The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-03-11

",
must be protected in the exercise of
their right of voting for or against
that instrument, and the fair express
SION OF the popular will must not be
interiered with by fraud or violence.
Irepeaf, then, as my clear conviction, that
unless the Conrentios submit The Consti-
tufs0n to The rote Of all the aetual resident
settlers cf Kansas, and the eleotioa BE- fair
ty and quietly conducted, tie CoysrIru.
TON WILL BE, AND OUGHT TO BE, REJECTED
BY CONGRESS
These official papers, containing
the most solemn and unequivocal as
surances on the part of the Presi-
dent, the Cabinet, and the Governor,
that the Constitution would be sub
mitted to the people for ratification or
reJecti0a, and that in the event it
should not be so submitted, it ",rW
be, and ongM 10 BE-, rejected By Congress-"
were published and spread broadcast
over the Territory prior to the cleo.
ton of delegates to the Convention,
for the purpose of satisfying the peo-
pie that, although they had been un.
justly and foully treated in the APP
portionment Of delegates, by the dis
reimbursement of nineteen counties,
and the imperfect and unfair regis
tration of voters in the other nine
teen counties, yet the great wrong
would not produce any injury in the
end, for the reason that the Conven-
ton was not compelled to submit the
Constitution to the people for "rati-
iication" or rejection" and that,
unless it should be thus submitted at
fair election, "Me Constitution ,ciN
be and ought to be rejected By Congress"
The people, relying on these solemn
pledges Of the President, the Cabi-
net and the Governor, supported by
the assurances of all the Govern
ment officers in the Territory, and af-
firmed by the Democratic party unan-
imously, in their resolutions endors-
ing the policy of Gov. Walker, and
nominating Gov. Ransom for Con-
gress, and confirmed by Senator'S and
representatives in Congress who
visited the Territory, and gave SINH
lar pledges in their speeches to the
people, were lulled into a false and
fatal security, under the belief that
the great wrong perpetrated in the
apportionment for the election Of del
egates would be corrected and rem
dered harmless by submission of
the Constitution to a vote of the peo-
pie, at fair election, for ratification
or rejection. Thus the matter stood
when the election took place, ON the
first Monday Of October last, and
resulted in the total defeat of the
Democratic party, and the triumph
and election of Free State men for
the Legislature, for Congress, and
for County officers. This election
dissipated the last ray Of hope on
the part of the Pro-Slavery men of
making Kansas a slaveholding State
by fair vote of the people on the
ratification or rejection of the Con-
stitution, for the obvious reason, that
while it was conceded that the whole
of the Free State party ESQ called
would vote to a man against Pro-
Slavery Constitution, it was well
known that at least onc-half of the
Democratic party would vote the
same way on that question, thus
proving by the data furnished by
that election that four-fifths, if not
nine.tenths, Of the people were in
favor of making Kansas Free
State.
The Lecompton Convention assem-
bled and organized on the first Mon
day in September, one month previ-
Gus to the election, and after appoint
ing the Committees and transacting
some preliminary business, adjourn
ed until after the election, for the
purpose of avoiding a division in
the Democratic party, by disclosing
the character Of the Constitution,
until they should ascertain the rela-
tive strength of parties in the Ter
ritory. The result of the election
demonstrated beyond all controversy
that an immense majority of the peo-
pie OF Kansas were opposed to max
ing Kansas a Slave State, and that
if the Convention framed and pre-
sented Slave State Constitution for
approval, il would inevitably be re-
jected at the election. Under these
circumstances, the Convention deter
mined that instead Of conforming
their action to the known wishes Of
the people Of Kansas, they would
form a Slave State Constitution, and
submit it to the people in such
form as TO render it impossible for
them TO reject il by allovinor those