Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-06-11

4 elected, proceeded 10 enact laws Tor the terri
| tory, IN many of which they so utterly disre-
garded the provisions of the Constitution of
the United States, and the plainest principles
of liberty and justice, that the lower house Of
| Congress at its next session declared them
| fraudulent, unconstitutional, null and void, and
even Gen Lewis Cass pronounced them "a dis
grace to the age, These laws the free State
men Of the territory repudiated, and set at de-
fance, not only because Of their infamous pro-
visions, but because, as they truly contendcd,
the whole legislature was elected By fraud and
violence BY citizens of another State, and had
therefore no right to legislate for the people of
Kansas. For these reasons, when this bogus
Legislature appointed officers, and times and
places, to hold elections, the free State citizens
disregarded them, AID refused to vote. because
they considered themselves in DO wise bound to
pay any respect or obedience to the enactments
Of such legislature. Aud these are the of
fences which the President in his Kansas Mes
| sage, gravcly denounces as rebellion against
the Constitution aud laws of the United
States.
The free State men called mass conven-
tion of the people to consult and determine
what course to pursue, to rid themselves of
this bogus legislature, and its tyrannical and
pro-slavery enaciments The Convention was
largely attended, and it was delibera tely re-
solved that they would set TO work and make a
constitution for themselves, and ask admission
into the Union as State Accordingly the
territory was apportioned into election districts,
and an election ordered for a specified number
Of delegates, to meet at certain time and
place to frame a constitution. TIE electiou
was held, and the convention met at Topeka,
and framed constitution to suit themselves;
and this constitution was twice submitted 10 a
popular vote cfN the people for ratification or
rejection, and ratified by a Large majority of
the legal voters of the territory. They then
forwarded this constitution to Congress, and
asked to be admitted under it as orc Of the
SSAhMof this Union. Yet democratic Pres
def congress rejected them, and why =
Because We Topeka constitution a0s a free
constitution, and prohibited stauery IN the
Stote. The KaLsas-Nebraska act, and the
Cincinnati Platform had told the people of
Kansas that they we're to be 'sperfcctly free to
regulate their own domestic affairs in their own
way''-and they had gone to work IN their own
way, and framed and adopted constitution TO
! " congress, tney were no gddhtfy reJecfeds
and the President of the United States tells
them that their whole proceeding was rebel
| lion against the Constitution and laws of the
| United States Not that it eonfieted with any
singe provision Of tie Constitution of the
United States, or Of any act of Congress, but,
! forsootb, that it came in couaet with the au-
thority and enactments of that bogus legisa-
ture, frauduleutly elected for Kansas By the
citizens of Missouri.
Again: the President complains again and
again of the free State men, because they re-
fused to vote. Why they refused we have al
ready seen. But the President and Governor
Walker, under the most solemn promises of a
fair election, and that the Lecompton CoDstitu-
ton should be submitted to a vote for their
acceptance or rejection, succeeded In persuad-
ing the free State men to lay aside their nom
voting policy, and to go into the elections, and
they thus induced and persuaded the free State
men to abandon the Topeka Constitution
But no sooner was the pro-slavery Lecompton
Constitution made, under authority given by
that bogus Legislature: than they refused to
round 10 violation of all his promises and
! Iledgas. aud insists that Congress shall accept
the constitution without vote Of the people
upon ii; and not only his, but in justification
Of his course, says it would lave been of no
use to submit It, for if they had AZ :noutd
have been uoted do0n by the free STATE mei:. =
nous than this4 Where now is democracy,
the right of the people to rule, and to regulate
their domestic affairs in their own way; and
what has become of the great doctrine of pop
ular sovereignty
But the people Of Kansas we're determined
no, TO be cheated in this way, if they conld
prevent il; aud at the regular time Of choosing
a territorial legislature, they elected MAORI
~ in both branches, in spite of frauds and in-
vasions flom abroad This legislature assem-
bled ct the call Of acting Governor Stanton,
and it passed law submitting this same Lee
compton constitution to vote of the people
for ratification or rejection. The election was
held with all the forms Of law, and under in
structions from President Buchanan, that the
people must be protected at the polls by the
/ military of the Inited States Tie resnlt was