The Kanzas news., 1858-05-01

| auLHOTitI "a SAS tCOf-C e--os-Ss.z fses-
| framed and held In strict subordination 70
the will of Congress. The Convention
(which framed it, sent it here with memo7
trial for admission. The hrst Legislature
under ii, at its first meeting In March, again
at It's meeting in July, and yet again at Its
meeting in January OF, the next year, and
still again in July, memorialized Congress
for its recognition. Since the formation of
the Topeka Constitution, no Legislature or
Convention of the people has met. without
reiterating, in some form or other, their en-
! tire dependence on Congress Tor the vitality
iof the instrument. Since / have had a seat
here, l have presented many petitions to
that effect, one alone signed by .foar t4ous-
and voters l have also presented the joint
resolutions of the Legislature to the same
effect; and now, after two years industri
I.ously employed by the friends of this Con-
fstitution in piling petilioni upon petition be-
| fore Congress. and III presenting the accu
mulated evidences of its aeceptability TO
the people, again there comes, and from the
Chief Magistrate of the Union, this stale
| Notwithstanding the worse for age
of rebellion and treason, to terrify the timid,
to embarrass the uninformed, to prejudice
the public, and thus to bolster up the for
tunes of falling cause. It should be set
at rest. Is
| The loysl people that represent, dis
couraged by the persistent deafness of Con
gress to their petitions on this subject, have
| at last, of their own motion, discarded the
Topeka Constitution and its Government.
I speak these words in justice to its mem
Tory, and in vindication of the motives of
| those who so long sustained it.
I should like, if time permitted, to draw
parallel between these two Constitutions
Topeka, the child of popular sovereignty,
and Lecompton, the Illicit offspring of pop
ular violence and Presidential Intervention.
wretched bastard, pretender, "scarce half
made up," that now stands with brazen
mendacity at your bar, a candidate for the
honors which belong to legitimacy alone.
The former confessedly sprang sponta
| neously from the people, asking the restitu-
| ton of their rights the latter is the vile
| spawn of usurpation, emitted by spurious
| legislation and so far from having any
support from the people, it sinks away, like
convicted felon, from any submission of
its pretensions to the judgmeet of a popular
verdict.
Mr.. CLEMENS, (interrupting. Do
understand the gentleman from Kanzas to
contend that the Topeka Constitution is
either legal or legitimate; and that he,
Delegate of the people of Kanzas, main
tains, in the discharge of his official duty,
/ that Constitution in preference to the Le-
compton ?
Mr.. PARROTT. I said, moment ago,
that the people of Kanzas had virtually
Withdrawn their application under the To-
| 10 In i.rtb hax
ever, to the gentleman from Virginia, say
I do, in the discharge of my official duty,
give the Topeka Constitution vastly the
incomparably superior to the one framed at
Lecompton. was going on to say word
of the attitude occupied by the friends and
trainers of tine Topeka Constitution, in rela-
ton to the Territorial Government. Those
who made and upheld this Constitution
whilst it was living measure, SO far from
subverting the Territorial Government, have,
in reality, rescued it from the odium and
imbecility beneath which it was PROSTATE
they have lifted it from the ground, poured
oil into its wounds, and infused into its
veins the newness of life, through popular
support. Nay, more; they are the only de-
| tenders of it against those who were its
worst enemies, while they enjoyed it by
usurpation-and its only ones, now that
they can no longer wrest it to their unlaw
| ful ends. But, alas with the departure of
the rufian usurpation, has fled also those
charms which once captivated the affections
of the Executive bosom. The President no
longer upholds this Government
Enough has been said on this subject to
show you that the specifications, on which
the President grounds his charges against
the people of Kanzas, are palpably erro-
neous, as illustrated by the records of Con-
greSs, as well as otherwise. ae.ss-.
The people of Kanzas have borne and
forborne much for the sake of the Constitu
ton and Union, which they revere. could,
if my time permitted, point you to some
instances where they have suffered outrages
at the hands of the Federal authorities,
rather than adopt the dreadful alternative of
resistance to its process. On the 91st day
of May they suffered a band of drunken
blackguards, because United States Mar
shall, in abuse of his authority, marched at
their head, to overrun and desolate one of
| the fairest and most cherished towns of the
Territory. Again, in the same year, on the
4th of July, what DO we see That is a
sacred day. Partisan spirit, however ram
pant, is generally exercised by the shades
of the immortal patriots that are evoked by
the stirring memories of that anniversary
of our national freedom. 1t did not happen
so on this occasion. The people had assem-
bled to commemorate the day, and to exer-
else the great constitutional right of con-
sulting about public affairs. While engaged
in their pious purposes, the sun in the me-
ridian, the rattle of sabres Is heard, then
the tramp of armed men, and the assembly
is dispersed by regiment of Federal dra-
goons. Yet we are told that the people of
| Kanzas are revolutionary, when these ia
grant acts of tyranny have been submitted
| To- sooner than raise an arm AGAINST the