Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-01-07

Tb go! K ;:;.,,. 2, fisciioHs. ?.

President Buchaffafr' ara W b. you52
las, however they difer'0th eeswiise. agree
in denouncing the ffees statevalen for
noteyoting last Slim for delegates To-
the Convention TkAn1pll nwipgy ,4roIn
Goyerhor Walkers. resignation letter,
tellswby the y did NOT vote, and fully cor
roborafss all that we have said on the
subject:
On reference to the territorial law UNI
der which the Convention was assem-
bled, thirty-four regular organized ceun-
ties were named as election districts Tor
delegates TO the convention. IN eacb
and all of these counties it was required
bylaw that a census should be taken
and the votes registered, and, when this
was completed, the delegates to the con
vention should be appoitloned accord
Ingly. In nineteen OF these counties
there was no census and therefore there
could be no such apportionment there
of delegates based upon. such census
And in fifteen of the counties there was
no registry of voters.
These fifteen counties, including many
of the Oldest organized counties Of the
territory, were entirely DISTINGUISHED,
and did not, and (by no fault OF then
own) could not give solitary vote for
delegates to the convention. TIE re-
suit was superinduced by the fact that
the territorial Legislature appointed all
the sheriffs and probate judges IN all
these counties, to which was assigned
the duty by law Of making this census
and registry. These officers were po-
litical partizans, and dissenting from the
views and opinions of the people ofthese
counties. as proved by the election IN
October last. These officers, from want
of funds, as they allege, neglected, OF
refused to take any census or make any
registry in these counties, and therefore
they were entirely DISTINGUISHED, and
could not and did not give q single vote
at the election for delegates to the con-
stitntional convention. And here !
wish TO call attention to the distinction,
which will appear in my inaugural adj
dress, in reference TO those counties
where the voters were fairly registered
and did not vote.
In such counties where full and free
opportunity was given to register and
voc, and they did not choose to eXer-
else that privilege, the question is very
different from hose counties where there
was 10 census or registry, and no vote
was given or could be given, however
anxious the people might be to partici
pate in the election of delegates TO the
convention. Nor could it be said that
these counties acquiesced, fof wherevel
they endeavored by subsequen
census or registry or their own tC
to supply this defeat oceasioned by :ht
previous neglect of the territorial Off
GERS, the delegates thus chosen were re
iected by the convention.
repeat that in nineteen counties OH
Of thirty four there was no census. II
fifteen counties out of thirty four Their,
was no registry, and not 4 solitary yot
was given, or could be given, for dele
gates to the convention in any Of thes
counties. Surely, then, it cannot b
said that such a convention, chosen b
scarcely more than one-tenth of tn
present voters of Kansas, representa-
the people Of that territory, and coul
rightfuliy impose q constitution upO
them without their consent These |
counties in which there was no censu
constituted majority of the coun:ic
Of the territory, and these fifteen CON
ties i'll which there was no registry CAV
much larger vote at the October cleo
ton, even with the six months qualit
cation, than the whole vote given to Il
delegates who signed the Lecompto
Convention on the 18th of Novembe
last. If, then, sovereignty can be dc
egated, and conventions, rs such, ar
sovereign, which | deny, surely it mu.
be only in such cases as when such con
venations are chosen Icy the peopl'
which we have seen was not the cas-
as regards the late Lecompton CONVEX
ton