The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-21
THE VOTERS AND NoN.voTERs IN KANsAy.

"LAwRENGE CRY, KANSAS.
January 5, 1858.
"Political excitement runs high in Kansas.
The Free State Party may seem to be divided,
but when the final contest comes, we shall be
united, and shall resist the Lecompton Consti-
tuition to the bitter ED. Allow me to say :,
some of our Kansas lettar-writers do not always
tell the truth. They represent the extreme or
donothing policy, whicl, has nearly ruined ny.
They opposed voting in June, and denounced
the Times and the IRA for advising us to vote.
They all opposed voting in October, and are
now trying to lead in th, same direction"
Thus writes subscriber in Kansas. We be-
lieve him. There are letter-writers in Kansas
who belong to the Sensation school. They e.,
cite, but to bewilder. One must examine q
score of accounts before be can arrive at any true
conception of things as they are. The polio,
of those who would organize en- efficient Party
with the ballot-box for its great instrumental
ty, is uniformly misrepf3sented by this class
correspondents. They Rervert Opinion in tn
States, and hail the reaction of this perverte,
Opinion upon the People of Kansas.
We say now as we always said-our FRIENDS
ought to cote, and leave the rams horns to those
who can do nothing bus blow. Had the Free
State Party organized last summer, taken ca .
of the registering, and compelled the judges il
receive their votes, the, would have carried q
majority of the Convent on, or enough delegates
to constrain it to a decant respect for the Pep
pie. They were organized in October, did vol o
and obtained thereby possession of the Terrific
rial Government, and elected their Delegate u
Congress. On the 2lst December, it would
have been wrong for than to vote, because, hue
they done 80, they would have given themselvs,
the lie-voted for an instrument they abhorred
But, no such objection could be raised on tie
4th January. The question was submitted ,e
the People by the Territorial Legslature-wi
you ratify or reject this Constitution ? fai.
opportunity was AFFORDED them to record their
votes against it. If an } opposed to it, neglect
ed or refused to vote, le deserves the severes,
censure.
Accounts, go far as deceived, authorize tie
belief, that the great b3dy of Free State mtn
recorded their votes against the odious instr !.
ment. Would that they had been as united o
the other election held the same day Tie
men of action, aware ot<he Presidents purpose
to force the Constitution upon them, knowing
that his Party has the control of both branches
of Congress, and not ignorant of the strength
of Party discipline, fe, ring that, after all, the
usurpation would be recognised, the Lecompton
Constitution be adopteS and Kansas admitted
under it State, determined to vote at the cleo
ton ordered on the Ate for State officers, nom,
mating their own tickek. They did right. The
world will acquit them of any completely in the
Lecompton usurpation, finding in this ssgacious
attempt to counteract she bslefpl consequences
of it, their ample justification. Had the whole
Party united in voting Free State ticket, sue
cess would have been certain-and the result
would have been as encouraging to the oppo
nsnts, as discouraging to the advocates, of tbs
Lecompton Goussitpiop in Congress. 1t would
either have sealed the fate of that instrumeps
in Congress or secured the power to the Free
State men, Congress recognising it, to substi
tuts INSTANTLY by one of their own choosing
We are yet without authentic returns from the
election, but we fear narrow psFt;ssnship ha,
ruled the hour-that there have been DO nothipai
enough to balk the courageous demonstration
of the working friends of Freedom. Whether
this be 90 or not, we cake this opportunity to