The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-11


IRAvENwoRT, Arl 2, 1853.
1s eossnta.sonal Ctn,cntion-Anti Lecompson AGss
MEETING
he Constitutional Convention bas nearly completed the
s,rpmeps which il cent TO frame The news Of tho
passage of Leccz ptcn aroush the Senate ana the hse
hood ef is passage through the House has thrown tse
neepic into s1tser.
large and enthusiastic mass meeting vas nela iest
svssng ey the free STATE party OF this place It WAS
called principally by the members OF the conventoa. who
wished 70 see Whist action the people desired in cEss the
Aesn p.on constitution was received oy congress- lhs
was ~ wording o: the call
At.hef past seven about eight hundrcA persons assem-
bsd ia front OF the Planters Hoose. II. T. JsaAson 0
Kts kspoo was elected chairman Of the meeting
sAsn Lane was then called for and addressed tie meet
b he stated that be proposed TO take Up short
z mo IN fdS cussng the question Of how 10 keep
Dsase IN Kansas. Everything was nsw IN uAas
suuuxion and nothing he believed coah disturb
- Tho passage OF the Lec'npton contribution
vsuld no, no AXE ripple the OF KsEss. II might
10 Aasswsy OF the great deep, when tia: event
ssssred, some persons would quietly disappear who
-usye IN the way il tha. instrument admitted Tho
,,sssvery state officers and legislators would be pro-
ved for and members Of the free State party would
ever attempt put hs wheels In motion. To keep peace
must never be allowed TO bresthe for one moment
en the ID of December last Convention fully repre-
SeHssDg the people Of Kansas pledged themselves,
tAar lives, fortune and sscred honor, never to per-
HN that consultation 10 become the organic law CT the
Ind He pledged himself then, and with his consent it
nsver should become Sd; not 10 change or to crush
vo.5 he consent allow the Legislature to qualyunder
The free State men elected under that swnde were
pledged to kill il. How they to do 2 By at
hs for one moment. The who does less is nots
1ue man. We mus. never have q conittu.ion growing
- q Iecompson; Il would be legitimate ofsprng-the
,And from the body of that foul and filthy iniquty The
oessitutian now being framed viii be the fun
annental law OF Kansas when ratified by the
pssple, and the government under it will be
~ emily valid in Kansas. Let Congress pass
Lssonpton-n falls dead and tsmned Of It's own
weight The Convention sitting will have completed
- ask in another day, and ss the result they will pre-
sent constitution fuly up to the spirit Of the times and
which will receive the votes Of all the people. lie
hoped that victory was now written upon our banners
ehet would be maTbsuimoue-t was a characteristics
q truly brave and ,od men al~ays-let bygones be
bygeucs always excepting the ballot box suffers and the
whose hands dyed with the blood Cf pe,po.
L them reme nber "that there is peace the wick
ed" We have now nearly won the fghthe last strug
hrther In less than ten years golden sands wash
ed sp by the Of fresdom will glitter all over Mis-
sosri, while Hs circpg eddies will reach Kentucky,
t1sugh Virginia and Tennessee, until the last wall OF the
taave comes up from tho swsmps of South Carolina
Judge Conway WAS then called. His speech consisted
Dair ~ Of legal argument to show that the passage Of
abe Ieconpson corstitunon, though admitting Kansas into
oe Union does not make necessarily the lawful const
ssass seousa e rey iouaus fh % psi
only the possession Of the SOIL but full power Of gov
eminent over all Inhabitants thereof The only condition
e t cession that The Inhabitants should be admitted
Aso the Union equal footing with other States.
Kansas part Of this LOUISIANA acquisition As hong
knsas continued In Territorial state she was under the
absolute authority Of the federal government But this
stcd only 30 long she was in that state. The stpa
Ssn in the treaty Of France for admission relieve
s habtants as soon as possible from the condition Of
vAzsaage The oment the act Of admission passed by
ouAg-ees and becomes law Of the land in of
xsrsxlaf fAouD VuOR1 n ~
sesse exist q territorial dependent, and become
sovereign State Of the uDion with all the Inherent powers
q State bound only by the OF the federal copsti
suton. AZ member of the Union under the constitution
she only OF legality which could be made out for
Stac constitution which she might have, would have
~ be found in the people OF the Stase.
Judee Conway here went into elaborate exposition or
had no power whatsoever to give legal force
70 state constauson either drcc4y or indirectly Tho
seeersl governments vas hssu government Of limited
Of federal power and not tho federal power the
OF State jurisdiction. II the feierA government
eoald give legal force state constitution could o.
sourse take legal away any State constitution
coud therefore, invade The State OF South Carolina OF
ei Massachusetts, and abolish is constitution at blow.
This theory would place tho authority OF every
Sha rcy Of the federal power and would transform
yedera system INTO an absolute empire But
kwss SAID the Ieoompton made by q con
venn elected by the people Of the Territory Of Kansas
md was therefore their own act and doed This though
lse fact be true far the legal forms extend
BA what authority have the people Of the Territory
q kansas to make constitution for the people Of the
u n
natter Of mere legal form that pretended the I-
ssrpon constitution cmbodes the viii Of the people of
msse cOnstao for % s people Of ss,.S TeprO.y "
N mere chartered corporation existing by virtue Of
a Of Congress- Not particle OF posica power be
exercised In Territory which s not delegated by the
federal government 70 man vote, Legislature
act convention meet, do anything after
By the federal government T the federal governrnen,
has power In itself % give legal force 10 the oonsu
ten Of state how can L deiogate such power TO Terri
tory II cannot bc done. Nothing which tho federal
eovernment do, remotely directly past prosent or
- come can confer ssss ~ SIsson upon state sonsiu
a the United States govern the Territories pleascs
they belong 10 IL a. sovereign power capable u acqur
authorizes Congress 10 admit States IT. in oboii-
70 this provson OF tho constitution aEd pursuance
a treaty stipulation the government OF the United States
nnds necessary institute the forms OF
6ste government In ih own Territory, and 10 recog
The People OF the state have nothing TO do with II, .
STATE. They may acquieae In u, aad thereby give
zion and legal force but this they may do not they
Ptease. fhey aooeptit, u becomes from their scoept
., has binding force whslsSsver for ilem There
has been heretofore In tho history Of this country nc
instance which the people OF the new stie have re-
fused 10 adopt their ihc constructors maio By the
federal government And hs act has led 10 The preva
constitution made by hse In Territory constitutes tha.
eoositu,on the Fundamental law Of tho sasc But this
b utterly without foundation and must be rejected upon
uomcn;s reflection by every pcrSon who understands
enc rudhncns Of American constitutional law The mo.
ept the people OF Kansas became state of the Arncri
Union they free. let them proceed Let thc con
stnnuopal convention roe tn session IN tbs clty
provide in the constitution they shall make for the rstf
cation u the sane by The people and then for the meet
ing of zoe Legislature and The of ooe on tho
part OF all the oecers under h the hev arc AL
itfed rto the mon az State without reference 70 what
constitution bo recognized by Congress in The act r
admisson. Lot thom take this ard al viii be we'll
n the present Standardization desires 20 tsle seue x,h
tine people Of Ksnsss this pout, can be accomnno-
dased sny party IN this nation desires 10 effect ne o~p
anrihaon In the very shortest ard speedcst wav most
bic Let make the right Eov,rcir Sa.,o
oS The Union 70 make is consttstou without refc
reooo 10 federal dictatson.
c. a. Foster Of osssxato ME, then called out He
spoke for ahor period In defence OF the ce.Irse nro
posed by the lant speaker. He elected ne ber OF
che Of Representatives under the Ieconptou con
fttution. On the I'd OF last December he, In common
with the rst speaker and other Representatives OF the
people, had pledged himself never 10 live under the Ie
compton swndle and 10 nrkt, before Goo and ths peo
pee, he renewed that pledge lie would qualify
under H. and should consider the people Of k2nsas dis
Gracod they for hour allowed 10 bccsme the orea