The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-02-18

thus doubly DISTINGUISHED, were VIGOROUSLY
populated by free state residents. II
was, therefore, on its very face, deliberate
attempt, villainously conceived, and success
fully prosecuted, to gain control Of the con-
vention through the preparation Of an enor.
nous outrage against the rights Of large
proportion ofth people of Kansas. Under
the smart Of this great wrong, which they
had ample reason TO believe was only the
prelude to more gigantic outrages, the free
state citizens, even in the counties where
the census had been taken, and the registry
made, declined to take part in the delegate
election. The result which followed is well
known. Scarcely one-tenth ofthc legitimate
voting population participated in the cleo
ton for delegates, and the law abiding"
"border ruilians' secured sndisturbed con-
troll Of the Constitutional Convention.
We cannot, at this day, justly blame the
Z" free state men tor declining to vote nj
this delegate election. They could not do
so without apparent acquiescence in. the
gross wrongs which had been pcrpetrated
upon large portion of the party residing in
the DISTINGUISHED districts. Nor did there
appear any overwhelming necessity to call
for the sacrifice Of pride and principle which
would have been involved. II was the un.
questioned belief that the Constitution
which might be framed by the Convention
would be afterwards submitted to the people
for their ratification or rejection. The uni.
versally received Interpretation Of the Kan
sas- Nebraska act-the fairly deluced mean
ing OF the instructions Of President BrcHAS.
AS--the specific assurances OF Governor
WALKER-the written and published pledges
Of CALHOUN and others, comprising ma
joriiy of the candidates Tor the Convention
all conspired to assure the free state
men OF Kansas, as well as the people of the
whole country, that the Constitution when
framed must be submitted to, and receive,
the test OF popular approval, before it could
possess any operative force. How the glo-
rious doctrine of popular sovereignty has
been cribbed, cabined, and confined until
its great expounder can hardly recognize the
pu1y bantlng under the dwarfng process
of official exposition how the instructions
Of the President have been furnished with
technical meaning TO suit the exigencies Of
current needs ; how in spite of every noble,
patriotic effort, the assurances Of Governor
WALKER have been rendered futile and fruit
less; and how the pledges Of CALHOUN and
his associates have been openly disrcgarded,
and UNANIMOUSLY violated; these are topics
which the Presidents message does not dis
cuss; but they are topics which are eliciting
the inquiry, and aronsng the Indignation,
of the masses Of majority Of the States
of this Union.
Yet it is this constitution not only I'M
ratified by the people. but solemnly repud-
cted by them which is upheld by outlaws,
and by tho-e Of whom outlaws are made
which is protested against by the unanimous
voice Of q legal Legislature, elected by full
vote Of the whole people Of the entire Terri
tory il is this constitution, thus begotten
in fraud, and existing in iniamy which the
President now endorses to sustain which,
be appeals To the sacred name Of Justice,
and invokes the solemn majesty Of Law, and
asks in vindication Of the principles Of the
one, and 10 guaranty the security Of the
other, that the Congress Of the United
States may throw over its corrupt and cor
rupting carcass the protecting shield Of the
Nations appreciation.
We protest against this attempt on the
part Of the President 10 make the Democrat
&c party and the people Of the country en-
dorsers Of the outrages Of the border rut
fans just a. earnestly as we would protest
against The Democracy and the people being
made epdorsers Of the outragcs Of the " free
state ruhians" The acts II both factions
have been subyersive of all law, order, and
good government The Topekaitss were
openly rebakei by Congress when they pre-
sented their claims for recognition, and we
demand that the same national rebuke shall
be- visited upon the application Of the Le-
compton usurpers. There can be no peace
in X ansas or in the country until both these
designating clements are crushed out by
the moral force OF national eensure, Or by
the strong arm Of national power. II ia
worse than useless to attempt TO uphold
either faction In derogation o. the other
But. il this were necessary, We should then
dissent from the choice made by the Presi-
dent Between two classes Of notorious
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