Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-03-19
]5tlitltul.
Mr. VaWrsdG Oh LccOmptOls.


ms Address for the Anh- Lccompton Meeting.
FELLOW CITIZENS The proper So
luton of the question before the country
which in some Of its aspects, is the most
momcntus that has been presented since
The adoption of the Federal Constitution,
Is scli-evident: but that solution has zen
so thwar,cd that it is made necessary to
revert to first principles, and to take
COUNSEL Of the people, who arc the source
Of wisdom and of power. We are as.
semhlcd tonight, not in hostility to tho
+ininistr,,i,n Wesvencratc the Pres
idcnt for his age and past services, and
desire to rcmevc out OF his path the great
obstacle to his present usefulness. We
have never feared to sustain the South
on any question in which the South
was in the right. and We are justified in
asking its cooperation to prevent
great national wrong, whichi consumma
ted, will iniure its friends. Far from
opposing ID democracy, we come here to-
might to uphold it. by refreshing in our
minds the love of Justice and Freedom
without which Democracy is a delusion.
We are assembled to protest against
forcing the l. l2eompion Constitution upon
the people of Kansas agnnst their will.
Rear with me, fellow citizens. if in
the fewest possible words, | speak to the
facts in the case, TO the right. and TO the
means of .edrcss
As to the facts Of the case. the L.
compton Gon.titutioa Wis authorized in
advance by NJ one branch Of the General
Governm mt The Senate Of the Cnitri
States passed bill for Convention in
Kansas. having in view very different
mode Of proecedure. The House. by a
decided vote, declared itself willing to ,c-
cep, the real and true opinion Of the m,
joriiy OF Kansas, however it mi hit be
expressed The President, through his
ascnt the Governor Of the TcrrItory,
trtoci the bill s1f the Convention. The
: ma. IN, H1usr, - +. 5. lhnt Of the
United S,ttcs, are Ill Innocent Of tAr
t;cumpton Gontett=nn. Tn, peopl, OF
tlc Tcrritor. never elected that C1nven-
'ion, an nercr Il a al o4poru. .uui,y 70
10 50. The lists oil g5tsfs y ,te made o4t
hy ptr.s II iii .zrs, w.J1 a,,el unl.r no
pc IaItics :1r II. ,feet ot dity. F.ltern
",pr.i-.. bf ~ ft4tt=5f=tsI 1T owl. hal
n possible epn ri1n.tg u vote at all.
Tl2 CDav nj tn r=tor,. never h1
cy'n prctrx; for Inning the people
i|tlre the Convention j / Is work,
now election oi 4 kanzas stature took
place. an think . Nix r aal Stan
ton. fl.sc. tfiuiaient an. tJr.r Il rr;nrns
were ri .ctel. aad a Legislature was
7,rm Id OF un4 tss,ianei tes lily. Tn
Convention, knowing IL, trIc will of tho
people. In Il fl me ef TINT will, r,fls Il
II refer the Constitution to the people.
Sequesterci their iaaltcnable ghts, an
made themselves m ls,ers. Thcy &C
knOwlcd .ed that snch reference should
have been mad AZ least on the Slavery
clause, and then framed i he lulc which
mao, no trn. reference even of thu.
clause. bu, tli-franel,ised all c7cep, those
who would acknn Wedge heir usurpa.
ton, and were willing to take test oaths
10 support it. The Convention further
assumed most extraordinary powers, and
sought in advance 10 nuIlify aud render
void the acts Of the newly electol Leg
i.latute. They did what they could TO
chow appoobation of the fraudulent vote
which Walker and Stanton, with the ap
pioval, i, is to be hoped. of the President
had rejected Moreover, it ordered an
election OF State officers, under their I'm
ratified Constitution, without requiring
an oath Of the election officers,
or aaixing a penalty on fraudulent voting
or forged returns, and they, moreover.
directed returns to be made. not to the
Governor OF the legal Legislature, but to
one man alone, the President of their
Conventions: man holding most lucra-
tive Office and large patronage under
the General Government: clothed with
power to judge at his discretion Of all re-
turns of Legislature before which he
mi hit become a candidate for Office;
bound by no oath to fidelity, and expos
ed to no legal penalty for the abuse of
his trust. We hold. then. the Conycn-
ZION has no claim to the sovereignty in
Kansas but by usurpation; that it had in
nowise the sanction of Congress, nor Of
'he Pre- sidcnt, nor OF the people Of Kan
sas, and was but cunning device TO
dcfraud that people of its sovereign
~.
TIE cardinal point on which the great
question turns, is this; is the Lecomp-
ton Constitution the choice Of the peo,
pie of Kansas: say it is not, and
shall prove it. The frs, witness i. the
Convention itself; they we're urged to re-
fer the matter Il the people; the Presi-
dent in his high office pledged himself
over and over, again, to the appreciation
o!that course, and by the authority and
with the knowledge of the Presidents
the Gov. and officers Of the President )
appointment. quie,ei the discontcnts OF
the people of Kansas by advocating the
necessity of such submission before the
Constitution could claim any validity -
And vet the Convention refused to sub
nit its doings to the people; thus confesss
ing its consciousness that is work would
be rejected.
The second witness Is the newspaper
press of Kansas; that press is against the
Constitution by majority Of seven or
eight to one.
Next, Kansas, by act Of Con 5rcss, has