The Kanzas news., 1858-05-01

enumerated were without any county or
ganization, and Of course without Sheriff
or Probate Judge, and therefore destitute OF
the only machinery provided by law for ta-
king the census and registration. This sp-
pears to have been done deliberately, as no
provision is anywhere made for such thing
as an uuorganized county. Fifteen coun-
ties were thus wholly excluded by the Leg
islature from any possible participation in
this proceeding. In addition-to this, it ap-
peared, on the returns being made. that in
| the counties of Anderson, Franklin and
Breckenridge. (organized counties, the Of
| fcers had failed to take census and regis
| tration. Here then we have fourteen coun-
| ties named in the act, but with no provis-
| ion whatever for a census and registration.
and four counties not named at all, and of
| course excluded, making in all eighteen coun-
ties deliberately disfranchised by the Legis-
/ lature. To this is to be added the three
counties in which the officers were delin-
quent, and the aggregate of disfranchised
counties amounts TO tHenty-one; that is,
more than half the whole number into which
the Territory is divided. & 0Zs;a59f
This plain statement must settle this point
| it cannot be further controVerted. In or
der, however, to diminish the force of this
objection. it is said that but few people were
| living In these counties; not enough-as the
argument runs-to have materially infu-
enced the result. Let US see whether this
is true, in point of fact: In the election of
October last. the aggregate vote of this dis
franchised district, under a law prescribing
six months previous residence, amounted
to nearly three thousand. Now, it will be
observed that every one who was entitled to
vote in October would have been voter at
the election of delegates TO the Convention
| if his name had been registered. So far.
then, from the voting population of those
counties having been Insignificant, tits quite
certain, on the other hand, that if this vote
had been polled, as We are bound 10 pre-
sumo it would have been If an opportunity
had been afforded, it was of sufficient strength
to have changed the complexion of the Con-
vention. IF We take into consideration the
fact that three-quarters and more OF this
vote was cast in October, on an issue in
volying this very LecomPton Constitution,
against that Instruments shall present
| ly show-it may be reasonably inferred that
the exclusion of it made the political COM
plexion of the Constitutional Convention
what it was, Pro-Slayery. In regard to.
the other counties in which the census and
registration was pretended to be performed
l have only to say that there was we'll
grounded complaint. The registration WAS
partial, imperfect, and to some extent fraud
ulent. The aggregate of registered votes
was nine thousand and upwards. The
election was held in June, uninterruptedly,
so far as have heard. The Convention
received less than two thousand votes. But
the question is frequently put why did you
not vote For two reasons: first, we con-
sidered the whole scheme to be conspira-
| cy, with which it was dangerous TO be conni
plicated; and, secondly, we relied on the
distinct and emphatic pledge of the Presi-
dent, given through Governor Walker, that
we should be protected in our reserved right
of voting for or against the inrtrument,
when it should pass from the hands of the
Convention. A large majority of the peo-
pie, beyond doubt, were lulled into indiffer-
ence or deluded into inaction by this pledgs
of the President, authoritatively rendered
them.
The Convention organized in September,
but adjourned to await the issue of the Oc-
tober election. For the first time in the his
tory of the country, both parties met at the
polls, after long yet peaceful canvass, IN
the full enjoyment of the right of suffrage.
The result undeniably indicated public opin-
ion. The Free State party bore off the vic
tory by 5000 majority. No issue OF the
canvass was more widely discussed and bet
ter understood than that which pertained to
this Convention. The so called Democrat
ic party endorsed it, and their candidate for
Congress openly declared that he would, if
elected, advocate the admission of the State
under it, whether it was submitted to the
people OF not. On the other. hand, the Free
State party, through their Representative,
declared the Convention TO be fraud to the
bottom, from which nothing could origi-
nate that deserved their respect; and that
the Constitution, if submitted to the action
of the people, should be trampled down;
and if not submitted TO the people, they had
the pledge of the President that Congress
should reject il, or at least his influence TO
that end. This popular monition was not
thrown away on the Convention ITSELF
When they met again, it was under the pro-
lection of The United States army. Hence
forth It's sessions were thus protected On
the 7th of November, the Convention fn-
ished its work and adjourned. The Con-
stitution they had framed was not, submit
ted to vote of the people for approval or
reiection--nor was any substantive part Of
it thus submitted. A proposition relative
to the future Importation Of slaves was sub
mitted; but the disposition of that what
ever it might be, could in no manner affect
the status of the negro under the future
State Government Slavery was thorough
Ily engrafted in the instrument. For these
reasons, the people despise and sbhoF tins
Constitution. - g.ff = gf's:'s.s
This fact cannot be doubted. It was
proven by the election in October last. it
was demonstrated by the JOINT resolutions
of the representatives of the people assem-
bled in the Territofiai Legislature, which I