True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-09-29
A Douglas Dream on LecomptOnism.

upon the people OF an lncHoale American
State against their will, that it has been
condemned by the patriotic
sentiment of the whole country, and has
become as "obsolete" an idea as feudal
ism. The vote of the people Of Kansas
the whole naticn Of the justice
of the representations of the antagonist of
Lecompton, and presented those who had
advocated that instrument to most un'
enviable light.
But the organs of the Administration
still have the audacious folly 10 prate of
the English bill as "6nalily," and to
boast that if they could not heap insult
and wrong upon the people of Kansas
for the high crime of prelerring free TO
slave institutions, by dragging them into
the Union against their will, they can at
least have the satisfaction of keeping
them out OF the Union for time, on the
plea of insufficient population.
1t is very significant fact, however,
that while this fnality doctrine is enun.
ciated in a few conventions of Federal
office-holders. and in papers sustained by
patronage of the Government, and is
proclaimed by such high authorities to be
the only true Democratic doctrine, nobody
else, north of Mason and Dixon's line, is
in favor of it. There is no party among
the people in favor of requiring for the
admission of free Stale q greater popu-
lation than has been deemed requisite for
the admission of slave State.
We do not even know Northern l. E.
compton Congressman who dares avow
10 his constituency that he is in favor of
this distinction. On the contrary, these
men are distinctly proclaiming that they
are willing to admit Kansas with any
Constitution she may legally frame,
without reference TO population. The
advocates of the English bill, who voted
for, and secured It's passage, publicly
announce, wherever they address the
people, their determination to disregard
its provisions. For all practical purposes,
there are none so poor as to do reverence
To The English bill in the North-not
even its own authors. 1t may be, indeed,
that these Congressional candidates, are
inancere in their professions. This we
!hink probable. Having been false to
iheir constituents once, they may be
false again. .......
1t is certain that they would cheat
somebody either the South, which re.
lies upon their adherence to The restrictive
principle which they endorsed by voting
for the English bill, or the North, 10
which they now proclaim their determin-
alton to admit Kansas without reference
TO population. But, for the present, we
speak Of victory gained. because no
where in the North can there be found
any considerable body Of men willing to
avow themselves in favor of the original
Lecompton movement, or the principle
embodied in the English bill. Every.
where, indignant thousands condemn both
these measures, ...
1t is true that the official guillotine is
at work doing lis best to secure that "uni
(ormity of opinion" which the Unior
considers particularly desirable, and heaC
after head is chopped off to attain this
object. But the old woman who attempt
ed to mop up The ocean with her broom
made about as sensible an adaptation Of
means to the end desired, as The official;
who seem TO imagine that the prescription
of the independent spirits in their service
can change the honest political convictions
of the American people.
The Lecomptonites argue that mas
much as the votes polled at the late Kan
sas election are nearly equal to the voe
of the ordinary Congressional districts o
the country, her population must be near
ly equal to that required by the EnglisI
bill. They forgot that Kansas is settled
to great extent, by young or adventurous
men, many of whom are married, or hav'
left their families in their old homes unit
! they could provide new ones for them. =
The proportion of women and children tt
the number of voters is much smaller il
Kansas than in any old settled community
So that considerable time must ye
elapse before Kansas will possess a popu
lation Of $4,000. and if her admission i
delayed beyond 1860, the ratio will b,
about 10000. '...
But these very same Congressman VIII
have voted for the restriction in the Eng
lsh bill will be called upon, at the mex
session, TO vote upon the admission o
Oregon, and although she has less pop
ulation than Kansas, we presume she will
be admitted Why, then, should an un
just discrimination be enforced agains
tho Territory Of Kansas, and men b.
punished and prescribed because They
will not, "Iike scurvy politicians" ge
"glass eyes," through which they can Sc
reason why a slave Stale should requir
a less population than free State
The English bill requires that censu
: should be taken as a preliminary to tn
formation of the new Constitution, bu
: we Go not believe this will be done. lie
compton was considered as sacredly EN-
! baImed in all the "forms of law" wthoL
such census, and why should not a ne,
; Constitution, fairly formed and Iairl.
ratified by the people, be equally binding
If such a Constitution goes TO Washing
ton the homes! and enlightened sen.imen
. =. of the county requires The admission O
Kansas under it, Notwithstanding III
; Strange measurements of justice and De
moCracy SET up by The Administration
and no man should be allowed to ente
into the Congress Of ls59-6O who canno
Q be implicitly relied on to faithfully repre-
b sent this sentlment.-- Forney's Press.
i ETSee advertisement of DR.. Sanford