The Nevada Democrat., 1858-07-28
-,.1a-.a ami frand had hilherto defeated Them

and would again. Delegates were elected, (Z,-
900 rotes being all that were cast) and met on
the 9TH Sept. 1857, adjourned into October.
till after another Territorial Legislature was
elected At this election, though large pro-
portion of the free State men refused to vote.
The free State party cast 900 votet-all other
parties united 300 votes. After this election.
the Convention met again and formed Con-
stitutien, and submitted the question OF slavery
alone, and that too under severe RESTRICTIONS,
TO be voted on the 2lst Dec. '57. Secretary
Stanton then acting as Governor, believing that
there was danger of q civil war in order 10
avert it convened the Legislature elected in Oc-
tober. This Legislature postponed the election
of the 2lst Dec to the 4th January '5S. aud
passed law submitting the whole Constitution
TO the people OH that day. Nevertheless tie
vote was taken on the 2lst Dec. as appointed
by the Convention for '-the Constitution with
slavery" for "the Constitution without sla-
very" and 6,226 votes were cast for the Con-
stitution With slavery. of which number 5000
were established by a Commission 10 have
been fraudulent; 367 votes were cast for the
Constitution without slavery, leaving about
2.6OO for the Constitution with slavery. But
on the 4ih Jan, the day that the Legislature
provided the entire Constitlaion should be submit
ted to the people. 1926 votes were cast against
the Lecompton Constitution and l38 for it,
This vote was certified to be correct by Gen.
whelming sentiment against the LecomptOn
Constitution. We must Tecollect that the Con-
vention that formed the Constitution was call
ed by The Territorial Legislature. and derived
from that Legislature all its power to act
That Legislature did not authorize the Conven-
ton to establish and ratify, and put in operation
a Constitution. but only to frame sne. The
breath Of fe was TO be breathed into it, If ever,
by another power-the people. A subsequent
Teri itorial Legislature fresh from the people.
el, eted bv large majority, having all the
power that the previous Legislature had. and
having what The other did not bave an honest
election and the confidence of the people. pass
ed law submitting the entire Constitution to the
people and the entire people repudiated it-l0,-
226 to 1873.
Nay more this same Legislature. of which one
third was opposed to the free State party. in
Nov. 81, unanimously passed resolutions protest
ing against the Lecompton Constitution. OF
which the following is one Resolved. That
the people of Kansas being opposed to raid
Constitution. Congress has no rghtful power
under it to admit said Territory into the Union
as State, and the representatives of said peo-
pie do hereby in their name and on their behalf,
solemrly protest against such admission"
How then did the case stand in relation to
the LecOmpton Constitution. The President
sanctioned in March '57 the submission Of the
| Constitution to the people. Gov. Walker an
nounced it as the policy and will Of the admin
stration in his address TO the people; it was
submitted to the people by the Territorial Leg.
! islature, existing by an act Of Congress. and
the only recognized government in Kansas,
aud when so submitted, almost unanimously re-
pudiaicd.
| The President before being officially notified
of the vote Of the 4th Jan. of 1926 to l3S ex-
pressed his regret that the entire Constitution
was not submitted. Kansas never has been ad
mitted under the Lecompton Constitution, and
il is now indirectly hut virtually submitted a
second time to the people. who will doubtless
cast as many votes against it as they did the
4tb Jan '5S. Kansas never will be admitted
under that Constitution. Yet for eonendine
for principle which has virtually been recog
nized by the Federal Government. for denying
that it was just and right to force upon Kansas
Constitution which was odious in itself, re
pugnant to her every sentiment. and repud;a a
led hy her people, for adv vOcating the doc irine
of popular gnty, not for Kausas alone
but for all territory organized. or To he organ
IL d. as part and parcel of this Republic. Doug
las aud those Democrats who agreed with h,m
have been denounced. radnced and prescribed
| have thus referred TO the LpcomptOn Consti
tuition. not to revive it as q question here; oil
here in this campaign or county to renew III
asp rites. but in order that the grounds Or
which Douglas and Douglas Democrats are con
|
Here in this State, soon after the Lecomptou
Constitution was laid before Congress q leading
organ, an organ that cordially adopted the
"Inud-sill' and "n0rthern slave" notions u
Senator Hammond, pronounced that the ''rol
must be called aud men take sides now and for
ever for or against the Democratic putty al
they were LEGO nptOn or Anti Lecompton men
and all who maintained the principle of pepu
lar sovereignty it sought to Ostracise. S4nc,
that time the same vindictive and proscriptivt
s jrit has been extending. 1t is here in thi
co mty. The Lecompton leaders in our County
Convention when they were not able to accom-
plish their purposes in Convention. boltcd anC
made new nominations. But this is not mat
ter of surprise. Some of them had Tough
against the Democratic party all their lives til
'ecently, and TO create diSS SSensons, and to vio
late the principles of the party may be to then
more u source Of pleasure than regret. Other
abandoning the party iii its hour of peril ar,
found with it in its prosperity. again to do i
injury greater by far than they could by de
serting the party-as members of its Conven
tlou, violating its usageS and boiling its nom
nations. Those who a bandon their part,
seeking Offices through new associations, AM
failing, then desert their allies should not b
the first to violate the usages of the party T.
which they have returned; they should be tn
last to dictate to, and prescribe those who has
never faltered or failed. And now. speakn
to you fellow citizens of Nevada county, if be
leving in AM contending for great principle
q principle that should be ever near and dea
to Us, though the people may be far away VIII
are to be affected hy it-a principle which
the rock upon which the temple OF your libert
is constructed and when the rains descend, an
the foods come and the winds beat against tina
temple built upon the rock of popular sover
eighty it will stand-I say if believing in an
contending for this principle, have rendered
myself obnoxious to you, 1 might regret you
views. could not my own.
And now while wishing to have harmon,
restored to the party, l have no wish to hav
that harmony that can only be attained by th
sacrifice of agreat prnciple-that harmony tha
can only be obtained by slavish submission o.
one side to those who do not stand up tc all
recognize the usages of the party-harmon
that can only be obtained by cOnceding sn