The Kanzas news., 1858-04-10
Letter from "Felix."
LAwREkcE, April 8. 1856

MR. EpIToR: Matters and things are
coming to a focus. I suppose You have
heard that the Lecompton Constitution is
dead. Anyhow it's next to as good as dead.
First they put it through the United States
Senate. Then they tried to get it through
the House, but eouldn't do it. They got up
a scull-duggery of a caucus, which was to
reconcile the Lecompton and anti-Lecomp-
ton Democrats, but II missed fire. Then
they stuck an amendment to it, to the effect
that it should be sent back to the people for
ratification or rejection, in the following
manner and form, to wit and put it through,
but when it came back to the Senate they
refused to concur in the amendment by 9
majority, and so they stand. Lecompton
is like to fall between two stools. They may
vet get up committee of conference be-
tween the two Houses in hopes of Buying
ND some members of the House, but Le-
compton stock looks rather down, and it is
the general opinion that it is not worth more
than FIVE cents to the dollar.
What makes this result more interesting
at this time is the fact that some Free
State men had just made up their minds
TO form a new party in the Free State party
on the basis of organizing to kill'' the Le
compton Constitution The thing is as
dead as door nail now. Calhoun & Co.
have picked up their traps and left. There
isn't corporal's guard of pro-slavery Le-
comptonites here, and those are very econ
servative" at present. To bring the poor
thing to life merely to have the privilege of
choking it to death looks rather hard, and
as if those who went into it were hard up
for some party platform. They ought to be
indicted for ''cruelty to animals" Only
think of shaking up the dry bones of Le-
compton and breathing the breath of life in
them merely to have the privilege of knock
ing it out again. The fact is those who
want to do this say it was condemned to be
erecuted in legal way, and they are great
sticklers for 'fthe inner track of legality"
Between ourselves, Mr.. Editor, the things
not safe. l would not breathe the ninety
ninth part of whisper against any of the
ineumbents under the Lecompton Constitu-
ton. They are all patriots, every one of
them but / have too much respect for
them to expose them to such temptatiOn.-
"Lead us not into temptation" is an elo-
quent part of the Lords prayer, and appro-
priate Besides, to ask them to swear to
support it, and then expect them TO violate
their oath merely for the sake of getting out
of office, is not very sensible. We all re-
member the Territorial Legislature. They
were all patriots. every man of them but
we know that they ''found it impossible
to ''abolsh the bogus laws and adjourn"
But as I have said, Lecompton is giving
its last kick in Congress, and those who
were trying to get up party on the ''or-
ganizing under it'' basis, are left without
plank to stand on.
l suppose you have heard all about the
Leavenworth Convention and the Leaven
worth Constitution. There is no mistake
but it Is the best Constitution ever got up
for Kanzas, not even excepting the ''blood-
stained banner" Between ourselves, that
was an old fogy document, and loved more
for its associations than itself. l expect
that the old fogies will take up the Topeka
Constitution now. They may propose that
we make another but l tell you what it is,
Mr.. Editor, let us tell them fairly and
souarely that we will make a more radical
one every time they compel US to make one,
and they will soon dry up.
suppose you are aware that the chief
subject of importance is, who is to be Gov
ernor, dc. That &C., you will observe,
covers great deal of ground. The Execu-
tive Committee, if you know who they are,
have ordered nominating convention, to be
held at Topeka, to nominate State officers,
and in the plenitude of their wisdom they
have provided that the people shall ''indi
IL L 6. G.
That is the people are to vote for them first,
and the Legislature afterwards. The guar
antee we are to have that both will vote for
the same set is not stated, and we have al
ready pretty fair experience as to how far
Legislative bodies in this Territory obey
instructions.
l suppose you are aware that the people
in the country, and elsewhere generally,
labor under the delusion that they have the
nominating of State officers. The fact is
that it's done this way. Somebody wants
to be Governor, or Congressman, or some
thing, and he goes to every man who he
thinks is like himself, and he says:
"Look -a-here, we must have an under
standing in this matter. We want to know
that nobody but good men get elected
'.Good men," you know, means you and
me. "We Us d Co." do heavy business
in this way. They make trades with eve
body. "You tickle me and I'll tickle you."
Sometimes they succeed. IF the people
don't veto it they re sure to. Maybe il may
turn out like - Minneola,'' but that will
only be if the people have pluck enough to
nominate men who don't and scors't trade.
There are certain persons who think, or
who at least want others to think, that they
carry about certain districts in their breeches
pockets. They tell each other. Look
here, I'll answer for my district and the
way he trades 1t off to the candidate for this
and the candidate for that, is caution.
But I have said enough about that En-