Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-03-18
WHOLE NO 1921

OF actual acceptance and adoption of the
Constitution Itself. His argument was
apologeric, as it lamelted that the Cunstitu.
ton had not been fairly submitted: anC
Ijesuitical, as it urged that the people might
when once admitted as a State, change the
Constitution at their pleasure, in defiance
OF the provision which postpones any change
seven years.
Copies of the Message containing these
arguments were transmitted to the Terri.
tory, to cOBfound and dishearten the Free
State party, and obtain q surrender, at the
election to be held on the 2Ist of Decem.
Der, on the questions submitted by the Con-
vention The people, however, were Meth .
er misled nor intimitateG. Alarmed by this
act of connivance by the President OF the
United States with their oppressors, they
| began to prepare for the last arbitrament of
nafions The Secretary, Mr.. Stanton, now
Governor ad inierim, issued his proclama-
tion, caliing The new territorial legislature to
assemble to provide for preserving the pub
lie peace. An Executive spy dispatched
information of this proceeding to the Pre-
Sident by telegraph, and instantly Mr. STAN
ton ceased to be Secretary and Governor ad
interim, being removed by the President, by
and with the advice and consent of the
Senate of the United States. Thus the
service of Frederick P. Stanton came to an
abrupt end, but in manner most honorable
to himself. His chief, Mr. Walker, was
less wise and less fortunate. He resigned.
Petus Thrasea 1--WE are informed by Tacitus)
had been often present in the Senate, when
the fathers descended to unworthy acts, and
did not rise in opposition; but on the &C.
cassion when Nero procured from them u
decree to celebrate, as festival, the day
on which he had murdered hls mother, Agrip
| pine, Petus LEI: his seat, and walked out of
The cham mber-thus 0y his virtue provoking
future vengeance, and yet doing no service
to the cause of Liberty. Possibly Robert
J. Walker may find less stern historian.
The new Secretary, Mr. Denver, became
Governor Of Kansas, the fifth incumbent of
that Office appointed within less than four
years, the legal term of one. Happily, how
ever, for the honor Of the country, three of
the recalls we've made on the ground of the
virtues of the parties disgraced. The Pro-
Consuls Of the Roman provinces were
brought back to the Capital to answer for
their crimes.
| The proceeding which the late Secretary
Stanton had so wisely instituted, neverthe-
| less, went on, and it has become, as trust,
the principal means Of rescuing from tyrany
/ the people whom he governed 80 briefly and
yet so well. The Lecompton Constitution
! had directed, that on the 4th OF January
elections should he held to fill the State Of
| fees and the Offices of members of the Leg
islature and member of Congress, to assume
| their trusts when the new State sipuid be
admitted into the Union. The Legislature
of the Territory now enacted salutary laws
for preserving the purity of elections in all
cases. 1t directed the LecumPton Consti-
tuition to be submitted TO fair vote on that
day, the ballots oeing made to express a
consent to the Constitution, or rejection
of it, with or without Slavery. The Free
Labor party debat ID anxiously on the ques
ton, whe ther, beside voting against that
Constitution, they should, under protest,
vote also for officers to assume the trusts
SiCulCu W is ~ % ohohi' "d4hb lbEC
State under it. After a maIority had decid-
ed tnat no such votes should be cast, min
! ority hastily rejected the decision, and nom-
mated candidates for those places, to be
supported under protest. The success of
the movement, made under the most serious
disadvantages, is conclusive evidence of
! their strength. While the election held on
! the 2Ist OF December, allowing al frauda.
! lent votes, showed some six thoDsoHd ma
iority for The Consl itutiun with Slavery,
! over some FIVE hundred votes for the Con-
stitution without Slavery, the election on
! the 4th of January showed al aggregate ma
/ jority of eleven thousand against the Con-
stitution itself in any form, with the choice
under protest, OF Representative in Con-
gress. and of large maturity of all the
candidates nominated by the Free-Labor
party for the various Executive and Iegis-
lstive trusts under the LeeOmPssn Constitu-
! ton.
The Territorial Legislature has abolish
| ed Slavery by law to take effect IN March.
1858, though the Lecomptoh Constitution
contains provisions ant:ci patine and design
| ed to defeat this great act OF Justice and
humanity. 1t has organized militia which
stands ready for the defense of the rights of
the people against any power. The Pre-
sdent of the Lecompton Convention has
| fled The Territory. charged with an attempt
to procure fraudulent returns TO reverse the
I already declared results of the last election
and he holds the public in suspense US to his
success until after his arrival at the Capitol,
/ nd the decision of Congress on .he &C.
ceptance of the Lecompton Constitution-I
In the mean time, the Territorial Legisla-
ture has called a Convention, Inject 10 the
popular approval, 20 be held in March next,
and to form Constitution to be submitted
to the people, and, when adopted, tn be the
organic law Of the new State of Kansas,
subject to her admission into the Union
The President OF the United States, having
received the I.ecomp:on Constitution, has
submitted it 10 Congress, and insisting that
the vote taken on the iuggle of the l.ecomp-
ton Convention, held ON the : LIST Of Decem-
Der. is leg liy conclusive OF its acceptance
bv the people. and absolute sgains' the fair
direct, and unimpe peachsble reiec;i II of it bv
that people, made on the 4th OF January
last, he recommends aud urges and implo-es
the admission of Kansas Us a Stale into the
Federal Union, under that false, pretended.
and spurious Constitution. ] refrain frcm
any examination Of this extrsor may mes
sage. NV recital is less complete than I
have hoped, if it does not overthrow Ill the
Presidents s arguments in favor OF the ac-
ceptance OF the Lecomp'on Constitution as
an act of the people of Kansas, however
spacious, and without descending To any de- |
tails. In Congress. those who seek the |
admission of Kansas under that Constitu,
ton strive TO delsv tie admission df Mime
sota until their opponents shall essspromise
on that paramount question
Thi, Mr.. Presiden', is concise account