New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-26
TIE LEC0MP TON FRAUD.
spERcH OF PRESTON KING,
D,,r,,ed ~ tie 0. $. Sesae o. Tuesday March IL.
or NEw.YORt

Since ,hen up 10 ths time, the psope OF the States OF
the Vpob have made II csnst uons for themselves
Now fos the first time suoe the Continental Congress
declared the Colonies free and independent States the
que stion raised Of the right Of the people 70 adopt or
reject the Constitution which to create them STATE
qualified to como the Union Of the equal States
Of our CoDfederacy.
Kapsas brought to the door OF the Senate Tor the
purpose Of having the Lecompton Constitution imposed
upon her people By the authority of act Of Congress,
presents that question TO US.
benjamin. frankie, contemplating his c)untry when
her independence had been acknowledged and
the Republic Was established, Is sad to have
expressed the wish that he might be permitted to look
upon this country after the lapse OF hundred years
If the shade Of that venerable could appear hero,
and listen TO these debates upon the proposition TO add
new STATE from beyond the Mississippi TO the Union,
he would hear from the Government side calls for more
troops, and arguments to show the necessity of an in
crease Of the standing Army he would hear that the
people Of the State proposed to be added to the Union
are acous people; that they claim the right to vote
On the adoption Of their Constitutions to have the char
ter that defres their rghs and their form Of govern.
mept submitted by the Convention that made it TO
themseves and TO express their opinion OF IT. that N
this new state the people are unwilling to have
Slavery established OF their Institutions that,
although the President declares the Constitution
prepared for them by the LecOmpton Convention
TO be a good one they con,umsciousy reply that
it is not their Constitutions; that they complain OF
fraud and corruption in the officials appointed and
sustained by the central Government; that they
refuse to pay the taxes levied by the Legislature, al
egipc that they had voice in its election and were
not 10 II that they agitae and annoy the
Government and disturb the quiet OF the country by
A. x1,l.n nd
monsrate against stuffed ballot boxes spurious votes,
forged certificates and false returns at Their elections
and demand OF the Government investigation aud
punishment of these offenses that they insist upon
the right to decide for themselves the character OF
their Slate institutions, and refuse to accept the Con-
sttutiop which the Government offers to them; that
they complain OF the intrusion of regular troops be.
longing to the standing army of the Federal Govern
mebt sent to maintain law and order IN their Terri
tory; that they are sedtious that they are rebels;
that they have been permitted to occupy the aten-
tion of the Government and the country too long;
that they must have local government instituted
over them by Congress, aud be subdued by the Army
He would hear some uncertain and mystical sugges-
tons that the people of the State when reduced to
ORDER might possibly, at future time be allowed
to alter their obnoxious Constitution in some legal
manner. / think, after listening 80 far, Franklin
would inquire, Is this the American Congress, and
"have you established consolidated government
Or is this the British Parliament, and have the
United States reunited to the Crown! ;" Upon be-
ing told that this is one OF the Chambers OF the
independent nation and that the words of the Federal
Constitution remain unchanged, he would say, Then
these honorable gentlemen, who occupy the seats OF
Legislators here have not inherited the republican
ism of nv day and generation; this is not the Demo-
"cacy that thundered at Bunker Hill, at Saratoga,
" and at Yorktown, and rang out their batte-cry of
d" liberty and independence through all the colonies
- until the royal charters abolished and the right
4" VI the people to institute their terms of government
and to make their constitutions for themselves was
acknowledged
~ 49, baId - r
framed State Constitution for Kansas, and refused to
submit il to the people.
The Convention submitted single provision OF the
Constitution TO the peOPle-the question whether
slaves might hereafter be imported or brought into the
State; and required preliminary to the night OF
any eector for against this single partial pro-
vison the subject of Slavery. that he should first
vote for the obnoxious Constitution, which contained,
separate and distinct from the provision submitted,
article perpetuating Slavery in the State of Kansas in
the persons Of those held slaves in the Terri
tory, and in their posterty forever.
very large majority of the people were opposed to
the obnoxious Constitution and refused to vote for it,
Without voting for the Constitution, no elector could
vote for or against the single provision submitted
Ii is notorious that the LecOnpton Convention knew
the Constitution framed repugnant to the senti
me nts the opinions and the conscences of large ma
ority Of the people that they condemned the ustru,
ment and the institution OF Slavery which 1t proposed
TO establish and perpetuate among them
II is known to every Senator and to every Repre-.
sentative in Congress that very large majority OF all
the 0ullneQ voters IN hdpsdt nave cApIcsscu tHcll
opinion against the Lecompton Constitution at sn
election held under the authority OF an act OF their
Territorial Legislature on the lth day OF January last
When the Constitution was submitted, the people re-
jected it by their votes.
This is the case of Kansas as presented TO the Sen.
ate by the majority of the Committee Territories
in their report and BILL which assumed that the first
Territorial Legislature In Kansas was fairly and
legally elected by the people, and organized and that
the Lecompton Convention fairly elected by the
people in pursuance Of the law of their Territorial
Legislature.
mtee, the fundamental question of the right of the
people of Territory to adopt for themselves the
Constitution which creates them State, preparatory
to admission into the Union, is presented. The SOW
ercgn right Of the people denied and the sovereign
right OF convention OF delegates affirmed The ques-
ton rased in the of Kansas is not question for
Kansas alone. 1t is for every Territory hereafter to be
organized, and for every Territory hereafter to be
admitted into the Union, well as for Kansas. 1t is
question Of constitutional and political right of the
first magnitude. Indeed it is the question of the in
heren sovereignty of the people vital to the people
nhabtng the territory now belonging to the United
States aud to all which may hereafter be acquired
come within ever-oxpanoing borders
1t is no less vital TO the people OF every State now
in the Union, because it is the question where SOW
ereignty resides whether in representatives and repre-
sentative bodies in the Federal Government, or in
the people. Our existence as republican Govern
ment rests upon the principle involved in this question.
When the sovereignty Of the people is subvsrted or
successfully denied by any representative body or by
any other power the rights aud the liberties OF tue peo
pie are in the hands and at the mercy power. The
Government Of the United States, inaugurated upon
the principles Of the Revolution of l716. recognized
the sovereignty Of the States and the sovereign right
of the people Of the States to frame and adopt their
form. Of government, and to make and adopt their
Constitutions. II is constit utonsl right of the peo-
pie Of state essential TO its equality as one OF the
States of the tniOn and necessary to the republican
character Of its Constitution-a right never before
denied OF questioned. II those who now, 10 the
Of the people Of Kansas deny this right mad before
the day Of election in Noyember 1854, only whispered