The Kanzas news., 1858-03-27

should be admitted into the Union. The
Legislature of the Territory now enacted
salutary laws for preserving the purity o.
elections in all cases. It directed the Le-
compton Constitution to be submitted 10 8
fair vote on that day, the ballots being made
to express consent to the Constitution, OF
rejection of it, with or without slavery
The free-labor party debated anxiously on
the question, whether, besides voting against
that Constitution, they should, under pro-
test, vote also for officers to assume the trusts
created by it, if Congress should admit the
State under it. After majority mad deci-
ded that no such votes should be cast, mi
nority hastily rejected the decision and nom.
mated candidates for those places, to be
supported under protest. The success oi
| the movement. made under the most seri-
Gus disadvantages, Is conclusive evidence
of their strength. While the election held
on the 21st of December, allowing all fraud
ulent votes, showed some six thousand ma
iority for the Constitution with slavery, over
some FIVE hundred votes for the Constitu-
ton without slavery, the election on the 4th
of January showed an aggregate majority
of eleven thousand against the Constitution
itself In any form, with the choice, under
protest, of Representative in Congress,
and of large majority of all the candidates
nominated by the free-labor party for the va
rious executive and legislative trusts under
the Lecompton Constitution.
The Territorial Legislature has abolished
slavery by a law to take effect in March,
1853, though the Leeompton Constitution
contains provisions anticipating, and design
ed to defeat this great act of justice and hu'
manity. 1t has organized militia, which
stands ready for the defense of the rights
OF the people against any power. The Pres
ident of the Lecompton Convention has fled
the Territory, charged with an attempt tc
procure false returns to reverse the already
declared results of the last election, and be
holds the public in suspense as to his sue
cess until after his arrival at the Capital
and the decision of Congress on the accept.
ance of the Lecompton Constitution. In
the meantime, the Territorial Legislature
has called a Convention, subject to the pop
ular approval, to be held in March next
and to form Constitution to be submitted
to the people, and. when adopted, to be the
organic law of the State Of Kanzas, subject
to her admission into the Union. The Pres
| ident of the United States, having received
the Leeompton Constitution, has submitted
it to Congress, and insisting that the vote
taken on the juggle of the Lecompton Con
yention, held on the 21st of December, is
legally conclusive of its acceptance by the
people, and absolute against the fair, direct
and unimpeachable rejection of it by thai
people, made on the 4th of January last, he
recommends and urges and implores the
admission of Kanzas as a State into the Fed
eral Union, under that false, pretended, and
spurious Constitution. / refrain from any
examination of this extraordinary Message.
My recital is less complete than / have
hoped, if it does not overthrow all the Pres
ident's arguments in favor of the acceptance
of the Lecompton Constitution as the ae
of the people of Kanzas, however specious,
and without descending to any details. In
Congress those who seek the admission oi
Kanzas under that Constitution, strive to
delay the admission of Minnesota until theiI
opponents shall compromise on that para
mount question.
This, Mr.. President, is the concise ac-
count of the National Intervention in the
Territories in favor of slave labor and slave
States since 1920. No wonder that the
question before rs excites apprehension and
alarm. There is at last North side of this
Chamber, North side of the Chamber Of
Representatives, North side of the Union,
as well as South sides of all these. Each
of them is watchful, jealous, and resolute
If it be true, as has so often been asserted,
that this Union cannot survive the decision
by Congress of a direct question involving
the adoption of free State, which will es-
tablish the ascendancy of free States under
the Constitution, and draw after it the res
toration or the influence of freedom in the
domestic and foreign conduct of the Gov
ernment, then the day of dissolution is at
hand.
have thus. Mr.. President, arrived at the
third circumstance attending the Kanzas
question which have thought worthy oi
consideration, namely, that the National
Intervention in the Territories in favor OF
slave labor and slave States is opposed to
the material, moral, and social development
of the Republic. The proposition seems to
involve paradox, but it is easy to under
stand that the checks which the Constitu-
ton applies, through prudent caution, to
the relative increase of the representatives
of the free States in the House of Represent
atives, and especially in the Senate, coop
Grating with the differences of temper and
political activity between the two classes OF
States. may direct the government of the
Federal Union In one course, while the tend
encies of the nation itself, popularity regard
ed, are in direction exactly opposite. The
ease and success which attended the earlier
policy of intervention in favor of free labor
and free States, and the resistance which
the converse policy of Intervention in favor
of slave labor and slave States encounter,
sufficiently establish the existence of the
antagonism between the Government and
the Nation which have asserted. A YES
sci moves quietly and peacefully while it
descends with the current. You mark Its
way by the foam on its track only when ii