The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-06-05
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, JUNE 5, 1853.

the very law Itself that one half the Judges
of election would belong to one party, and
one-half to the other; and that one-half
of the clerks would belong to one, and one
half to the other.
But how is it when you add fifth
member to the board, and provide that
the board shall consist of five, the tWo
presiding officers of the Legislature, and
then the Governor, Secretary, and the
District Attorney, making three United
States officers, and declare that three shall
constitute the board ? Is it not clear that
if these three gentlemen choose, they can
have all the judges of election and sj1e
clerks of election, and all the returEidg
officers of one class of political faith, the
same as Mr. Calhoun did at the elections
which took place On the 21st of December
and the first Monday in January ? Does
not the change in this respect give ground
for apprehension that you may have the
Oxford, the Shawnee, and the Delaware
Crossing, and Kickapoo frauds re-enacted
at this election ? l should have been bet
ter satisfied if it had been left as the House
bill left it, with the four commissioners,
two from each political party in Kansas,
two representing the Federal Government,
two representing the people of the Terri
tory, requiring three to be aquorum, thus
rendering it itimpossible for partisan politics
to control the action of the board. The
very fact that it was deemed necessary or
wise to change this feature, is to me Sc
rious objection to this proposition.
Then, sir, what is my duty upon this
question, under this state of the case
have but one line of duty, and that is to
vote against the bill because. in my opin-
ion, there is not fair submission to the
people under such circumstances as to in
sure an unbiased election and fair returns
/ have indicated two amendments, which,
if they had been made, would have en-
abled me to support this bill, notwith-
standing other defects in it. I will
indicate another. l am willing to sub
scribe to the principle that Territory shall
contain the requisite population for a
member of Congress before admission, pro-
vided it is made a general law. The Sen-
ator from Ohio (Mr. Pugh), yesterday
cited me as authority for that provision of
this bill. He referred to my report, as
chairman of the Committee ON Territories,
! and the bill accompanying it, in 1856, Ill
which l then provided that Kansas might
proceed to form constitution when she
had the requisite population, to-wit: 3d.
420, under the present ratio. That was
my judgment then of the true rule upon
the subject.
He quotes also proposition that have
brought in at this very session as a substi-
tute for the Arizona bill, providing gen.
eral law that no Territory shall ever form
a constitution and State government until
| it has the requisite population for MEM
| Der of Congress-. / am for that proposition
now, and if Senators will consent to any
arrangem ent by which you can strike out
! the whole of this bill, and in lieu of it in
sert provision that neither Kansas nor
any other Territory of the United States
shall proceed to form a constitution and
State government for admission into the
Union until it has the requisite population
for member of Congress, according to the
existing Federal ratio, will give it my
support.
But, sir, if / require it in Kansas, I wish
| to require it in other Territories and if
am to apply that limitation to the new
constitution that is to be made, wish to
apply it to the one that is in existence.
am not willing to prescribe one ratio to
one kind of constitution and another ratio
to another kind. Make it uniform, and il
can have my support. | have on all
proper occasions indicated that as the
proper rule-in 1856, as the Senator from
! Ohio proved; at this session again, as he
| proved yesterday by reading the bill offer
ed by me and repeat now that, if you
will strike out all of this bill b,4 the clause
/ that Kansas shall not come in until she
has the requisite population for member
of Congress, and then say that this section
is incorporated into and made part of tbs
organic law of each of the Territories o.
the United States, and that none shal
come for admission until they have tina
population, l will give it my support.
In other words, Mr.. President, desire
to carry out the principle of leaving tht
people to decide for themselves in perfec
fairness. l will support no rule applicable
to the North that does not apply to the
South. / will make no rule applicable t.
the South that am not willing to apply
/ to the North. / will not intervene eithe
for slave constitutions or against slave con
stitutions by an act of Congress, holding
out bounties on the one side or penalties
on the other. Stand on the great prlnci
pie of equality leave each State on al
exact footing with every other State new
er enquire whether her institutions are o
this character or that character never in
quire whether the State is in the North o.
in the South, and / will stand with yol
and apply the rule with exact justice anC
impartiality in every instance.
4 Mr.. President; Isay now, as l am abou
to take leave of this subject, that l car
never consent to violate that great princi
pie of State equality, of State sovereignty
of popular sovereignty, by any discrimi
nation, either in the one direction or in tn
other. Ny position is taken. | know
not what its consequences viii be person
ally to me. will not enquire what thos
consequences may be. If cannot remaiI
in public life, holding firmly, immoyably
to the great principle of self-governmen
and State equality, I shall go into privat
life, where can preserve the respect o
my own conscience, under the conviction
that / have done my duty and followe'
the principle wherever its logical conse
quences carried me.
@W We perceive that Mr.. Cox, of Ohio
intends printing letter Of Govemo
Walker, of Kansas, to support his position
When we met Governor Walker, fe,
days ago. his position was boldly assume
that the people Of Kansas would an
} should reject this last scheme of thei
, enemies, and that, if necessary, he woui
go to that Territory and implore them I
} do SO. Aud this, we have the best reaso
I, for saying, is his opinion now.-Phisade
> phia Press.
GFIt is worthy of note that not
: cannon was fired in Pennsylvania, in hone
{ | of the passage of the Lecomptou SwindI