True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-06-16
The Commercial on Mr, Pendleton's

1lS constituents, utlenuihR HIS NoIo iVl Iho
English swindle. Il will be remembered
hat Mr.. Pendleton was regarded as one
Of the "doubtful members. oscillating
between Lecompton and anti Lecompton;
but finally he acquiescedi in the Presidents
policy of making Kansas slave State
The Commercial reviews his letter at
length. The following extrant gives the
gist of its argument:
The point Of difference between the
Mount gomery substitute and the Confer
ence Bill, are many and material. The
Montgomery Bill submitted the Lecomp.
ton Constitution directly,to the people,
and made an end of the Kansas contro.
versy in Congress, by providing that II
the Lecompton instrument were rejected,
The people should proceed at once to suit
themselves in the formation of a Com
stitution, which duly ratified by the pop
ular vote, should be accepted by the
President, and the new State admitted BY
Presidential proclamation. The Confer
ence Bill submission submitting land
ordinance. (why not anything else-the
ten commandments, for example-as
well!) which ifapproved, the Constitution
is to be accepted, and if disapproved, the
Constitution is to be rejected, is evasiVe
and cowardly; and besides, is fianked and
beset, front and rear, by cloud of follies
and swindles; while, in any event. it
holds out no promise and gives no hope
of settlement Of the controversy, which
the President was so silly as to see 'hap'
PLY terminated in it but assures the
projection into the future of the firebrand
which has already lighted more than once
the flames Of civil war. The Montgom-
cry bill did not discriminate in favor of
any Constitution, but left the people
perfectly free to form and regulate their
own institutions In their own way
The Conference bill discriminates in
favor of slave constitution. The Mont
gonery Bill made provision for a perfectly
fair vote, by dividing the Board Of Com
missioners to control the election, equally
between the friends and foes Of Lecomp-
ton. The presiding officers of the two
Houses of the Legislature, and the Gov
ernor and Secretary ofthe Territory, we're
nominated as the Board. The Confer
ence Bill provides for another election
swindle, TO be the cap sheaf Of the stack
of swindles under which the dearest
rights Of the people Of Kansas are smoth'
cred. Il adds TO the Board according to
the Montgomery Bill, the District Attor'
ney, and gives to any three members ol
the Board-of course the three appointees
of the President-the power to transact
all business of the Board. And there is
added to the duties Of the Board the
appointment of committee for every
voting princinct of the Territory the busi
ness Of which is to supervise the proceed
ings of the Judges. Thus the Confer
ence Bill, places in the hollow of the
Presidents hand the whole machinery o.
, The election in which the English
propositions" are TO be voted down. 1
gives his sppointees. and their uPpoin.ee'
his servants, and the servants Of hi
( servants-the naming of the day of cleo
/ tion, the superintendent of every plac'
r of voting the counting of returns, and th'
declaration of the result, while behind al
this, by prescribing that the qualifications
of the electors shall be the same as at th'
last election of Legislature, what thos'
qualifications were being greatly disputed
and Gov. Walker taking the responsibility
Z of overrunning the decision Of Judg
D Cato, who would have it, that only thos
o who had paid taxes levied by the Missouri
;. Mob Legislature were qualified. there
given the Federal office holders, executiv
and judicial, not only the complete, entir
= and sole regulation of the election, but a
:. opportunity, if the case seems to requir
Y it, Of DISTINGUISHING nine-tenths of tn
:, Free State voters.
But Mr.. Pendleton declares that tn
u Conference bill in fair. just and equitable
6 and that wherever it differs from tn
j. Montgomery Substitute, il is "obviousl
J. superior" He, therefore, has preferenC
= for circumlocution and cowardice,
. courageously direct operations,in The PEI
e formance Of the highest and grande
lg duties that devolve upon the Legislati'
Or and Executive Departments of the Natiol
Il al Government. He prefers the contil
ued and incesant agitation of the Kansi
. trouble, fomenting dangerous difference
e. stumbling along the precipices by IL
es abyss of civil war to peace and good W
al. among our countrymen. And KNOWN
that the President is the cool indOrser
the series of folgeries, and purjuriea, Il
IN object of which was to prevent the peop
,rt from checking at the ballot box the alarl
ur ing encroachments of the wasting despc
si. ism of slavery, our Representative hold
on when the question is, whether the pow
rst or the Board Of Commissioners Of t
ith incalculable important election at ha
ey shall he equally divided between t
lth representatives Of the people and I
The appointees Of the President, or shall
or given entire to the latter, that there is
for obvious superiority in the scheme Il
lb. gives the President every thing and
6th People nothing. And such are
of preferences Of Modern Democracy.
Y, takes from the people and gives to
ize President. In contests between 81;
Lot. aud feee labor institutions, il discrimina
ze in favor Of slavery. 1t seeks darkn
'oof rather than light
sin =.
in. Horrible Affair in Des Moines, 10y
OF A clergyman in Des Moincs, 10
the writes the following account of a hOr
KEY tragedy in hiS. town: