The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-07

been effected with reference to doing so.
"The Free State Legislature has submitted ,
the whole instrument to a vote OF the people
on the 4th of January proximo The prevail,
ing opinion is, that the Free State party VIII
nominate State ticket, and for members OF
the Legislature. So that, in the event that
Congress admits Kansas with this Constitution,
the State Government and Legislature Will be
Free State, thereby giving the power to change |
the Constitution without delay"
Another Leavenworth correspondent, whose |
statement is confirmed by other letters, states
the manner in which the Missourians were quail
flied as voters:
"These men had been voting all the morning,
and about eleven o'clock some OF the Free
State men began to challenge them. They
were sworn by kissing the Bible, and then asked
if 'they were inhabitants of the Territory to
which they replied, 1 am for the present The
Judges would take their ballots, and call out
their names In two or three cases, men swore
that they were citizens of Missouri but paid
taxes here, and therefore claimed the right to
vote, and the Judges deposited their ballots in
the box, and recorded their names as electors !
This is not rumor. was present myself,
and witnessed the whole scene"
And this is the Constitution which Mr.. Blu
chanan accepts as fair expression of the will
of the People of Kansas This is the Constitu-
ton which Congress is called upon to sanction,
and to force upon that devoted Territory, as q
peace.making measure This is the Constitu
ton, and these are the men, and these the
shameless frauds, to sustain which the military
power of the United States is invoked, and all
the crimes and hazards of civil war incurred
The Washington Union and its employers
are clamorous for peace. :" Admit Kansas
rid Congress- of this excitement-let the busi-
ness of the nation be attended to-" Who hinders
attention to the business of the nation2 They
who practice fraud and injustice, and they who
sustain them. Deal fairly, and you can have
peace. Do justice to Kansas, and she will not
trouble you. 1t is you who keep the question
open, and the People excited and alarmed, not
we. If you are in favor of the people govern
ing themselves, show it, by repudiating the few
who are attempting to govern them against
their will. Abandon that scandslous imposture,
the Lecompton Constitution, and agree to an
act, authorizing the People of Kansas to hold a
Convention to form State Constitution, under
which they may be admitted on an equality with
other States. The moment this is done, the
Kansas question is transferred to Kansas con-
troversy about it ceases in Congress; conflict
between the People of the Territory and the
Federal Administration is at an end +; the mill
tary will not need to be summoned to keep the
peace there will be no danger of civil war;
fair opportunity will be given for deciding the
whole question by majority of votes.
| e.. &c of h.
of the right of selfgovernment; of the decision
of the question of Slavery by the vote of ma
jority of the people; of the organization of
new State, in a regular mode of the exemp-
ton of Congress from excitements and discords,
incompatible with due discharge ofits general
duties; of good feeling throughout the States
and the stability of the Union-this is your true
and only course. But, if you have passion
for intestine dissensions if you are for the few
against the many; for your party, at the sacri-
fee of justice; for Slavery, cost what it may /;
for strife and war and bloodshed for discords
between the States; for the conspiracy of those
Disunionists who are seeking TO kindle fire
in Kansas that shall gradually extend till it
involve the Union-then pursue your present
course swear by the Lecompton Constitution;
stand by the Oxford frauds; proclaim rebellion
in the Territory, and muster your armies to
put it down, and put up the Internal usurpation
which alone can provoke civil war.
The shareholders say, that the question of
Slavery is really not practical one in Kansas !;
that the system must be merely nominal there !;
that the people, after admission as State,
may change their Constitution and exclude it,
if they will. If they are sincere, why then so
pertinacious in their adherence to a manifest
usurpaton? Why insist upon thrusting the
miserable thing upon people who abhor it
Why exact from their allies at the North that
they shall go for it, although it break their
party TO pieces?
If the question of Slavery is really of no prac-
teal Importance in Kansas, in the name of de-
cency, gentlemen, suffer the People of Kansas
to settle their own controversies. Why NEEDLE
with what does not concern you? Why, unless
to show your power, and keep the so-called
Northern Democracy in mind that it has South
ern master? Most laborious are these men in
bringing the Party up to the support of the vile
usurpation. Senator Broderick, it is said by
a correspondent of the Nelo York Herald, has
been won over by them to the side of the Ad-
ministration. Mr.. Pugh, of Ohio, also seems
to be faltering. Last Monday he introduced
bill for the admission of Kansas as a State
with the Lecompton Constitution, accompanied
by provision for submitting the question of
Slavery to the vote of the People-a compro-
mise measure, it is styled. The N. 7. Herald
thinks the compromise should be enlarged.
Oregon and Minnesota are waiting for admis.
sion as free States who cares, although Kan
sas come in as a slave State2 The People of
the North will be satisfied with the gain of
four Senators against two. Combine all the
measures, Mr.. Pugh. This is the Heralds
scheme for making peace, for doing justice
for subjugating Kansas, degrading the free
States, and aggrandzipg the Slave Power.
Let all Americans who have some regard for
fair dealing, if not for Freedom and Free La
Dor, understand that all these schemes for
overriding the People of Kansas, and forcing
Slavery upon them, enanate from the so-called
National Democratic Party! Remember that.
AS to Mr.. Pugh's project-why in such haste
to introduce it2 What respect is due to
Constitution, framed by Convention elected
by not fifth of the voters of the Territory,
and ratified by a minority, large portion of
the ratifying votes being incontestably spuri-
ous2 On what ground does he recognise the
validity of the vote for the Constitution, and de-