The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-03-11

George Bancroft, the Historian,
GIVES HIS VIEWS
on the Lecompton Constitution.

Mr. Bancroft, to be delivered at the
Democratic Auti-Lecompton meeting
in New York. In consequence Of the
Hall being refused, the meeting was
postponed, and Mr. Bancroft sent his
intended remarks to the press for pub
lioation. They bear tho impress Of
just, candid and wise craftsmanship, and
place the merits Of the Kansas question
in the clcarest possible light We be-
speak for them a calm and attentive Pc
rusaL-Ed. Nc,esl
FELLOW CITIZENS The proper solu-
| ton Of the question before the country,
which, in some Of It's aspects is the most
|momentous that has been presented
since the adoption of the Federal Con-
stitution, is self-evident; but that solu-
ton has been so thwarted that il is
made necessary to revert to first prin-
ciples and to take counsel of the people,
who are the source of wisdom and pow
Ter. We are assembled tonight not i'm
hostility to the Administration. We
venerate the President for his age and
past services, and desire to romove out
Of his path the great obstacle to bis pres
ent usefulnes Still less are we at vari-
ance with the South. We have never
feared to sustain the South on any ques-
ton in which the South was in the
right, and we are justified in asking its
cooperation to prevent a great national
wrong which, ifconsummated, will injure
its friends Far from opposing Democra-
cy we come here tonight to uphold it,
by fresheuing in our minds the love Of
Justice and Freedom, without which De-
mooracy is a delusion.
We are assembled to protest against
forcing the Locompton Constitution up-
: on the people Of Kansas against their
will. Bear with me, fellow-citizens, it.
! in the fewcst possible words, I speak to
! the facts in the case, to the right, and
q to the means of redress
As to the facts Of the ease the Le-
compton Constitution was authorized in
d. advance by no one branch Of the Gem
. eral Government The Senate Of tho
=. United States passed a bill for a Con-
- vention in Kansas, having in view very
y different mode of procedure The House,
. by decided vote, declared itself willing
to accept the real and true opinion Of
! the majority of Kansas, however it
might be expressed.
G The President, through his agent, the
f Governor Of the Territory, vetoed the
8. bill for the Convention The Senate,
!, the House, the President of the United
/ 90 4 ~ 81 ]
Y ton Convention. The people of the
:; Territory never elected the Convention,
/ and never had an opportunity to do so.
IS Tho lists Of voters were made out by
d partisan officers who acted under no
n penalties for neglect Of duty Fifteen
counties, by no fault Of their own, had
no possible opportunity TO vote at ALL
f The Convention, therefore, never had
l. even pretcEt for binding the people
h Before the Convention did its work a
.e new election Of a Kansas Legislature
E. took place and, thanks to Walker and
2 Stanton, false, fraudulent and forged re-
l. turns were rejected, and q Legislature
is was formed Of unquestioned legality
er The Convention, knowing the true will
L. of the people, in defiance Of that will, re-
D. fused to refer the Constitution to the
u people, sequestered their inalienablo
10 rights and made themselves masters
f, They acknowledged that such a refer
l. cnce should have been made at least ON
S. the Slavery clause, and then they framed
ID a schedule which made no true refer
P. ence even Of that clause, but disfran-
a chised all except those who would ac-
st knowledge their usurpation, and were
willing to take test oaths to support IT,
The Convention further assumed most
" extraordinary power, and sought in ad-
a. vance to nullify aud render void tho
j. acts of the newly elected Legislature
ct They did what they could TO show ap,
probation Of the fraudulent votes which
r. Walker and Stanton, with the approval
lo it is to be hoped, Of the President, had
n- rejected, Moreover, it ordered an elec.
III ton Of State officers, under their unrat,
ne fled Constitution, without requiring an
I'd oath Of the election officers, or afixing
i- a penalty on fraudulent voting or forged
le returns; and they, moreover, directed
m returns to be made, not TO the Governor
he OF the legal Legislature, but 10 ono man
ty alone, the President of their Conventions
In a man holding a most lucrative Office
and large patronage under the Gen,
eral Governments clothed with power ia
m Judge at his discretion of all the returns
or Of tho Legislature before which hC
es might become O candidate for Office
Of bound by no oath to fidelity, and ex
.ct posed to no legal penalty for the abuse
n- of his trust, We hold then thai tho
nc Convention has no claim TO tho sovor
, a eighty in Kansas but by usurpatioh
he that it had in no wise the sanction of
in Congress, nor of the President nor of
)f the people Of Kansas, and was but d
n- cunning device to defraud tho people Of
1t their sovereignty.
en- The cardinal point on which the grea
ii- question turns is this. Us the Locomp.
ton Constitution the choice and win of
the people of Kansas 2 say it is not
in and i win prove 30, The lrt witness
on Is the Convention itself they were urged
- TO refer tho matter Go the people th,
ry President ih his high oiioo pledged him
he self over and over, and over again, 6,
ut the appreciation of that course, AVID b'
the authority and by Che knOWledga of