Freeman's champion., 1858-02-04
Memorial.
To tho Honorable, tie Senate and House
.Jaof Representatives Of the United

TO tho Honorable, tie Senate and House
of Representatives Of The United
States, IN Congress assembled! 4 y
The undersigned, the State officers
elected under the Lecompton Consti-
tuition, would most respectfully rep
resent, that the Constitution under
which they have been elected to the
various offices to their names appen-
'ded, is not the creature Of the popu-
lar will, but that on the other hand,
it has been and is rejected by an over
awhelming majority Of the bona,rfide
citizens Of the Territory of Kanzas.
5a This Constitution was framedaby
"a convention elected by small mi
'nority of the people Of KanzaS, UNI
der an election law, census, and an
apportionment that utterly disfIan-
chised the whole people OF one half
of the counties in this Territory, and
deprived the great bulk of the people
OF the other counties Of the right of
suffrage. luna' ,rbR Ro.. h.E,'1a
Of the delegates thus elected, but
a bare majority met to accomplish
the work for which they were elected,
These proceeded to frame d Constitu-
ton for the people Of KanzaS, which,
in most OF its importanC provisions
is repugnant to the wishes and opin-
ionso OF the people, and in their opin-
lou, is hostile toolthe best interests
and prosperity of the State. 9di lal
This Constitution, thus framed,
was not submitted by the Convention
to a fair vote OF the people for their
ratification or rejection, but, on the
other hand, their judgments were in
suited ana their rights outraged, by
The pretended submission Of what is
called the question Of slavery orno
slavery, in such manner as to pre-
sent no question, except that of the
importation of slaves into the State
in future, and forcing every one who
voted, to give his sanction to all the
other provisions Of the Constitution,
and to take, if required, "A test oath
to support said Constitution if a.
dopted. ~ a. ~ -. "'
Under the provisions of the Sched-
ulc providing for the election, those
who voted q ticket marked "Consti-
tuition with Slavery" necessarily
gave the sanction of their vote to the
whole instrument including the Sla-
very article: and those who voted a
ballot marked "ConStitution with no
Slavery, necessarily gave their sane
tion to all the provisions of the Con-
stitution, except the slavery clause,
and in lieu thereofsubstitute a clause
prohibiting the importation OF Slaves
into the State in future, and confirm
ing those now in the Territory in
slavery, and their posterity after them
fonl all time to come. This is the
simple effect of thevoto.H '''"''19''
ii is scarcely necessary for us to
say that the privilege ofvoting upon
= proposition thus beset with condi.
tions utterly inaduiissable and unjust,
or tho power Of deciding upon d sim
gle, and, as presented, by no means
an imp portant question, purchased at
the expense Of giving Che sanction Of
our vo es to provisions that our judy
ments condemned, was and is coAsid!
ered by the people Of Kanzas no boon,
but, on the other hand, is Justly held
to bc an insult to q people who, know
ing and appreciating the rights of
>.freemen, aAd hence, cight!tcnths Of
the people Of Kanzas rejected the
Offering with contempt, and refused
to participate in an election that thus
compromised tho dignity Of an Amer
lean citizen. 9ln i74i01 sdi hhn 81
Inview or these facts, tho Terri
torial Legislature at It's late extra ses-
sion, provided by law for The subtpis-
sion OF tho whole Constitution on
the 4th Of January inst, in three dis.
,tipct propositions, viz: I" XXX '.'.''
"Constitbtion with slavery"
"Constitution with no slavery
"Against the Constitution. "oH Y
The returns Of this election are
mot yet all received, but enough is
known TO warrant US in say ing that
Rthe yete cast against the Consultation
is about ,Ill,OQ0 foE,theA AConstitur
,tion with slavery 1906 for the Cons