New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-02-11
TIE LECOMPTON FRAUD.
GOV. WISE ON THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
From kis Litter TO the PktLlieIptlG Anti LeeonP-
ton Netting

this morning, have,sad that I cannot attend the
Mas Meeting of the Democracy Of PDllaelphia, pro-
pcsed 10 BE- cid on Monday evening next. And haVe
hardly time respond n your letter, since received
and the request present my views on the question OF
the admission Of Kansas state OF TINS un'n,
under the Lecompton Constitution, "a presented I"
Cor gress by the President of the United States For
the lsst seventeen years have been Advocating the
nomins ton of james Buchanan for the Presidency
for more than twenty years | have been ms warm,
perso al FRIEND and responsible, perhaps a.
any other in the United States for his election,
and as deeply anxious any other person That NJ
Administration shall be successful, and above all, d.
worthy of confidence and respect. Oar personal r.
lations are a. nothing compared TO the Importance
supporting his Admini,tr atlon on questions OF mere
expedency and il based in it, action on mora
and legal light. But personal and administrative re-
IatiOus combined nothing, on the other oanI,
compared with great fundamental, moral and pohtica
principles involved in the issues now presented TO Inc
country in the question of admitting Kansas under the
Constitution now presented the Go and deef ~ her
peobie and as an instrument republican, inJorm
Thee are tle two issues now pending before Con
gress:
lat. l. the LecomptOn Constitution the act and deed
Of the people Of Kansas
3D. II il republican in form
These are the only two essential Issues 70 be tined
And with view To full fair, aud friendly verdict as
10 the fact and Judgment a. 10 The law of the case,
have carefully, patiently, and repeatedly read the
Presidents Message Of the 2d inst, IN which ne re-
comuends the speedy approval by Congress OF the
LeccmIion Constitution ana the reception OF Mans As
under IT, a. o State into the Union. | regret - say
that the earnest honest convictions of my mind con
strain lie to differ from the President of my choice,
and to declare | cannot indOrse the lHcompton Con-
st uton as the act and deed Of the sovereign people
whose act and deed processes TO be- and that pro
teri against the mode IN which il prtendedtO b.
submitted to the people, as anti-repu5lcan and op.
pressive and offensive TO the selfrespect and mora!
sense of n free people
Thee CONVICTIONS of mine have been deliberately
formed and mean casnly 10 maintain them, reason.
ing with friends and not backing from foes, though
stand alone against a host.
| had no diiicuHy in determining that the act of
1854. the Kansas and Nebraska law, eRabiiHg
act. II created right not preexisng, for popular
sovereignty is se-exlsting but declared and admitted
and recognized in the people the right OF segovern-
men TO form and regulate all their domestic insttu-
tons in their own way, consistent with paramount
law.
Under this law they were formed into An organized
Territory; and under Territorial law they formed
Convention to make Constitution oi State Govern
ment, with a view 20 admission into the Union. All
this was gitimate; and az 10 how the election of
members TO the Convention should be held, and how
contested elections to be dcermined-Hll matters
Of this sort left TO Themselves without the right
Of intervention from any quarter avoid inquiring
into the frauds which may have been perpetrated anu
which, doubtless, were perpetrated ON both aides III
this election To constitute Convention.
But that body, however legitimate, or however
fairly or unfairly constituted, not empowered to
make Constitution and TO proclaim It, without sub
hitting Il TO the people before 1t wa submitted to
Congress the and deed of the people Of Kansas
And herein il the first point of difference with the
President. He says that if the Convention was not
prohibited from proclaimng without submission TO
the people, they had authority to proclaim It, say
that il Is settled democratic principle OF Americao
institutions "hatHe poEerS not delegated oy ne people
are rtStrre9 70 them" But this point of difference
does Lot arise in this case; for, "a will show pres
Dty whatever power the Convention had IN this re-
pect they did not pretend 10 exercise or to claim IT,
but Gs representative body and not primary sub
mtted the work Of their agency, the Constitution, to
their principals, the people.
Nv letter to the Taumany Society, dated the Both
December last, deliberately written, was kept in
NY possession for days was rewritten and put forth
with firm purpose TO serve the Administration and
the country | saw n formidable opposition thor
oughy organized in the Democratic ranks, of those
opposed to Mr.. Buchanans nomination, bent on drv
ing from his support every Northern Democrat on the
Kansas question, and every Southern Democrat on
the fllibus,ering Puenta Arenas question. / saw "a
faction of extremists who ben. rushing the
South, Slavery, Democracy aud the Union, ON the
very bosses OF the bucker OF popular sovereignty
and upon the moral sense OF the whole country and
losing the moral prestige OF a minority of the Union
who are demanding justice and equality by denying
Justice and equality Ia a m9prity against minority
Of people in Kansas. l felt that | might inter-
pose a Timely blow 10 save the Administration tom
the dilemma Of holding its Northern friends 10 the
hard reces-iiy of denying popular sovereignty ari
Of Withholding justice and equality from the people
at the polls, in a Territory where self-sovernment
and perfect free dom OF election were guaranteed BY
the very act organizing il. No Northern man could
strike that blow with effect, and felt the moral obi
eato strike it for justice, even 10 my own hurt.
saw what would DC the effect upon me- personally;
that misrepresentation and abuse would follow, AMI
many Of my best friends would condemn the apparent
rashness OF the In an this have not been disap
pointed But that the thunders have rolled over
my head, and | see the full effect, even beyond my
antcipatonsih effect of the special meSa 20 of the
President-hi. authority welded against the position
which deyotedy assumed for his deien.e-I calmly
survey the subject again, and instead Of rerea,ing
advance on the position have Assumed. Ia Novem-
her said that If the Convention had proclaimed the
Lecompton Constitution without submitting il at all
TO the people, would accept it a. legitimate and
dc fac.0 instrument. But now that II has been sub
united in the manner and form of the eleventh aud
fourteenth sections of its schedule, repeat the posi-
zion Of my Talnmany letter, and woad adopt II Only
subject to a fair ana legal vote of the people Of Kan
sas be- prescribed BY their Territorial Legislature
not by Congress.
such monsirous injustice and inequality never of.
Tended the moral sense of reemcn before in this couu
try. | cannot agree with the President, therefore,
when he say: :" Ii is impossible that any people
could have proceeded with more regularity in the
formation OF Constitution than the people of Kan
"sas have dore' The people of Kansas have not
been allowed 10 hold far free and full election az
al though The whole Constitution was pretended II
be submitted 10 them. No, not upon the part winch
the President says was alone submitted TO them.
Gentlemen, | arrive IL these facts from tue face OF
the rd-irom the schedule Itself. don't ~ into
Kansas for evidences of fraud any other fact |
don't 20 behind the schedule which i annexed To the
Leconpton Constitution Itself. 1t shows its face a
fact stronger than any proof that the people did not
vote-it shows that it impossible for them 70 vote
their sovereign will 10 fair free, aud iu election
Such an election cannot po sibly be held under such
schedule This Congress is bound a. look at. | am
bound in certain 10 cause the seal Ct this State
10 be affixed 10 papers for the purpose of auhentca-
ton l have no erection. Ii the paper j. proper to be
certified, must afix the sesl. But suppose that in
the act of auihen ication by atxlng 6e seal it ap-