The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-06-26
Letter of Mr. Stanton 10 his old Tennessee Con-
stituaDfs.

stituenf5
While in Memphis, recently, the Hon.
Frederick P. Stanton was addressed by a
number of his old constituents of that dis
trict-Democrats whom he had represent
ed ten years in Congress, and who never
doubted his devotion to Southern inter-
ests-and requested TO give his views upon
Kansas affairs. He complied with the
request in letter bearing the date of May
10th. He assumes, in the beginning, that
great misconception exists in that region
in reference to the true history of affairs in
Kansas, and then gives his views with the
same freedom as he has done N his
speeches at the North We should be
glad to reproduce this letter entire, had
we received it in time. The following
paragraphs, however, will exhibit its char
acter, and be read with interest, as the
author is now in Kansas to cooperate with
his fellow-citizens in the overthrow of the
English swindle:
No man who understands the history of
this question, and who is acquainted with
the disposition of the people of Kansas,
can for moment doubt that they will
Overwhelmingly reject the proposition so
ungraciously submitted TO them by the
Congress of the United States. They are
pledged to do this by every solemn act of
colnmittai which is in the power of any
people to perform. Their honor and
rights as freemen, equally require them to
spurn with scorn and indignation the
proffered admission into the Union under
a Constitution which they loathe; while
their admission under one which they may
freely make for themselves is indefinitely
postponed upon the pretext of insufficient
population.
In assuming this unfortunate position,
the Democratic party, especially the Southern
portion Of them, hare yielded great adrian
tage to tier adUersaries, the Republicans
These latter, where they supported the
Crittenden-Montgomery bill, actually vo-
ted for the admission of Kansas into the
Union as slave State, provided the peo-
pie of Kansas should approve the Consti-
tuition. The election was to have been
held under the direction of two federal
officers, appointed by the President, and
two Others elected by the people. Moth
ing could have been fairer. The vote of
the Republicans was liberal and patriotic.
1t was a virtual abandonment of all Sec
tional grounds, and an acknowledgement
ofthe constitutional rights of the new State
to be admitted into the Union aCith slavery
or aUithOut it, as her people might deter
mine.
A wise policy and faithful adherence
to Democratic principles, would have in
duced the Administration party to have
accepted this measure, as just and great
concession made by their opponents. On
the contrary, however, by insisting upon
| the acceptance of slave Constitution, not
only without submission to the people, but
| in direct violation of their nown will, the
Administration party themselves assumed
| the sectional and indefensible grounds
leaving the Democratic and true constitu-
tjOnal platform in the possession of the anti
Leco1nptoR Democrats, Republicans ana
-Aaae,7eans. Even in the final arrange
ment under the English bill, with an in
fatuation and blindness almost unprece.
denied, the Administration party still
insisted upon retaining the fatal credit Of
not permitting the people to vote on theil
own Constitution, while, in truth, they
virtually surrendered the substantial right
content with clogging it with the most
unjust conditions, such as will surely "re.
turn to plague the inventors"
Briefly, gentlemen, must say to you
that can see, in the present and future
prospects of Kansas" nothing but continued
agitation, as the consequence of that gross
injustice which the President and his party
in violation of all Democratic and Consti,
tutional principles. have insisted in perpe-
trating upon an injured and distracted
people. The accounts of renewed diff
culties recently received from the Terri
tory, have no doubt, are greatly exag-
gerated, possibly for the very porpose Of
repeating the outrages which formerly
desolated that unhappy land, and with a
view to enable the authors of the Lecomp-
ton fraud finally TO accomplish their unjust
designs. | recognize some of the name:
connected with those rumors, and am free
to state that little faith is due to their
statements relative to Kansas, without con
firmation from some unprejudieed source