The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-13
LET YOUR YEA. BE YEA, AND YOUR NAY,
NAY.

on that People 70 snnounce snioee" 49,
lo.box their will. This duty appears to be SC
plain. 80 unmistakable, that we cannot see how
any one can doubt as to their proper course
If in favor of coming IN under the Lecomptcn
Constitution, let them vote yea; if not, LEI
them vote nay At all events, VOTE: lei
your yea be yea, and your nay, nay. Let
us have a clear, honest expression of opinion.
Let there be no trickery, no indirection, nc
foolish ignoring" of the issue, no further
trial of the foolish policy Of novoting. The
election will be .prdered-the election will be
held The question viii be voted upon-the re-
turns made, proclaimed, and received as EVIL
dsnce of the viii of the People, and of the
strength of parties in Kansas. To advise the
FreeState men uuder such circumstances to
ignore the whole trasaction, to "let it alone, "
is to advise them to cut their own throats.
We must confess our surprise at seeing such
advice in the columns of the New York Ecen-
ing Post. The editors do not endorse it, but
unfortunately they give too much countenance
to it. They say:
| awe submit the following suggestions in
reference to the course to be pursued BY the
people Of Kansas, with the single remark, that
they come from man whose views upon pub
| lie affairs are always worthy of consideration.
We are not in situation to know with certain
ty whether it would be prudent to adopt his
recommendation or not:
"'Why should the people of Kansas trouble
themselves any further with the Lecompton
| Constitution 1t never had any validity, for
H. To- he
consent of the people, which this never had.
The late proceedings in Congress-whatever
other effects they may produce-have not i'm
parted any new authority to the Lecompton
document. Let it alone, then, and it is worth
| as much as one of last autumn's dry leaves.
The people of Kansas have good Con-
stitution, framed by delegates of their own
| choosing, and fully satisfactory to the whole
| people. Let them go straight forward, and
vote il into life; let them organize their gov
eminent under it, and lose no time in getting
it into full operation in all its parts and func
| tons, Just as they wish it to be, and with a
consciousness of the fullest right and legality
in so doing. Let them in due time-not in
hurry-elect two worthy men to represent them
in the Senate of the United States, paying no
attention to Lecompton more than to the edicts
of Brigham Young.
"Then, if anybody thinks proper to appoint
inspectors and hold elections, and make returns,
and issue proclamations, under the English
farce, let them do it, and let those who are in
favor Of the farce take part in it by voting,
but everybody else let IL alone. 1t can do no
hurt, SO far, if the body of the people let it
alone. If thousand or two thousand border
rufians and tools of the Administration all vote
in favor of the proposition President b.
chanan viii issue his proclamation declaring
Kansas to be sovereign State of the Union
That will hurt nobody.
"The Government of the State will then go
on, the worthy Free-State men, who will receive
John Calhoun's certificates that they were elect
ed TO State offices and the Legislature under
the Lecompton Constitution, will very gladly
put those harmless pieces of paper in their
desks or in the fire, and stay at home. And
there the story is ended. Congress has exhaust
ed its power President Buchanan has no further
pretext for interfering. The English grant
of lands has been accepted, and If the accept
snce is held to be valid, the condition of not
taxing the United States lands is binding, and
if not, not. The Senate will never dare to re-
fuse the Senators chosen by the Legislature OF
Kansas, under Constitution adopted by the
people of Kansas. And if any person or party
in Kansas undertakes to exercise governmental
functions under any prescribed or rejected au-
| thority, let usurpahon, rebellion, or treason, be
dealt with according to law.
"People of Kansas, be firm and united now,
and your struggle is over He taketh the
wise in their own craftiness.
If the Free-State men take this advice, the
election OF the English proposition will not be
"a farce" but a tragedy. Kansas will be ad.
mitted by the votes of the Pro-Slavery Party
under the Lecompton Constitution. No matter
what the Free-State men then may claim, their
voice will be disregarded, because, having had
a fair opportunity to defeat the measure in
constitutional way, they did not do so. They
may assert what they please, and Public Opin-
ion would pronounce them either concealed
friends of Lecompton, or impracticable fanatics.
The Lecompton Constitution accepted, Kan.
sas in the Union, Calhoun would issue his Ger.
tihcates of election. Who informed this cor
respondent that he intends to certify to the
election of the Free-State oficers-the Govern
or, Secretary of State, &C.? He has never
said so. And although he has announced that
a majority of Free-Stste men is elected To the
| Legislature, how large is that msjorityf Has
he told us? Is it an available, incorruptibIe
one2 Has ne even the power, having left the
Territory, to decide the question at all And
is this correspondent certain that all the Free
State men elected; will resign? How does
he know it? But, should this turn out to
be true, there would remain the Pro. Slavery
State Executive, and Pro-Slavery minority of
the Legislature, who would have the power to
adjourn from day to day, until it could compel
quorum. The ProSlavery Government in.
stituted under the Lecompton Constitution,
which this counsellor proposes to have adopted
by Pro-Slavery votes, would be the only legal
Government-the Leavenworth Government
would be revolutionary. In the name of
Heaven, are we always to act 80 as to array the
form of Law against us, and, while constituting
an overwhelming majority, suffer ourselves to
be placed in the attitude of Revolutionists
Commanding four.ffths of the voters of the
Territory, shall we permit one-6fth 10 carr
elections by default, and assume the reins Of
Government, and then attempt to redress our
selves by setting up Government of forceP
If the Free-State men Of Kansas trouble
themselves no "further with the Lecomptor
Constitution IF they take no part in the cleo
ton held under the English farce yin othe
words, Law of the United States-the lie
compton Constitution will be adopted, the lie
compton Government will be set up, the Leay
enwolth Government will be revolutionary
their two Free State Senators viii be rejected
and they and the Republican Party viii be placet
in false position before the country, at tn,