Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-05-05

mlSSal OF the Kansas question from the floor
Of the two Houses. This bill settles nothing, |
establishes nothing, but leaves all at as loose
ends as ever.
The original Lecompton bill had at least |
this merritt assumed to be a inality. Kan |
sas might upset or transform the Constitution
thereby imposed on her, but Congress was
precluded from again meddling with the sub
ject. True the question would have come
back again, in the shape of contested elections
to the House or Senate, or both but the bill
contemplated nothing of the sort. 1t pro-
fessed to remit all that remained of the contro-
versy to the People of Kansas. And what
Mr.. Green's bill fully professed to do, the
Crittenden-Mo Montgomery bill actually did That
bill said to the People of Kansas, s'Ratify the
&c Lecompton Constitution if you like it, and
&c you are in the Union; if you don't like it.
So frame another and fairly ratify it, and you
ss will then be in the Union, without further
SO action by Congress-" Here was end of
contention, balm for agitation, practical
end of controversy. The People of Kansas
might quarrel further, should they see fit but
Congress resolved and pledged itself to do
nothing but secure them fair play. But this
English bill does not even aspire to be final.
1t says, ssAccept the Land Grant as we have
sc fixed it, and we shall consider you in the
SO Union under the Lccompton instrument; re-
| ject it, and You may not form another Con-
| Sc stitution until census shall have shown that
SO you possess population equal to the FEEDER
ss al ratio for Member of the House." In
the one case, Kansas comes in at once as a
Slave State, receiving large bonus from the
Land Sales about TO take place; in the other,
she waits for q much larger population, an Of
| fetal census, formal proclamation of the
fact, a Convention and new Constitution, and
an acceptance of the latter by Congress. The
strong probability is that this will keep her out
at least two years longer. For what I!
Five thousand sophsts, each gifted with
miraculous and well-oiled tongues, could not
efface the fact that here are heavy bribes offer
ed, and menaceS held out, to q harrasScd, strug-
! Cling, impoverished community, designed to
impel them to accept a Slave Constitution on
the plea that they can change it at pleasure.
Here are solid, palpable, immediate advanta-
| ges proffered to tempt them to this course,
with corresponding penalties to be incurred
by standing out. If they reject Lecompton
by rejecting the modified Land Grant, they
| get no Lands at present, no provision for
Railroads, no five per cent. on the Proceeds
of the Lands about to be sold and they are
| thrust back into Territorial vassalage for an
indefinite period, with Denver for their Gov
ernor, Lecompte and Cato for their Judges,
and Buchanan for their Grand Scignior.
These are long odds but the People of
Kansas are too strong for them. They will
spurn the bribe; they will hold fast their in
tegrity; they will remain Territory under
many disadvantages rather than drop into the
Union slaveholding State. Two or three
thousand Of them may, perhaps, go in for Le-
compton, wealth and infamy, swelling the Pro-
| Slavery vote to Five Thousand; but this will
not reduce the Free-State vote below Ten
Thousand. a full poll is the only requisite /;
the popular weariness of election after cleo
tion which settles nothing, accomplishes moth
ing, is the only danger.
The Federal Administration has most un-
wisely dccreed thatKansas shall still be watch
word in our National struggles. The Critten-
den-Montgomery bill would have obviated
this; Congress would gladly have passed that
bill; but the Executive was implacable. BY
Cabinet influence and Presidential patronage,
the Kansas feud has been kept open there
| will be no more cessation till Kansas is fully
| in the Union the acknowledged FREQ State
that all know her rightfully to be. We give
her oppressors fair notice that the unjust dis
abilities imposed on her by the English bill
! are uftPrly ScOutad by Gta4o
that the population which is confessedly large
enough for Slave State will be held sufficient
for Free State that if the foolish, useless,
culpablc constitution of an Election Board
consisting of three Federal officers to two
elected by her People, shall be made cloak
for foul voting or false returns, those votes,
viii he rendered of no avail; and that, by a
large majority of the People, all other issues
will be postponed or subordinated until Kansas
shall have been fully delivered from her op-
pressors and added to the galaxy of Free
States. So, Messrs. s.Lecomptonites, move on /!
|
Two IMPORTANT HARBoRs DISCOVERED
The Russian naval expedition, under Count
Pollatln, which was last summer commissioned
| to make explorations between the mouth of
| the Amoor and the Japanese and Chinese seas,
| reports having discovered on the coast of Man.
chooria, opposite the Island of Madsmai, (Jes-
so,) two harborS, capable of affording protec-
tion at all seasons to the largest fleets in the
world. They were named St. Vladimer and
st. Olga. river which empties into one of
| these harbors was named Ayvacum, after the
Interpreter to the expedition, priest, who
was Tor many years attached to the mission
| in Pekin.