The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-02-03
Kansas Imbroglio.

Is to be admitted INTO the Union, under the
Lecompton Constitution, with the slavery
cause, or r, jected in consequence thereof
or whether, there will be a trucking on the
part of Southern members, TO freesoil pre-
judice. and Abolition fanatics, by submit.
ting the whole Constitution back again, to
tie people Of Kansas, for ratification, or
! rel ,ction, as advocated by Senator Doug
las, and Gov. Wise, whose vaccillating
course in this question, at this particular
jurcturo of time, by giving aid and com
fort to the enemy, has done more 10 injure
the cause ofthe SOuth,by dividing the Nor
therD Democracy, who were acting in con-
! junction with Southern men, in sustaining
the Kansas policy of tAe Administration,
than the whole Host of Frcesoilers, and
| Aboli,ionist combined. The doctrine Of
non intervention bv Congress in the affairs
Of the Territories, now acquired, or hcreaf-
ter to be acquired, Is one of the Cardinal
principles Of the DemUcralic Party, as
enunciated in their Cincinnati platform, and
which originated in the passage of the k an
sas Nebraska Act, which abolished the Mis-
souri compromise line; and in which, ii is
declared, that it is not the purport and mean.
ing of this Act, to lrgisIatc slavery in;o the
| Territories, nor to exclude it thcrcfrom /;
but to leave the people free to determine
| for themselves their own institutions, in
their own way and that wh,n they had
sufficient population To justify their admis-
sion rs State in the. Union ; they are 10
be admitted, either ith, or without slavery,
as the people thereof may determine.
Kansas in pursuance Of the Organic Act,
elected her Territorial Legislature, which
passed an Act, submitting it to Il vote of
the people /; whether they were in favor of
calling a Convention, to adept n C"rstilu.
ton and organize State Government The
people voted thcreup on, in favor OF the call
Of II Convention, by II large majority. The
Territorial Legislature, afterwards, in che
dience to the will OF the people, rs express
ed ut the Ballot Box. called Il Convention
to frame and ndopt a Constitution for
State Government; anneXng rs n condition
to the voting Tor Delegates to the Convcn-
ton, that each voter bc requested TO regis
ter his name, and that every free white man,
twenty one years Of age, who shall have
been an actual resident IN the Territory for
three months, prior, to said I'll, ction, shall
be entitled TO vote for Delegates TO the Con.
vention. The Free Soilers refused To reg
ister their names, aud also refused To vote
for Delegates tp the Convention. The con-
sequence was the slavery Party elected their
Delegates to the Convention and the Con.
vention adopted the lccomptcn Consitu>
lion, together with a schedule thereto al.
tached, with the Slavery clause, and SUBJ
mit,ed it to the vote Of the people for adop.
ton, on the 2lst of December. in the fol-
lowing form Constitution with slavery :;
and Constitution without slavery. The
! Frccsuilcrs again refused to vote, which re-
suited in the adoption Of the Constitution
with the slavery clause. But, no sooner
was the fact made known, that the Consti-
tuition with slavery, had been adopted, than
the FrecsoiIers IN Kansas headed by the
|
anarchy, war and civil biood>hed, proclaim
ing their in!euiion To resist at all hazards,
aud 10y force Of arms, TIE Government, to
be established under the lecompton Con
stilu;ion. Aud no sooner also, than tn,
Presidents Message had been cOmmunica.
ted To Congress, tavoring the admission Of
Kansas Us ! State in the Union, under the
Lecomp,On Constitution than Senator
| D"uglas, whose term of service rs Senator,
is near about expiring, and he fearing the
ircesOIlsh proclIviIies Of his constituents,
and in order 10 secure his reelection TO the
Senate as we'll as to advance his prospects
Cor the presidency, for which he is an Asp-
rant, comes out in n speech in opposition to
the Kansas policy of the President. and
goes for sending the whole Constitution
back to the people for ratification, or rrjrc-
ton, aIIcdglng as his reason therefor, that a
majority Of the people Of Kansas was op
posed TO the LecOn pton Consultation, be
cause the slavery clause alone, Was submit.
ted for adoption; and argues that the whole
DC suUUIllttl DAck Tor
popular ratification.
The President in his message, submits,
that inasmneh. ns The Slavery question was
the only issue, agiiated among the people
OF kansas, and that that issue, having been
tairly, and legally decided, by the adoption
OF the Lccompton Constitution thut Kan.
sns ought to be admitted in the Union, un-
der that Constitution. But tine question
may come up, suppose Kansas should be
rejected, aud If she is rejected, it will be on
the ground alone, that her Constitution to-.
crates slavery or suppose. that her Consti
tuition be sent back again by Congress, a
second time for ratification, or rejection,
what will the South do; will she tameIy,
quietly, passiVely, and cowardly submit
or will she resist at any and every hazard
and TO the last extremity, even 10 the dis,
|