Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-02-25
Reports on Lecompton in the Sen,
WASHINGTON, Thursday =

The report made today by Mr.. G,st
from the Senate Committee on Territor@
cites at length che events that have ocs
in Kansas, and asserts that the majority y II
people may simply, as in ancient DAYS ~
BILE in mass-meeting, and make Constit, Il
or they may elect representatives TO mai.
for them, or eject Representatives to drsh
to be submitted to them for their ar,yg,,y \
rejection. The last method has been tho ;, II
approved during the past few years, A.
formerly the second method was very gs,,
ly resorted to. In calling the Conventic !
this case, it was conceded to have been !. II
ly legal, as was also the election of dele.
Was it not logical to infer that the C,.
tion so legally called and so legally elected.
clothed with authority to make CoDsti,n.'
can no more be interfered with by the G.,
nor, Judge or Legislature, either 10 no.
or to diminish its power on to- after, modt,
nullify its acts, than the people could b
uerfered with, had they assembled en- ma,v
stead of by their representatives
I'm conclusion, the Committee sav tia,
A bolitionists in Kansas had thus far sor,
power, by methods unknown to che Law
by acts of violence, and not through the no..
full agency of the balot-box Claimin,
, have majority of voters in the Territ,,
and, therefore, able to elect a Legislature :.
Convention, they yet ask Congress to WIN,
fully do for them what they may at legal i'm
and at legal places rightfully do for thenaIn
that is, to change or abolish their Ccgsa,
tion and in case Congress refuse to conn
with their Constitutional demands. they m,
ten to affiict the country with an attenu
| bloodshed and revolution. Unless Cn~.
will do for them what they assert thay y
anxions to do for themselves, but which H.
willfully refuse to do, they threaten to pa,,
the country into civil war This con1ut h
exceedingly unreasonable as to force the a,
viction upon the mind that they are consI.
of being in power1ess minority. and oDIv !.
pect to be able to compass their unvarr,,a
bic ends by departing from the general s,n
of peace and quiet. IF your COMMITTEE =,
not greatly mistaken, those reckless men nj.
judge the American people, and will be rpau,
ed to seek peaceful methods for redress Of II
their grievances, whether they be real Or r,
aginary.
The report reeites that the people Of E,
sas have framed for themselves a Constitpfo
and State Government, republican in form
and that the Leeompton Convention has h
their name and behalf, asked Congress 10 al
NIT her Therefore it is declared that Ks.
sas be admitted into the Union on an ems,
footing with the original States IN all rcspe,
whatever The bill prescribes the boundars.
contains the usual regulations relative TO rraB;
OF public lands, as in the case of Minnescs
and gives Kansas, for the present, one REM
sentative in the House of Representatives.
| MINORITY REPORT OF MR. DOUGLAS.
Mr.. DoUGLAs, in his report. dissents fro-
the views of the majority, for the reason, anon.
others, that there is no satisfactory e7ides
that the Constitution framed at Lecompton
the act and deed of the people of Kansas q
embodies their will He shows that the Con
vention was not clothed with competent poEs
to establish the Constitution without tie s.
sent of Congress, which has been expreSr
withheld in this case. Hence the ConYcntir
only had such power as the Territorial Lagi
lature could rightfully confer, and no nor
which was to form Constitution and send
to Congress as memorial for admission, whp
could be accepted or rejected, according as
embodied the popular will that all the wt
ceedings of the Convention should have bee
held in strlct obedience to the authority
the Territorial Government, while, in fact
was declared to be in force, and to take efeI
in defiance of the Territorial Government,
well as without the consent of Congress, 81
that the only lawful election held on the ado
tion OF the Constitution, was that on the Il
of January last, which was in obedience to ii
law passed by the Territorial Legislature E
tablshed by Congress, with full legislativeP ?
wer on all righttul subjects within the Ter
tory.
| MINORITY REPORT OF AESSRS C0LLAMER TAo
MessrS. COLLAMER and WADE subnlItt
their views They say that the Territo1
Government of Kansas was never organH
as provided for in the organic act-thati is,
Its own people-but was usurped hy fore!
force, and conquered and subdued bv arm
and that the minority was installed in pow
winch has ever since been sustained By
general Government, instead of being exam
ed into and corrected This has been done
establish and perpetuate Slavery
The Lecompton Constitution is The result
those proceedings, and contrary to the will
the great majority of the people, legally
pressed And for Congress in its dscret'
to consummate this protracted atrocity, a
especially for such purpose. is violation
the fundamental principles of Republican dc
ernment, and can produce no permanent pea
or satisfaction to the people of the TerrltOl
In the late Territorial election they have
claimed their rights, and that Territorial G'
ernment is for the first time now moving pea'
bly, in its legislative sphere of promised treedo
The Lecompton Constitution and its ado
ton were concocted and executed to superse
and to triumph over justice. To admit 1t
Congress is but to give success to fraud 81
encouragement to iniquity, and to turn oS
that people, not to an election fairly and
gally conducted, but to such State officers 81
| Legislators as General CALHOUN shall here,
ter proclaim, and on such contingency as
shall determine and his long mysterious al
inexcusable indecision and reserve, but encOu