The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-06-19
For tie Herald of Freedom.
LAWRENCE, June 15, 1858.

ACHOtS vi
port of my remarks at meeting recently
held in Lawrence, when the English bill,
as it is called, was under consideration,
places me in my true position on that
subject; but as am aware of the DISPOSE
ton of some to vilify and SANDER every
one who does not think as they do, ]
claim the privilege in your paper to place
myself right upon the record. and give
some of the reasons which have influenced
me in taking this position. No man con-
dennis the Lecompton constitutional move
ment in all its features, more than do,
as my whole course upon that subject
clearly proves without my word for it,
To defeat it, or render it harmless of evil,
I permitted myself to be placed in posi-
ton that few, if any, were willing to occu-
py, thereby giving the time-serving dem
agogues an apparent opportunity of at
tributing to me dishonest motives, and a
love for Office, and to try to overwhelm me
with the coarsest and most vulgar billings
gate; the people, however. triumphantly
sustained that movement Hitherto the
people Of Kansas have sustained every
position occupied or taken by me except
two, and they were not pressed, because
it was urged by many, that they were
impracticable; but in giving them up, in
my opinion, two grave mistakes were made,
and hence it is, l am SO unwilling to give
up my opinion of the true policy that
ought to be pursued at this time. In the
Fall of 1856 advocated the policy of
going into the election of members of the
House of Representatives, and urged as
a reason, that, although we might not be
able to repeal any of the odious laws
which had been forced upon us, by securing
majority in the House, we could prevent
the passage of law for the election CT
delegates to frame a constitution which,
it was limited at that time, would be done,
and also prevent the passage of any more
outrageous laws by bogus Legislature
l think no one viii doubt, but that we
could have secured more than one-third
of the House at that time, and, as Gov.
Geary vetoed the bill, we could have pre-
vented the passage of the law, and saved
all this trouble and expense. So much
for my position at that time.
Some time in March, 1857, before my
return from Pennsylvania, where I had
gone the fall before to contribute all in
my power to defeat Mr.. Buchanan, con-
vention was held at Topekawhich resolved
that the Free State party would not par
ticipate in the election of delegates to
make constitution. This considered the
second grand error. Without casting any
reflections on the members of that con-
vention, view their action on that occa-
sion, as the cause of our present unfortu-
nate and, as think, dangerous position.
If the Free State party in any neighbor-
hood in the Territory had attended to see
that the census was properly taken, and
compelled, if necessary, the proper officers
to correct them if not fully taken, and
gone into the election in June, as we did
in October afterwards, we could have
elected a majority of Free State delegates,
and might now be sovereign State. with
free constitution, and every thing here
as peaceable and quiet as any State in the
Union.
But person who dissented from the
action of that convention, and expressed
an opinion in favor of going into the cleo
ton, was denounced as a disorganizer, a
pro-slavery man, &C., and ought to be
hanged; and up to this day these same
men will not permit man to differ from
them without heaping upon him every
epithet to be found in the vocabulary of
blackguardism, and yet we hear such
men prating about liberty and the rights
of the negro, but will deny to the white
man rights guaranteed to him by every
principle of freedom. From such friends
of freedom GOOD Lord deliver u.s." /
recognize the right of every man to enjoy
and express his opinion freely upon every
subject, civil or religious. 1t is not only
his privilege, but the duty of every free
man. Whenever one man charges an
otherwith dishonesty or improper motives,
because he differs in opinion, the old
axiom will apply with great force that
He is dishonest and corrupt or he would
not suspect Others for the simple reason
that they differ from him in the proper
policy to be pursued" Twas fully aware
from what had seen here, that in assum-
ing the premises l have, l would be as
sailed-my motives impugned-that what
appeared to be the popular feeling would
be against me; that, at the howl of few,
the whole pack would Immediately be on
the scent, without even stopping to en-
quire or think for themselves; but as long
as l believe I am right, will pursue my
own course, enjoy and express my own
opinion, if the whole world should be
against me, regardless of the consequences.
1t is true, it requires nerve to do right,
especially when public opinion appears to
be against US. 1t was said, by an able
jurist:-
You viii often, if you discharge your
whole duty, be compelled TO go in opposi-
ton to, or in advance of public opinion.
When that public opinion is right, you
should aid, support, and defend it, and as