Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-02-23

The second witness is the newspaper
press Of Kausas; that press is against the
Constitution BY majority Of seven or
eight TO one. &L M k
Next; Kansas, by act Of Congress, has
right TO delegate in Congress, charged |
with the duty 70 speak for its people. -
| They have now delegate whois undoubt-
edly the choice of the people, and is the
first Kansas delegate ever chosen by the |
people. He is my third witness.
| Next: ask the line of Governors ap.
pointed by Presidents themselves: Geary;
Walker, formerly Senator from Missis-
sippi, and recently proposed for a piave in
the present Presidents Cabinet, and highly
commended by the President himself;
Stanton, so lately member of Congress
from Tennessee, all agree. And would
not fear to ask Denver, the present incum-
bent he will certify that even fraction
of the party against the Lecomplon Con
slitution is more numerous than the whole
of its friends
Fifth: The people of Kansas now hap
pily, thanks TO Walker and Stanton, have
Legislature indispulably representing
that people; and SO soon as they could lit
up their voice, they protested against the
Lecompton Constitution.
Sixth: Those State officers who received
1.-The largest number of votes al the election,
on the 4Eh Of efJahuary last, have likewise
sent their protest to Congress.
Seventi:eThe voice of the people of
Kansas itself should be heard. On the
4th of January they repaired to the polls
under no ordinary circumstances OF
solemuity The President had sanctioned
the proceedings of his special protection;
the Legislature and Denver took care that
the voOe shOSld be an honest one. and by
that vote it appears that an Overwhelming
majority Of the people of Kansas reject
the Constitution of Lecompton.
So, then, we have seven sets of wit
nesses against Lecompton: the circum-
stantial evidence of the Lecompton Con-
vention; the Kansas Press; the Kansas
I, Delegate in Congress; the series of Kan
sas Governors-four in one year; the Kan
3. sas People. All, all declare that the
,, People Of Kansas reject the Lecompton
Constitution.
If could hope that the words of one
so humble as myself could reach the pres
. ence Of one SO bigh as the President OF
the United States, would eptreat him TO
7 lend his ear reverently. and hear and re-
spect the voice of the people of Kansas,
however lowly they may seem in the log
cabins and homes that they have made for
themselves in the wilderness. What they
have accomplished there under unexam-
It pied trials and difficulties is the miracle OF
n the age. A commonw ealth in all its fair
proportions has grown up, as it were, in
e the nighttime. Ii tie President of the
s United States will have peaceful admin
S istration; if he will, by and by, have dig
nifty in retirement; if he will stand well
= with tie world of mankind; if, like Wash
e ingtun and all our great Presidents, he
= wishes 10 stand well with posterity, lei
S him respect the will of the people of Kan
), sas.
If 1t is said that the whole affair is of little
d consequence; that the wrong. if it be 6
e wrong, is small one. But thfre is in
IL political justice no such thing as a small
wrong A small wrong contains within
e itself the seedsSof all evil
II 1t is further said that the people were
10 faclious, and as they meant at any rate &c
3, reject the Lecompton Constitution, it Wa;
l. right not to give them chance to do so
y But if the Constitution for any reason die
r not please them, they had right to rejec
ot it; nothing is so factious as minority at
5, tempting TO rule majority.
;t 1t is said they should be punished fo
Of not going to the polls at the bidding o
10 men who were believed to be disposed tt
=. defraud them. They went to the polls th'
le first moment that they were satisfied o
ts any chance Of a fair return, even though
A. suffering under great disadvantages in th'
ID apportionment of representatives.
G. 1t is said that the people of Kansas
Is once admitted into the Union, may cnang'
le their Constitution. If this is dishonest,
'e said, will not use the language whicl
to would properly describe the proposition
g. Ii, as is to b, presumed, it is honesl.
ID said, and | am sure it is honestly said b,
l. the President, then why give to the mel
'e of Kansas reversionary right where the.
c, have right of possession? Why d.
III wrong. simply that wrong may be undone
e, If this is all that Is intended-if there lie
10 nothing behind this-ifthe are no irdica
ID tions Of wish TO perplex the nationa
rt councils, and so to pave the way for
st change of the national policy or for dis
l. union, then mischief has been done wan
IS tonly and gratuitously; the country i
y convulsed by its public authorities, TO
N an issue as ludcrous as it is wrong. |
ID was hardly worth the while to shatter th'
De Democratic party for anything SO paltry
- But while it is admitted that the submis
te sion Of Constitution to the people is tn
J. correct principle. it is said that fourteen
G. States would be ,displeased if this correc
l. principle were to be followed out. Nov
y, the South, in the organic act for Kansas
Ot obtained all that it asked for, and the mali
Q, result has been exactly what Southern
Of men foiesaw. The South has nothin!
st whatever to gain by the adoption of tn
n Lecompton Constitution. 1t presents IL
ID question Of practical advantage to tn
of South, and it cannot be pretended that tn
h admission of Kansas under it will carr
q: will, If anv advantaUes for the South