The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-06
The Presidents Kansas POiicy-The Topeka
Rebels and Alleged Frauds OF the Lecomp-
ton Party.

Rebels and Alleged Frauds Of the Lecomp-
ton Party.
Our Northern anti-slavery journals are very
much Mortified at the declaration in the Presi-
dents late message that the Topeka party of
Kansas are and have been for some time in
state of rebellion against the regularly consti-
tuted authorities of the Territory. To prove
the falsity of this declaration the old hue and
cry of Missouri invasions, border rufian frauds,
border rufian ballot stuffing, and pro-savery
swindling in every shape and form, is revived
in sort of general chorus from the Northern
opposition presses, and is Justify re-echoed by
the black republican leaders and disaffected
democrats in Congress. Reduced, however, to
its exact merits, all this opposition cutlery of
frauds and false pretences against the Lecomp.
ton party amounts to little or nothing.
With the passage Of the Kansas-Nebraska bill
in 1854 a tremendous agitation was raised in
the North, and among its first fruits were those
anti-slavery emigrant aid societies, whose avow-
ed object was 'the rescue Of the new Territory
from the grippe Of slavery" These movements
excited counter-irritation in the South, and
especially in Missouri. The Mssourians lived
next neighbors to Kansas, and this impor
tant local advantage to their emigration
movements gave to the pro-slavery party for
the first year or two, the undoubted possession
of the Territory. ~eeerdins ~ tile kansas
Nebraska bill; and We say this, making
all due allowances for the armed Mis-
souri, invasions of ls54-'55. No doubt.
also, large proportion of those "border
ruffians" went over to Kansas just for
the express purpose Of locating their little land
claims, with the view Of soon returning to To-
cate themselves and it cannot be denied that
large number of the New England and other
anti-slavery emigrants pursued the same course
After the first Missouri movement Of Novem-
Der, 1854, the free State party Of Kansas fell
back upon the policy Of mastery inactivity"
in the regular elections, Thus the Territorial
Legislature of 1855, and that Of 1856, by the
pro-slavery party, were carried by default.
making the most liberal allowances for fraudu.
lent votes. Thus the Legislature Of 1856 was
unanimously pro-slavery, from the refusal of
the free State party to vote in its election.
But in other respects the anti-slavery men were
not idle. They we're carried of by leading abo-
llbOh utuiakObute lhtO OlHhuiLhbiDH Vi a
State constitution and State government out
side of the forms Of law; aud being in the face
Of the law, and in defiance Of the regularly con-
stituted authorities, these movements were
nothing else than rebellious and revolutionary
The Topeka legislative assemblage was thus
dispersed by the government troops, and the
Topeka free State constitution having been re-
An. -.
ground Of its irregularity and Illegally, com
mon sense should have dictated to the Kansas
free State party the policy Of returning to the
requirements of the law and the regular cleo
tions of their Territorial organization. They
had no longer any rational excuse for refusing
TO participate In the regular elections after the
Inauguration Of Mr. Buchanan, by which time
from constant emigration, they had increased in
the ratio Of at least three 10 one of the pro-
slavery voters Of the Territory.
The regular Legislature of the Territory had
provided for a constitutional election--the
President had recognized the validity of the
law, and bad admonished all parties in Kansas
that be should hold them to the consequences
To encourage the free State party TO assist in
The election Of this Convention, every induce
ment was held out, and every assurance that
could be reasonably demanded was given by
the President, and every provision made that
the election should be fairly conducted and
that the rights of every voter should be sustain
ed. But The free State party, en- rasse. refused
these offers, and permitted the Lecompton Con
vention to be elected unanimously oslayery.
by default. There can be no doubt had
the Topeka party participated in the election
that, even with a minority in the Convention
they could have secured the submission of the
constitution to the people. But in the absence
Of ony opposition, the proslavery leaders of the
Convention exercised their lawful discretion
Of Withholding the constitution from the popu-
lar vote.
But again, the Convention did submit The |
only important constitutional issue-slavery or |
no slavery to the popular vote and had the |
free State party taken a hand in the December |
election, they could have easily secured the |
constitution without slavery But they still ad- |
hered TO their mastery inactivity" and the |
constitution with slavery" was carried, as the
Convention had been, by default. Hae the |
President insists that the work the people of |
Kansas in forming State constitution, was le- ]