The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-08-26
The Great Issue.

When the English bill was pending
before Congress- Governor Walker made
two predictions if the bill passed:
1st. That the Lecompton Constitu-
tion would be rejected by an overwhelni-
| ing majority Of the people Of Kansas,
and Of every county Of Kansas.
| I'd. That the Territorial Legislature
Of Kansas, Elected in October next up-
on its assembling next January, would
call a Convention Of delegates to bo
chosen by the people Of Kansas, which
Convention would frame a Constitution,
and submit it to the vote Of the people
for ratification or rejection; that it would
be ratified by an overwhelming majori-
ty Of the people of Kansas, and submit
ted for the action Of Congress in Decem-
ber 1859. The first Of those predic-
tions is already verified. The people Of
Kansas, by majority, it is believed, in
eUeTy county, have rejected the Lecomp-
ton Constitution. The criminal has
been tried and condemned by the only
competent tribunal, the people of Kan
sas The charges of fraud, forgery and
perjury, preferred by Walker and STAN
ton in their official proclamations against
Lecompton, have been submitted to the
electors of Kansas, and the verdict Of
guilt and iniamy has been rendered
Who so bold as now to assert that the
Lecompton Constitution ever was tho
choice of the people Of Kansas2 Who
so reckless as now to deny that Congress
was asked and urged by the Admins
tration to force this Constitution upon
the people Of Kansas against their Will2
Nay, more-to make it a test of Democ-
racy, and ostracise all who would not
endorse these detestable frauds and for
geries2
Now, the first prediction Of Governor
Walker as to the rejection Of Lecomp-
ton has been fully verified. But what
as.to the second? Will they now pro-
ceed, without a census, and frame a new
Constitution and send it ratified by the
people Of Kansas for the action Of Con-
gress? We think this will be done, thus
stamping with falsehood the pretenco
that the people Of Kansas do not now
desire to become q State, And what
then2 viii Congress admit them with
out a census showing the population to
exceed 93,OOO2 They agreed to admit
them under the Lecompton Constitu-
ton with a fraudulent census, showing
but "a, 900 people; and will they reject
them when having certainly much
larger population?
The restriction In the latter clause Of
the English bill is not binding upon
this Congress, much less upon the next;
it can be repealed or disregarded by
Congress, and we have no doubt Kansas
will be admitted 10 1859, if the people
will do their duty in the coming eleo-
tions by voting for no man who favored
the forcing, without submission, the Lee
compton Constitution on the people of
Kansas Trust no such men, whatever
their present pledges may bo. They
violated the most solemn pledges Of the
canvass Of 1856--they betrayed their
constituents They took the executive
bounty in 1858, aud would do so again
in 1859. Well, let us suppose a new
Constitution without a census ratified
by the people Of Kansas, and accepted
by Congress in 1859 Will it receive
the sanction Of the President, or his we
to? We trust the former, but fear the
latter. The same disuuion organs Of the
South, whose threats and opposition
drove the President from his position
in 1856 and 1857, and caused him to
abandon the doctrine embodied in his
instructions to Governor Walker, we
fear will produce the like result in 1853.
Indeed, this is said TO be o part Of the
bargain. And what nez2 Why, if the
President veto such o bill, he viii re-
new the Kansas question IN its most
distinct form; he win make IL the direei
issue Of the Presidential election of 1860,
which must then be decided BY the
American people. How it win be do
cided It were insanity TO doubt Le-
comptonism and Leoomptonitea win bo
swept beneath the surges Of populariu-
dignation, and they win share ths fato
which must ever await treason 20 seIf-
government, in every Republic whcro
tho nooplo arc enlightened and moor,
ruptble.--[Phil Proal