The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-24

relief Our latest advices from Washing
ton and Lecompton light the way through
the labyrinth. The administration adheres
to the Lecompton constitution-the peo-
pie Of Kansas are opposed to IL; but hav-
ing permitted its legal ratification to 60 by de-
fault with them is the responsibility. The Presi-
dent therefore cannot recede. Congress may; but
why? Is il not as clear as the MONDAY sun
that the speedy admission of the new State, as
proposed by the President will settle the ques-
tion pacify the country, and "leave the people
of Kansas perfectly free to regulate their do
mestic institutions in their own wsys" Is it not
just az clear that the rejection of the Lecomp-
ton constitution will reopen with tenfold bit
terness this senseless Kansas agitation 'from
the centre all round to the sea-"
The Leoompton constitution. we understand,
will within few days be submitted to Con-
gress with message from the President. In
this message he will, perhaps, recommend, also
the early admission of Minnesota and Oregon
He anticipates no difficulty in regard to these
two new free States; but, on the other
hand, though admonished of deadly
here to the Lecompton constitution. He
will submit it to Congress as the only Kansas
State charter possessed of any validity. The
1926 votes cast against it on the 4th Of Janu-
airy will not embarrass him, because the work
was consummated in the election of the 2lst
December. Thus, vail as were the Kansas cleo
tions on the 4th inst, for State Legislature
and State officers under the Lecompton pro-
gramme, the constitutional election of that day
was dead letter. 1t was after the fact-it was
mere surplusage, and of no legal effect.
There is no alternative with the President.
He must accept the lawful instrument as he
finds it. And why should there be any difficult
ty in Congress. Why not promptly second the
administration? What damage will follow?
Under this very Lecompton programme the
free State party have secured the initiative
State Legislature, the State officers and the
member to the House, and the power to choose
the two Senators to Congress. What sort of
slave State will Kansas be under such an organ
ization? A slave State only in name, and only
so, perhaps, for sixty or ninety days Why,
then, agitate this business any longer. Cm
bono? What good will it do? Is it possible
that Northern statesmen and Northern demo-
Gratis have become 50 squeamish in regard to
niggers that they cannot even concede to the
South the empty abstraction Of slavery! Can
there be such folly and infatuation predominant
among sensible men,
Our intelligent Kansas correspondent has re-
Gently given us birdseye view of the state
of things in that refractory Territory. Agita-
ton, wrath, vengeance and war are the order of
the day on both sides The anti-slavery border
rufians were resolved upon bloody revenge;
and the pro-slavery border ruffans were in the
same amiable frame of mind. The admission
Of Kansas under her Lecompton constitution
was to be the signal for the war-whoop Let
them have IL. If hundred or two Of the
leading vagabonds on each side were killed off,
we have no doubt it would be an excellent thing
for the moral health Of the new State. The de-
pletion would be followed by more whole
some circulation through the body polite.
Decent men and law and order would supersede
those whiskey drinking rufians, and that
whiskey border ruHianism which, thus far, have
kept Kansas and the whole country in a state Of
senseless partizan fury and fanatical madness.
Admit Kansas as State, and leave IL to the
people Of Kansas to purge IL Of her border
rufians Of both parties, and the whole will soon
be done.
But it is manifest that among Northern
and Southern ultras and political schemers
at Washington there is much hutter-
ing. Some have bolted, others are
ready to bolt, and some are disposed to
shrk the issue. The niger agitators at Wash
ington. who live upon the slavery excitement,
with the Admission Of Kansas would find their
occupation gone. They DC the border ruflians
of Congress. Kansas is their pfeseat stock in
trade. 1t is slipping through their fingers
Their case IL desperate, and they will fight hard.
In this category we have reason to suspect that
the clamorous fire-esters Of the South are as
treacheroutly inclined as the noisy dirLeoters
Of the North. They live upon the same hot
broth of agitation; and Il il as necessary to the
life o. the fire-eater as TO that of the dirteater
But we arc persuaded that the masses
Of the people Of the Union, North and South.
like the body Of the people of Kansas, will be
satisfied with the Lecompton constitution.
Why mott The people Of Kansas will thus have
their own affairs entirely in their own hands
the squabble will be removed out Of Congress;
the question will be settled and the agitation
will evaporate and disappear like dirty fog
at sunrise.
We call upon Southern men 10 take their
position. Consistency, honor, good faith and
seifrespect require them to stand by the Presi-
dent. The hobgoblin of Kansas as slave
State has not frightened him. He stands TO his
policy and the law. True, the Lecompton con-
stitution upon slavery is only an abstraction
and Kansas az slave State Is myth; but the
point of honor and consistency IL the point Of