Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-02-13
Anti Lecompton Demonstration at Phila.
delphia.
SPEECH BY EX-SECRETARY STANTON.

A large antLecompton meeting was held at
Philadelphia, Monday evening Daniel Web
ster called the meeting to order and nominated
John W, Forney, editor of the Press, for chair
man. Mr. Forney On taking the chair said that
when he first came TO The city Mr. Buchanan's
friends could he couuted by hundreds. lie { For
"os) had hauled "r the flag OF popular sover-
eignIH Ia the fiess with Ito k"oVlcds- and oon-
sen, Of Mr.. Buchanan. He then sroke of the
mlnions Of power reading out the men who real
ly composed the democratic party. lie said /:
" We raise our voices, lot TO petition or TO i'm
plore, Tat TO protest against pressing consilru.
lion upon people rejected three times We
are to say 10 our representatives that if they
choose to make this test upon the people, when
the election comes off the people may choose to
make test upon them" In his speech Mr.
forney severally referred to Messrs. Douglas.
Walker Stanton and Wise, calling forth I'M
mense enthusiasm.
EX Secretary Stanton was then introduced TO
the meeting and received with tremendous cheers
Tie expressed his regret at the non.arrival of
Gov Walker and said he would rive plain I'M
vanished statement Of Kansas affairs during the
last year. lie did not come here to complain of
any action Of the executive towards himself nur
Ia make any defense OF himself except so far As
was necessary, When Gov. Walker and him
self accepted the positions of governor and sec
reiaiy OF Kansas they had "a distinct understand
ing with the President and the principle of self.
government was distinctly understood He then
read the lrSi letter OF instructions from Gen
Cass tn Gov. alker, ordering the latter to keen
sacred the right of the people to manage their
own affairs IN their own way and decide for them.
selves their own destiny When he went TO
that territory he thought slavery was the only
question of difficulty and when that was settled
all was settled When he arrived there he found
out that he had made great mistake He found
difficulty much deeper in the public mind.
diligently affecting the government itself and the
whole 'nachI'ery of the territory; the people
were ready TO break out into civil war
lie did no; deny the statement in the presi-
dents message that Kansas was a Iebellious state
but in order 10 do justice TO the people it was
his duty 10 inquire the true reason for all the
difficulties. 1t was his duty 10 20 behind the
Tao! OF their rebelhnus state and ascertain how
far they were unsuitable or excusable for it.
lie did not intend to Justify the people for re-
sSting the territorial government or TO apolunise
for any criminal wrong on either side II is but
talr 10 know the real state of affairs Gen. Lane
and the finest citizens were among those oppos-
ing the government because they were not al
lowed any participation in the local elections.
because the government was not theirs but tina,
OF the people OF neighboring state. Gov.
Walker and himself cndeavnred to persuade the
citizens 10 submit for the present and redres,
their grievances al the ballot box. We were
even laughed at to the face when we talked IN
them OF the ballot box hut we pledged ourselves
to the people in the strongest language that they
should have fair chance at the next election
and distinctly gave them TO understand Il at the
constitution should be submitted 10 the people
The INST populous counties were on the bord
er of the the territory whilst the interior was
mostly settled by emgranls from the Northern
states iuielmingled with few southerners the ma
joriiy of whom favor free state The Incomplete
census was the fault of the officers not of the PEG
pie When he had received returns from nine
teen counties he anXiously awaited the returns
from the Others but by the requirements Of the
law was compelled to proceed to the apporton-
ment.
lie was not aware at the time of the true state
of things II has has been said by his opponents
that he sh0nld not have made any apnortion-
ment, but the election was soon to take place
and tue circumstances demanded immediate au-
ton. Had he have known the true state of aC-
fairs he never would have made the appor;lon.
ment. He would have suffered the whole law
TO fail becau'c subsequent events have shown
that the law was made an engine for wronn and
oppression. He believed that even if the Tecis.
ir"tion had been partially fair the people would
have voted
lie then alluded to the small number of votes
which elected the delegates TO the constitutional
convention, thirty votes for each delegate. 1t
aiu not occur to him that these sixty men would
nave dared to refuse 10 submit their labors io
the consideration of the people, and he did moi
dream mat such action would have met with the
executive sanction, lie then alluded to the mi
lOrtv DFinulntr ln,f, L..