meet there. False ''returns"
are forged there. Poll lists are copied there
from directories. Invading battalions of Mis-
sourians muster there with bowie knife and
whiskey bottle. Atrocious laws and fraudu-
lent apportionmcnts arc there concocted and
put upon the statute book. And finally,
constitution so repugnant to justice and
public opinion that its trainers dare not
submit it to the people. is there hatched by
sham convention, and forwarded in hot haste
to the White House at Washington.
In vain do the people of the Territory rem
onstrate against the threatened engine of op-
preston. In vain does the Legislature dis
avow it, and the people vote it down at the
balot-box. In vain does one Governor after
another abandon his Executive Chair, rather
than lend himself an accomplce to the vii
lainy. The President is determined that it
shall be forced through Congress. Every
appliance is resorted TO. Troops are ordered
to be in readiness to enforce it. Presidential
Proclamations and Messages are Illuminated
in its favor. Congressman are cajoled, brib-
ed, bullied to vote for it. The patronage of
the Government is used to effect its passage.
Post Office is promised here, Foreign
Mission there, Contract in this place and
Custom House in that. Presses are threaten
ed with the withdrawal of Government ad-
yertisement if they do not support it. As tho
critical vote approaches efforts are redoubled.
lmperious dispatches fly over the wires call
ing absentees to 'come down and vote for
Lecompton.' The Presidents Mansion is
thronged with bargainers for the price of a
'otS lol ltNuHlptOu. nc lOOON OF Con-
gress reeks and sweters with corrupt bar
gains for "Lecompton." Manhood and repu-
tation, past pledges and future hopes arc
flung down to be crushed by the modern jug
gernaut-the Presidents --"Lecompton."
And all this is for what
To force Slavery upon Free Soil in spite Of
God and mani That is the whole story In
spite Of God, whose eternal laws render
Slavery's continuance in Kansas impossible
in spite of men, whose every vote, when per-
mitted to vote at all, has been in favor of
Freedom.
Such is the struggle and such is the pros
pect before the Democratic party.-Albany
journal.