Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-05-05
The Kansas Question.

sas question, is SO succlnct, pointed and
just, that we would adopt every word
of it. We predict that Kansas affairs
are not to be settled this year, and shall
not be disappointed if five years are
consumed ere the agitation ceases.
The bill reported by Mr.. English,
from the committee on conference for
the settlement of the Kansas question,
is certainly very extraordinary one,
and shows the shifts to which the ne
cessity for patching up the broken de-
mocracy compels members Of that par
ty to resort. The main body of the de-
mocracy had already voted against the
submission Of Lecompton to the people,
therefore it would not do to present that
necessity to them. The secessionists
had voted in favor of such submission,
therefore something must be done to
satisfy them. 1t was a nice point Of
difficulty. How could it be got along
with SO as to save the tender conscien-
ces of these individuals, unite the bro
ken democracy, secure the success of
Lecompton, give slavery triumph and
bring peace to the administration. The
happy means of accomplishing all this
is supposed to have been discovered.
Instead submitting the constitution
to the people, proposition that the
Federal Government shall give them
some three or five millions of acres of
land for the construction of Railroads
through the territory, is submitted. If
they vote "aye" on this proposition,
they are held to have adopted the Lee
compton constitution and are to come
at once into the Union, and if Eno"
they are held to have rejected that in
strument-and not only that, but to
have expressed the opinion that they
have no desire to come into the Union
Immediately, and are therefore required
to wait until the territory has an assured
population Of $4,000 now, or if after
1860, from 10000 to 10000
The motives of all this are transpa-
rent. 1t was very evident that the
Douglas democrats had so far commit
ted themselves on insisting that the
people of Kansas should have vote on
the Lecompton constitution, that no
project could be got through Congress
which did not either really or by some
dodge or evasion, implicitly, admit this
point. To meet this necessity, this
proposition has been submitted. But the
fundamental idea of the whole of it is,
after all, to force through Lecompton,
as is manifest from the nature of this
proposition. That it, in effect, submits
the Lecompton constitution to the peo-
pie of Kansas cannot be denied, but as
Henry Wilson aptly said, the submis-
sion comes to them with bride in one
hand and threat in the other. If they
will adopt the Lecompton constitution,
magnificent possessions of land to con
struct railroads and enrich the State
are to be given them; if not, they are
to be kept out of the Union and under
the dominion Of this pro-slavery gov
eminent for an indefinite period. A
magnificent bride and an appalling
threat! No opportunity is to be given
to them to express an opinion or a pref
erence for any other constitution. The
Leavenworth constitution, Just framed
and evidently by the popular voice, is
not taken into the account. 1t is Lee
compton or nothing. Under Lecomp-
ton it is immaterial whether the terri
tory has population of 5000 or SO, 900,
it can come into the Union; but out of
Lecompton, nothing short of a well as
certained population of 100000 or such
matter will be of any avail to open
the doors of the Union. Was ever
such a scheme of coaxing and coercion
upon the people of territory before
invented? 1t is done to force through
Lecompton, neither more nor less.
The New York Tribune, we notice,
is Of the opinion that the proposition
can safely go before the people of Kan
sas, as it will be voted down with alac-
rity, and spurned with Indignation. We
are not SO sure of that. In view of the
turmoil, doubt and anxiety which the
course of the administration has gene
rated there-and the further fact that
the Leavenworth constitution is excit-
ing discussion and opposition, and the
still further exceedingly important in
ducements for the acceptance of Lee
compton which the administration holds
out, we should not be surprised if ma
iority of the people should conceive it
choice of evils to accept Lecompton,
with the intention Of carrying their