The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-01

ohCiai position IN VII ne OF tnen ldentlnCatlOu
with the Free State rty.
Next Thursday, acc ording to nodce given by
Mr.. Stephens of Gee ,gia, the bin. passed by
the Senate for the ad Aission of Kansas under
the Lecompton Cons tuition is to be taken up,
and the previous -uestion to be moved
Could the Opposition unite to lay the whole
question upon the I, ble, or should they agree
to refer it to the Sc, get Committee of fifteen,
and add two member, from their own number,
we should rejoice. Certainly, had the Republi-
cans sufficient maj riIy, tEsy would dispose
of the subject in the nost stnmary way but
they number only nii ety-twe in House OF
two hundred and thir, -four isembers; 30 that
they are powerless tc prevei the passage OF
the bill-the commiss pm of q is great crime
unless by cooperation 9TH oil or members with
whom, on ordinary oc ,asionsj and in general
policy, they never affl ate.
Let US look the re, ponsibi ty Of the crisis
full in the face. IF Il Lect nptou Bill pass
the House, it will become aw. Despotism
and Fraud viii have tr ;umphef. Kansas, once
consecrated to Freedols by thu faith of the ma
ton, despoiled and co.:qaeree by usurpation,
will be devoted to Slas ,ry. A Constitution will
be fastened upon Pc pie, wb o repudiate and
abhor it. The rule of unpri scipled, rufisn
minority will be estah .shed Over an outraged
majority. Kansas viii be sl;ve State. There
may be some resistane !, leadii g to the slaugh.
ter of q few of the PEG Ie, bdt there will be no
Revolution. The Slav State 3overnment will
go into operation, and ,e sustained by Pro-
Slavery Federal Admi, jstratioa. The Legisla-
ture, if indeed it shout turn out to be Free
State one, according t. the doubtful manifesto
of John Calhoun, will ave nG power to pass
any bill against the eto of the Pro.Slsvery
Governor for calling Constitutional Con-
vention. Indifference &. the Split of submission
will begin to prevail excitement Gle away
the people look after. heir shops, their mills,
their farms, their spec laticns--the Slavehold-
ers will remain united md powerful, and in the
general quiet, slaves, ickly settled in Nilsson.
ri, all along the border will grAduallg be intro
duced into the new Sta e, the tsnurs, of slave
property being now rejected, and their labor
being as productive in Kansas as in Missouri.
And the Administrative triumphs, going On its
way with the prestige f success. The South
will unite in its supper Northern Democrats,
temporarily disaffected having nothing to con.
tend about, will natura ly seek to renew. their
fellowship with the rulir Party. Once more, the
Republicans, fighting a ainst fearful odds, must
struggle on in the strer 9Th of Principle, with
out prospect of speedy success, and await the
agitation to be aroused " some other enormous
aggression of Slavery, e they can hope to enlist
the American People Fl 8 the overthrow of the
Slave Power. The agg ,essions of that Power
always create excitemt at, but uniformly, thus
far, the excitement fai ing to visit retribution
upon it, to obtain redre fos the past, or secu.
rity for the future, has l&ays been followed by
period of quiescence. 1t broke down the pol
icy of the Ordinance of 1877, and killed the Will
mot Proviso, but who, ie year after that event,
dreamed of the possbil ty of reviving that pol
icy? 1t repealed the M ssouri Compromise, the
settled policy of the ountry for more than
thirty years-and who kinks now of restoring
that Compromise 1t gave us the bred Scott
decision, and where is she popular excitement
, which authorizes the b. lief that on that decis.
ion, as single issue, We could overthrow the
rule of Slavery? 1t now establishes, by a series
of barefaced fraudulel. and violent acts, q
usurpation in Kansas, tramples under foot the
principle of the right & self.governuent, sol.
EMMY affirmed by the democracy of the North,
and converts Free Terri ,ory into Slave Terrific.
ry by felonious acts ard behold, even the De.
mocracy of New Ham, ,shire, dotted all over
with common schools ana churches, aud swarm.
ing with newspapers, supports the abomina-
ton, and yet increases hs vote
Depend upon it, the time has cpne when
Freedom has more to b,pe from VIC DRY than
defeat-when, if we w6uld prevent the free
States from being thoroughly demoralized, de.
graded, and rendered seville, under the master
dom of the Slave Power. we must defeat the
Despot. Battle this wtrst, most Asgrant Of
all its aggressiona, and destroy the prestige
of its rule, and inaugural a new era.
Can we do it? Can W arress the criminal
policy of the Administr, zion, defeat the grea,
Fraud, save the People { { Kansas FROM the al
tentative of Rebellion or submission 10 Tyran.
ny-do Justice, rescue tht American nsme from
infamy, and the Americs People frou an op
preston which insults heir sentiments and
tramples upon their righs?
Suppose it be ascertai ,ed beyond Ill doub,
that the bill cannot be d. featsd in either of the
ways that we have men, ioned-thst the only
hope of preventing its pt5sage is,'in the adop
ton of the Crittenden am sndment or substitute
If the Opposition unite pom it, they can carry
it, and then they can pas the bill as amended
If they do, it will be sen, back to the Senate, in
which there is clear Al ministration majorit,
over all parties. A conf renee will be asked
the Opposition of the 81, use will probably re
fuse to grant it, and vote to adhere. The re
Esponsibility will then be brown upon the Ad
ministration Party in the. Senate; it must &C
cept, reject, or refuse to ct upon, the smendec
bill. If it accept, the administration is van
pushed, the great messu Q of the Power tina
controls it is lost; Kans, will become free. b,
the act of its People + saud is rebuked ant
put down, Justice is established, Freedom
saved. If rejected, moth ing will be done-th,
results will be about the ame-Karsas will b,
left to its own People, ander the Territoria
Government, controlled the Free State Par
ty, and everything vita to its interests, tina
could be demanded by he friends Of justice
will be secured.
t We will assume, then that the Opposition
can defeat the Lecompto., bill by voting in sun
tport of the substitute, id in that vay only
The question arises, Dug t they 70 support thi
substitute? The membe from the Sonth on,