The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-07-09


The most effectual way to upset this posi-
ton of Lecomptonism, is to quote Mr.. Eng
lish's speech on the 9th of March, in reply
to the same arguments used by the support
ers Of the Lecompton Constitution in the
House. According to the statements of
Mr.. Bright, as revealed by Shoemaker, he
was then traitor conspiring against the
cause he advocated, yet his statement of
facts cannot be gainSaid by his present dis
ciples. In that speech he said:
But, Sir, all the facts and arguments pre-
sented, all the speeches l have listened to
here, have only gone to show that the tech
nicalities of the law may be on that side
not equality and justice. thought it was the
business of statesmen in the councils of the
nation to look to GREAT POLITICAL PArTs,
and that the quibbles and technicalities of
law Belonged to lawyers, and were mainly
used to defeat the ends of justice. Sir, tie
great fact sOhi-h stdres the country IN the
tace, and Whieh no far man can deny, is that
the LeeOmpton Constellation does not erabody
The ~iH Of the people Of Kansas, and that
they do not rush IL imposed and fastened up
on them as their organic lar. Sir, this is n
fact, known Of all men, and all this special
pleading to evade il, because the technicali-
ties of the law are supposed to be on the
! other side, partakes too much of the spirit
of Shylock who exacts his pound of flesh
/ because sit is nominated in the bond. .
The whole country knows tVat large ma
jority of the people of Kansas are opposed
/ TO that constitution; and this being So are
we to lend our aid in fastening it upon
them, because there have been some irregu-
larities there, and some culpaDle failures OH
the part of portion of the people to exer-
else the right of suffrage This conceive
to be substantial st, tn ent of the ques-
ton
/ But il is said that the delegates to the
convention were fairly chosen; and that,
because the free-State men abstained from
I voting, therefore Kansas ought to be ad-
mitted under the Lccompton Constitution
! Well, sir, let us see how much fairness
there was in this election of delegates; and
/ will premise by saying that / have seen
two statements touching this subject, one
/ signed by a certain ii. Clay Pate, who will
be remembered by a portion of my con-
stituents as the same shdiioW Pate who
made a speech at Jacksonville ON the night
| preceding the Congressional election in 654,
denouncing the Democracy urging union
of the Republicans and Know Nothings, and
melting them to keep foreigners away from
the polls by force, if neceSSary-advice
which was literally carried into execution.
/ Sir, have no confidence in his statement
The other is the statement of the ex-Gov-
ernor Of the Territory, and is so entirely
oorr0borated by other evidence, that | think
it cannot be successfully controverted-
In speaking of the Lecompton Convention
he says:
"That convention had vital, not technical
/ defects, in the very substance of its organ
/ ization under the Territorial law, which
could only be cured, in my judgement-as
set forth by my inaugural and other adj
dresses-by the submission of the Constitu-
tuition for ratification or rejection by the
people. On reference to the Territorial law
under which the convention was assembled,
thirty-four regularly organized counties
were named as election districts for dele
gates to the convention. In each and
all OF these counties it was required by law
that a census should be taken and the voters
registered; and when this was completed.
the delegates TO the convention should be
apportioned accordingly. In nineteen of
these counties there was no census, and
therefore there could be no such apportion-
ment 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 of the Territory, were
entirely disfranchised, and did not give, and
I h., g. Dr III.
solitary vote for delegates to the convention
This result was superinduced by the fact
that the Territorial Legislature appointed
all the sheriffs and probate judges in all
these counties, TO whom was assigned the
duty by law of making this census and
registry. These officers were political par.
tizans, dissenting from the views and opin.
ions of the people of these counties, a.
proved by the election in October last
These officers, from want of funds, rs they
allege, neglected or refused to take any cen.
sus or make any registry in these counties
and therefore they Were entirely disfran.
chised, and could not and did not give
single vote at the election for delegates Il
the constitutional convention. And here
wish TO call attention to the distinction
which will appear in my inaugural address
in reference to those counties where the
voters were fairly registered and did no
vote. In such counties where full anC
free opportunity was given to register anC
vote, and they did not choose to exercis,
that privilege, the question is very different
from those counties where there was ne
census or registry, and no vote was given
or could be given, however anxious the peo
pie might be to participate in the election o
delegates to the convention. Nor could j
be said these counties acquiesced; 10
whenever they endeayored, by subSequen
census or registry of their own, to supply
this defect occasioned by the previous neg
lect of the territorial officers, the delegate.
thus chosen were rejected by the conven
/ tion.
"l repeat, that in nineteen counties on
!. of thirty-fcsIr there was no census. In fif
teen counties out of thirty-four there wa
no registry, and not solitary vote wa:
given, or could be given,' for delegates L
the convention in any one Of these counties
Surely, then, II cannot be that such con
vention, chosen by scarcely more than one
tenth OF the present voters of Kansas, rep
resented the people of that Territory. an,
: could rightfuly impose constitution upo,
, them without their consent. These nine
teen counties in which there was no census
constituted a majority of the counties of III,
Territory, and these fifteen counties in which
there was no registry, gave much larger
: IL Il