The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-11-06
IN. Ours. Of K.n...-rh. New Convention.

they are unimportant and injurious in
their effects upon the citizens. The
writer says -
"Our people have been bothered to
death with conventions of every form,
and election after election, of every kind,
and for every variety of purpose-chiefy,
however, as far as any practical result
went, utterly useless. With what Bogus
Missouri elections, which the people
wouldn't participate in, Free State Tope-
ks elections which they sometimes did or
sometimes didn't countenance conven-
ton elections, city elections, constitution
al elections, State officers elections, and
election of county officers, State legisla-
tive elections and Territorial legislative
elections, the people have got so tired of
voting that it is impossible, or next to it,
to get them out to attend the polls, on
any occasion, however important"
Who is there who has not participated
in this same feeling entertained by the
author of the above extract? It has been
a subject of remark and jest, that an cleo
ton of some sort is held weekly, and when
longer period intervenes, a sort of rest
lessness, it is said, has come over the peo-
pie, and they are half crazy till another
election comes of. Our observation has
been that it Cas not the people who desired
these elections, but uneasy politicians"
who saw in them way to Office.
In looking back upon the history of
Kansas it must be obvious that these con-
ventions. called every few months, have
been the curse of Kansas. The Big
Springs Convention Of the 9Th of Sep
TENDER, 1855, was necessity, as was that
of Grasshopper Falls in September of
1857, as something practical grew out Of
them; but beyond these, they have main
| ly retarded the progress of freedom, in
stead of advancing it. We might in
stance any number of them, but it is un-
necessary to do so, as the many who have
travelled, about monthly, from the ex-
tremes of the Territory to attend some
call for Convention at Lawrence, or To-
lpeka, can we'll attest without any further
allusion to them by US.
Some of those Conventions, if they had
been governed by wisdom, could have &C
complished great good for Kansas
Those of this character now in mind,
were those of Topeka of the 10th Of
March, 1857, and that at Lawrence, on
the 22d of December following. Had
that of the 10th of March advised the
people to have elected the Delegates to
the Lecompton Constitutional Convention,
instead of resolving to pay no attention
to that election, we should have had nc
occasion for the Convention of the 22d OIL
December, because the Lecompton SWIM
die would have been throttled in embryo.
But, failing in that, the Convention of the
22d of December had the power to re-
gain the ground lost at the March Con-
vention, by advising the voters to elect
officers under the Swindle Constitution
and thus to destroy it just as it began tc
live, by substituting it with new Consti.
tuition framed by the people; but, by
fraud and trickery, characteristic traits il
most Of the Kansas Conventions, that body
showed their weakness and folly by vir
tually advising the people to let that in
strument, conceived in wickedness, to be
come the Constitution of Kansas, as i
certainly would have done had its friends
elected the officers under it, and then II
|, defeat it by the strong arm, arraying thu
l Topeka government, which had already
been repudiated by the masses because o
its illegal and revolutionary character
: against it. Others, who could not be awec
into silence by packed Conventions, step
ped in, and, by their labors and sacrifices
saved what was lost by the folly of tina
d Convention, and thus Kansas was pre-
n served to freedom.
Another Convention is called for mex
s Wednesday. Those concerned in gettin;
: it up, no doubt felt that it was necessar,
: to stop the future action of the Free Stat
g party; but we believe it will be the Pan
+ dora box from which will result multi
e tude of evils; and, instead of being bon
n of union, it will be the element of dis
< cord.
l. The Convention will be controlled b
l. those who have been desirous of convert
d ing the Free State party into Republi
g can party. That they will engraft upo
l. it the Republican issues of the States, ther
is little doubt; but We apprehend, ffol
l. our present information, that they wi
70 not dare to wholly abandon the Free Sta,
, organization; on the contrary, they wi
ut undoubtedly retain the name of that pa
e. ty. Whether the masses of the part
ct will allow new issues ts,hs 6nsrsfted W
o, on it, and, like the DouglAs counf5 hovt
y ment, become an out and out Republica
r organization, though, pirate like, sailin
y under false name, remains to be seel
r The late canvass has shown conclusivel,
te that with an organization, the conserv,
ID tive element of the Territory greatly pr
ponderates over the radicals, and can d,
b. feat it by an overwhelming majority
lie Douglas county, the head and front {
: radicalism in Kansas, with full vote. an
he good candidates fairly nominated, wi
m give = vote of nearly two to one for col
ar sentative tickets Lawrence, too, occupit
lie a similar position, though the majority
h the city would not be as large as we hav
re indicated for the county.
s. We merely wish to say, in conclusion
= that the whole cost has been rorInta3 an