The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-06-19
NUMBER 45--vOLUME 8.

IdSe ne Oeuate OF the OnlteQ states
and the House of Representatives, by a
majority in both bodies, have deliberately
and wilfully ignored the voice of the peo-
pie of Kansas, legally expressed, in refer
ence to the adoption of their own funda-
mental law At fair election, held in
pursuance of law, and without any pre-
tence or suspicion of fraud that l have
ever heard, the people declared, over
whelmingly, their determined opposition
to the Lecompton constitution !-and yet,
the President and his Cabinet, the Senate
and House of Representatives, together
with the great body Of the Southern de-
mses&ey, even in the act of the 4th May
last, have utterly disregarded this positive
and authoritative declaration of the public
will, and have uniformly treated that de-
spised and rejected instrument-the Le-
compton constitutions being fairly
presented to Congress for adoption by the
people of Kansas!
Gentlemen, I can hardly trust myself
to speak of this passage in the history of
my country. No greater crime against
liberty has been any where committed
during this century. All the miserable
and fimsy pretexts-all the shallow and
pretentious logic-all the technical and
preposterous dogmas-by which this mon-
strous falsehood has been attempted to be
justified and upheld, are but the thin dis
guise under which tyranny and wrong
would hope to conceal their unholy pur-
pose. The Administration well knows
Congress knows-the whole world knows
that the people of Kansas are almost
unanimous against the Lecompton fraud.
The unfortunate and discreditable circum-
stances under which that instrument was
clothed with the regular and technical
forms of law, have been fully exposed.
No man need be ignorant of any of the
facts. And yet. by means of technical
presumption-though mere legal fiction
positive and well-known facts are made
to give way-a known falsehood is to be
established as truth-and the constitution
al rights of free people are to be sacri-
feed and trampled in the dust Gentle
men, when the passions and prejudices of
the present hour shall have passed away,
the spectacle now exhibited will be con-
sidered one of the most extraordinary
phenomena ever presented in the history
of the world. The solid and substantial
liberties intended to have been secured to
the States and Territories, by the consti-
tuition of the United States, are to be sub
stituted by mere sham-a mere painted
bubble mere gossimer, cobweb tissue
of false logic and contemplate technical
tiles and almost the whole body of a
once powerful and patriotic party is Sc
duced, infatuated, and mesmerized, to be-
lieve the patent and baleful lie
And what have been the consequences
of this radical error-this abominable false
hood substituted in the place of truth
this high crime against the constitution ot
the land and the liberties of the people
Alas, gentlemen, one who loves his coun-
try might well wish to shut his eyes
against the sad and disheartening truth ;
but we cannot cure evils without looking
them fully in the face. Have we not seen
the Speaker of the House Of Representa-
tives of the United States, peryerting all
parliamentary rules, in order to suppress
an investigation into the frauds in this
Territory, which had been ordered By the
House itself? Have we not seen the ma
jority of that committee faithfully follow
ing the indication thus given by the pre-
siding officer of the body? In the Senate
also, have we not good reason to believe
that two Senators, from Indiana, were re-
tanned in their seats against right and law,
and two rightful Senators from Minnesota
kept out, for the very purpose of sustain
ing the wrong and outrage attempted
against the people of Kansas Has not
the President of the United States shame
lessly, and wickedly, and openly used the
patronage confded to him for sacred pur-
poses, in the vain endeavor to control the
consciences of free men, and to bend them
into base submission to this Lecompton
outrage :? In the State of Illinois, has he
not removed honest men of his own party,
and of his own appointment, solely be-
cause they refused to betray their princi-
pies; and in this way, has he not endeay-
ored to persecute and destroy distin-
guished and eminent Senator, who has
Justly endeared himself to the people by
his noble defence of their rights Has
not the Senate of the United States so far
fallen from its high estate, as to approve
and confirm the appointments made in
pursuance of this high-handed policy
Look to your own vicinity? Has not
John Calhoun carried on negotiations
with the President of the United States,
relative to the elections under the Le-
compton constitution-the result of which
he holds subject to his own arbitrary will ?
Have not declarations been repeatedly
made on this subject, with view to In
fuence the vote in Congress on the sd-
mission of Kansas as State ? You know,
gentlemen, better than /, what reason
there is to suspect Gen. Calhoun of partici-
patton in the gross frauds which have dis
graced the annals of this Territory. Yet,
is not John Calhoun still holding Office
under this administration, while Gov.
Walker, who SO nobly and effectually ex-
posed and defeated the frauds of October,
has been betrayed aud morally forced to
resign his place? Is not L. A. Mclean
still in Office, while Marshal Dennis, 6
man too worthy and too honest to wink
at the frauds in December and January
last, has been removed for no other reason
that know of, except that having beer
sent to the polls by the Governor, he faith.
fully performed his duty ? Tell ms
whether, under these circumstances, tht
President Of the United States can Justly
escape the responsibility of those fou
acts of his agents, which, by federation
and acquiescence, he virtually adopts ans
approves
Gentlemen, the pollution of this Ls
compton wrong has infected the Who'll,
govemment-so true is it that one falls
step requires numerous Others to sustain
it. Involved In the Ines;les of 50 foul a
affair, and making no honest effort to ge
fairly out of them, the reputation of thi
administration Is ruined forever. I an
fully aware of the import of what say
I know. moreover, that any emenation 0
mere personal malignity, arising from in
dividual grievances, can have no effect +
| infict injury upon its objects. It il rath