Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-05-14

not forget that whatever officers, especially leading
officers, who have beet appointed in that Territory
by the Executive Of this Government, the President
Of the United States. have favored any degree OF
fairness of the majority ofthat people, have desired
to secure them at all against the influence Of vio-
lence and fraud have incurred the executive dis
pleasure. This remark will apply, think, to all
the Government officers there who beve ovnced any
fairness whether VIC refer to Governor Reedcr, Gov
ernor Gcury, acting Secretary Stanton, or Cover
nor Walker. In all cases whore there bns been
manifested disposition to do fairness, and to get
rid of frauds, the officers who have manifested such
disposition have certainly incurred executive dis
pleasure and its consequences and therefore we
suppose that whatever officers are appointed by the
Executive will read the history of their own fate
in that of those who have preceded them, and will
consult their security in what they are DOING
You, to secure vote for accepting the proposition
in the bill have the assistance of the Territorial
officers appointed by the Executive They know
well what the ruling majority here desire to effect
They know that they desire to effect the adoption
of the Lccompton Constitution. That is perfectly
understood by the Governor the Secretary, the
Marshal tho District Attorney, the land officers,
and all the other officers of this Government in tho
Territory of Knnsps. All their aid is to be count
cd upon. That would not be so If it were submit
ted to the people to make such constitution as they
desired. That would be entirely different eff
fort, and then the action and influence of these Of
fcers might be entirely ncutralizcd.
There is another consideration to which this
proposition addresses itself calculated to give it
success. The people of Kansas have been told by
the Executive of the United States that, if they
would only get to be State. especially if they
would get to be slave State, it would be the
shortest and quickest road to obtain free state
because they have n right any day to alter the
constitution and can do it Immediately. The
President told them The report of the Com
mttcc Territories, who presented the bill passed
by the Senate, substantially Endorsed tho same
doctrnc and gentlemen hcre say that it is con-
| tanned in the Lccompton Constitution, although
that Constitution provides for mode Of amend
ment, which mode is that it may be amended af-
| ter 1864 by two-thirds majority in both Houses
of the Legislature. and then submitting the
| amendment to the peoplc--an impracticablc mode.
If the people of Kansas act out such they will
| certainly be deludcd Just so sure rs the Lccomp-
ton Constitution is put into effect and operation, it
will not be altered and amended. If they attempt
| to amend it Immediately upon It's beng pun into
operation by the action OF the ncwly-clected Le-
| gislature the Governor would veto the act The
| free State people have not got two-thrds OF the
| Legislature and they not to have it anyhow
| The attempt to amend the Constitution VIII b'
| stopped but lift were to 60 on, whenever tha
resolves itself into judicial question, as 1t may
at any time. and is presented to the Suprom'
Court of the United States, it will no doubt DC DC
cided that the people cannot alter tn1if cons,tu
ion contrary to the provisions OF that constitution
1t will be held that it is sort OF national compac
| by which people have como into the government o
the majority on that condition, and being thus il
| the nature of a compact it is incapable of belnl
changed, except agrceably to the terms of the com
pact itself. They will be dcuded in that and
suppose. indeed know, that this is well calculated
to dcludc them. Whether it will do so ehectually
time must determine.
l have very little hesitation in saying that
whatever may take place, this question of accept
ing the land grants is presented to the people undo
| this bill, rely upon it, Mr.. President spcal
merely from the lessons which the history Q
Kansas has taught me-a majority will be returned
in favor of accepting the land grants. | say tina
a majority will he returned for it in all huma
probability, whatever the actual votes may be.
do not agree with the honorable Senator of Ken
lucky, that the result will be otherwise, and tina
the proposition will be rejected. l do not sa
that do not believe that majority of the pee
pie will vote against 1t ; but say the returns vii
show majority the other way and when sa