Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-03-05
VOL. 81. NO. 10.

text tor binding the people. Before the con
| vention did its work, new election of a Kan
sas Legislature took place, aud, thanks to
Walker and Stanton, false, fraudulent and
| forged returns were rejected. and Legislature
was formed of unquestioned legality The
convention, knowing the true will of the peo-
PIE, in defiance Of that. will, refused TO refer
the constitution 10 the people, sequestered their
inalenable rights, and made themselves mas
ters. They acknowledged that such refer
ence should have been made at least on the
slavery clause, aud then they framed a sche-
dule which made no true reference even of
| that claus, but disfranchised all except those
who would acknowledge their usurpation, and
were willing to take test oaths to support it.
The convention further assumed most extraor-
dinary powers, aud sought in advance TO pulli-
fy AMI render void the acts of the Dewly elect
ed Legislature. They did what they could to
show the appreciation of the fraudulent vote
which Walker and Stanton, with the approval,
it Is to be hoped of the President Moreover,
1t ordered an election of State officers, under
their unratlfed constitution, without requiring
an oath of the election officers, or afixing pen
atty on fraudulent voting or forged returns;
and they, moreover, directed returns TO be
made, not 10 the Governor or the legal Leeis-
lature, but to one man alone, the President of
their convention; man holding most lucra-
tive ofiioe, aud large patronage under the
General Government; clothed with power to
judge at his discretion OF all returns of lea-
lslatule before which be might become candi-
date for office; bound by no oath to fidelity,
aud exposed to no legal penalty for the abuse
OF bis trust. We hold, then, that the conyen-
tlon has no claim to the sovereignty in Kansas
but by usnrpatlon that il had in nowise The
sanction OF Congress, nor of the President, nor
of the people of Kansas, aud was but cuu-
niEg device to defraud that people of its soye-
reignty.
The cardinal point on which the great oues-
ton turns IS this: Is the Lecompton Constitu-
llon the choice aud will of the people of Kan
sasf say 1t IS not, and shall prove it,
The first witness is the convention itself. They
were urged to refer the matter to the people,
The President, in his high office, pledged him
self over aud over again, to the appreciation of
that course, aud by the authority aud with the
knowledge OF the President, the Governor, and
othcers OF the Presidents appointment, quoted
the dscontents of the people of Kansas by al
vo;aung the necessity of such submission be-
fore the constitution could claim anv validity.
And yet the convention refused to submit its
dolngS to the people, thus confessing its con-
sclousness that its work would be rejected.
Inc second witness is the newspaper press of
Kansas That press is against the cons,itu
ton by majority of seven or eight to one.
Next; Kansas, by act of Congress, has
right TO delegate in Congress, charged with
the duty of speaking for its people. They have
now delegate who is undoubtedly the choice
OF the people, and is the first Kansas delerate
ever chosen by the people. He is my third
witness.
Next; Ask the line of Governors appointed
by Presidents themselves Geary, Walker.
formerly Senator from Mississippi, and recent
ly proposed for place in the Presidents Cab
met, and highly commended by the President
himseit5 Stanton, so lately member of Con-
gress IRON Tennessee, all agree And would
not fear TO ask Denver, the present incumbent;
he will certify that even fraction OF the party
against the Lecompton constitution is more nu-
lnerous than the whole of its friends.
Fifth: The people of Kansas now happily,
thanks to Walker aud Stanton, have egisla-
ture ndisputably representing that people; and
SO soon as they could lift up their voice, they
protested against the Lecompton Constitution.
Sixth: Those State officers who received the ?
hghest number of votes at the election held
Oh the 4th of january last have likewise sent
their protest 20 Congress.
Seventh The voice of the people of Kansas
itself should be heard. On the 4th Of Janua-
~ they repaired to the polls uncer no ordna-
ry circumstances Of solomnity. The President
had sanctioned the proceedings by his special
projections, the Legislature and Denver took
care that the vote should be an honest one, ard
by that vote it appears that an overwhelming
majority of the people OF Kansas reject the
constitution of Lecnmpton.
So, then, we have seven sets of witnesses
against Lecompton, the crcumstantial cyl
dence of the Lecompton Convention; the Kan
sas press, the Kansas delegate in Congress.
the series of Kansas GovernoIs-four in one
year. the Kansas Legislature; the Kansas peo-
ple Ali, all declare that the people of Kan
sas reject the Lecompton constitution.
If | could hope that the words of one so
humble as myself could reach the presence of
enc so high as the President of the United
States, would entreat him to lend his ear rev.
erently, and hear and respect the voice of the
people of Kansas, however loWly they may
seeu in the log cabins and homes that they
have made for themselves IN the Wilderness
What they have accomplished there, under IN
exampled trials aud difficulties, is the miracle
of the age a Commonwealth in all its fair
has grown up, as it were, in the
night time Ii the Presiden, of the United
States will have peaceful Administration,
If he will, by and BY, have dignity in retire
ment; il he will stand we'll with the world OF
mankind; if, like Washington and all our great
Presidents, he wishes to stand well with pos
terty, let hum respect the will of the people Of
Kansas
Il is said that the whole affair is of little con-
that the wrong, if it be wrong, Is
small one. But there is in political justice DO
such thing as small wrong small wrong ,