Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-05-07
THE PURPOSE OF THE ACT--THE
PROSPECT.

spite of the will of livc-sxths ofits inhabitants,
to the =" English Bill reported by the Com
mittce of Conference, was not made because
the Administration were obliged to make it.
We believe they were sure of their men before
the last few days of trial came on, and that
those who voted for the act finally passed,
would have voted for the original bill, if those
who bought them had given the order
There were two reasons for the change.
The main one was belief that it would be
easier work to get that infamous instrument,
the Lecompton Constitution, into operation
by the new scheme than by the one first pro
posed Against bringing it over them by a
naked Congressional fat, the people of the
Territory had arrayed themselves with unity
of action and rcsolutencss of expression that
foreboded trouble. A united, disciplined, and
armed resistance was an ugly thing in pros
pcct. A sudden change of front and new
combinations would be likely to disconccrt the
people, to confuse their minds, to set them
to disputing about what had better be done,
to destroy their power of acting with unanim-
ty and promptncss-atle least for a time and
before their ranks could be restored, the vic
tory might be in the hands of their enemies.
The scheme thus hit upon, for its iniquity
is worthy to have had its origin in Pandemo-
mum. 1t is as ingenious also as any of the
contrivances of that famed assembly
Whether like those it will meet with an over
whelming discontinue is by no means Ger
tain in our view, for several reasons.
First then, the people of Kansas are forced
to see that the power and influence of the
Federal Government is against them in all
their efforts to establish Free State Consti-
tuition. The horrors of their past injuries
from that source are again in prospect,
hanging like black cloud over them, for at
least the continuance of the present Ad-
ministration No crime has been too great,
no fraud too daring, no Glschood too shame
full when rcsorted to for the purpose of ma
king Kansas Slave State, to lack full sup
port from the central power at Washington.
The present enactment is sure pledge that
all that power will be cxcrted for the same
purpose as vigorously, as unrclcntingly as
ever. Can we not then, many will say, get
out of its tyrannical grasp, by allowing that
State Constitution, Infamous as it is in it's
prpv.i N, in its origin, and in the means by
which it is brought over us, to 90 into effect :?
Can we not more easily destroy that when
left to our selves under it, than we can break
the despotic yoke now on our neck? We
know the evils which wenow lie under. Rather
than endure them longer, is it not better to
fly to others which we do not know We
may be better and cannot be worse by 50 do
ing This consideration will be pressed on
the minds Of many urging them to submit
to IA wrong, (though they will not vote for it,
which they can not prevent.
But if those who are tmid, or discouraged.
or short-sightcd, or irresolute, shall neglect to
vote proposition rejected there will be
Others eager enough to vote proposition ac-
ccptcd'' and to get others to do so. Those
are the men who were efficient in making the
Leconpton Constitution. who secured for
themselves and their friends and associates,
by its provisions, confirmation Of all the
grants for banks, ferries, rail ways and other
monopolizng schemes, which the bogus
Legislature granted to thos2 who would
work for the rro-slavcry interest. The
Lecomrton constitution confirmed all these
enactmcnts Of the bogus legislature. Without
1t, the day must soon come when the
usurping character OF their origin will fail
to give them support. Thus there will I've Il
strong combination of selfish and corrupt
men at work to SOW disscntion among its
opponents, and to bring help to its sup
porters and to help on the work of this latter
class ample provision is made by the act
Everything about the election, the time.
the places, the officers to scrutinize the vo-
tiers and to maintain order, the posting the
ballots, the declaring the result, is placed in
the hands of three men under the direct con-
troll of the President. The whole history of
his proceedings with Kansas affairs. shows
his entire subscrviency to the most unscru-
pulous managers for slavery in the nation. -
Has he not already shown, openly, his dis
pleasure towards those who were not willing
to accept forged votes as of equal value with
genuine oncs? What likelihood that he will
be over scrupulous when the object is to get
into force constitution which he has been
urging Congress to adopt ever since it came
together? Will he take time to inquire
whether the declaration of his three tools
that IA majority Of votes is given for = propo-
sition accopted?' ~ Not he, and no subse-
quent investigation or proofs of fraud, how
ever fragrant, will reverse his action.
If, before the first of July, "A proclamation
shall be issued by President Buchanan, de-
claring that Kansas is a State Of the Union
under the LecOmpton Constitution, it will be
of piece with what has been in steady pro-
gress from the day when the Nebraska bill
first entered Congress to the present hour, to
make Kansas a Slave State, not because the
people there would have it so, but in spite of
all they could do to prevent it. In the hope to
reach that conclusion without bringing on a
bloody issue, the Administration, as we be-
lieve, changed their plan of action With
what effect we must wait to see.
As for the mean trickcry of so rhrasng the
bill that southern men could say it docs not
submit the Constitution to the people and
northern men could say it does, or at least
does what amounts to that, we suppose that
is relied upon to do at the next Presidential
election what the popular sovereignty clause
of the Kansas Nebraska act did for the last
The trick will fail them.