Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1858-01-13
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 10, 1858.
The Kan.n. Con.pirator. and 1..ue..

W say lreasODaDle, faction, IN opposition
to the legal local government, and to the
Federal government, by which it was sus-
tanned and protected. They setup rev.
dictionary government of their own, at
Topeka, differing only in detail from that
of the Mormons in Utah. And it was not
until August last, that they gave up that
government, and resolved, in convention at
Grasshopper Falls, to participate in the
then approaching election for new terri
torial Legislature, and delegate to Con-
gress. In that election they did vote, and
being satisfied with the result, are now
working under it-thus showing by their
acts, that their former course possessed all
the qualities of revolution, faction and re-
bellion, that we have ascribed to it.
The opposing party, on the other hand,
which have been hailed by variety of names,
finally settling down on that of 'sNation-
al Democracy" have been charged with
gross frauds and other high crimes as
plea of justification on the part of the alb
olltionists. But to resort to revolution to
rectify such things, if true, was the per-
fection of folly if done in sincerity; and
an inexcusable outrage upon the principles
OF republican government, if done in levity
and in defiance OF established law. That
there have been frauds committed is I'M
questionably true, but it is no less true that
they have been vastly exaggerated by the
l.
ritoIy' And it is further true that one
wrong can never remedy or be made to
justify another wrong. So that these
charges cannot be made either justfca-
ton or ground of objection to the ad
mission under the Lecompton constitution.
There has been no fraud traced in the cleo
ton OF the delegates to the constitutional
convention, and so far as we are at pres
ent Informed, there has been none establish
ed, in the recent vote on the slavery
clause.
But there is further complication in this
network of complications, which may still
further, and more than all else. embarrass
speedy solution of the question of the |
admission of Kansas. The aboltionists, |
having obtained possession of the Legisla-
tnre, have repealed the law providing for |
the convention, and ordered another cleo |
ton, at which the Lecompton consti-
tuition shall be submitted to the people.
This election will doubtless be paraded as
an evidence of the public sentiment. It's
only purpose was unquestionably stroke of |
policy on the part of certain restless leaders,
to prolong agitation and strife. IF the Lee
compton constitution possessed any legal va
lidty whatever, and it has been ratified by
an election which was open to all men of
all parties in the territory, it's force and
effect cannot be obviated by this subse-
quent proceeding. The law assembling |
the convention, had spent all it's force in |
the formation of a constitution, and its re-
peal could not effect anything, one way or
the other. The entire proceeding in refer
ence to it by the recent Legislature is a
mere farce. We presume that those who
voted upon the Lecompton constitution
will, as they certainly ought to do, refuse
to take part in this after-thought abolition
farce. The issue of slavery or no slavery
has once been rendered to all the resident
inhabitants of the territory-it was done
by authority of law, by which one party
was as much bound as another-and the is
sue has been passed upon, and there let ii rest.
II there IS TO be further agitation on the sub
5cct, let 1t be localized, let IL be confined toithim
the borders Of tho me,O State, and let Congress
and tie country be rid ofa at onoe and for
epeT.
We have thus, as briefly as the facts and
their Importance would allow, reviewed
the principal facts involved in the Kansas
controversy. 1t cannot be supposed that
IL the Lecompton constitution had been
submitted as a whole, to vote of the
people, the abolitionists would have voted
upon its merits. The entire course forbids
such a supposition. Indeed while the Lee
compton constitution was in process of
formation, Jim Lane called together three
or four hundred of his myrmidons from
Topeka, Lawrence and other rabid points,
at Lecompton, in an armed mass meeting,
whereat threats of disSolving the conven-
ton by force of arms, were made, and vio
lent speeches and denunciatory resolutions
passed. The delegates were told they
should not meet, and if they did "any con-
" stitutiOn they might form, hO,0srer fair, or
" hol0scsr pure, nay, eren the Topeka oonstitr-
" ton itself should not be accepted By the peopte
{" of Kansas" They had predetermined
their course, which was to trample down
any and everything which might emanate
from that convention. The programme is
legible from the beginning-to protract
the agitation and perpetuate the excite
ment which is the meat and drink of the
Red Republicans in Kansas and the Black
Republicans ont of Kansas. And since
they have courted the fate, let it turn to
NORWOOD and gall upon their lips.
Neither is it difficult TO fathom the mo-
tives which prompt TO this course. The
Black Republican party had its origin and
holds its existence, in the single idea of op
position to slavery and slavery extension