Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-13

|
prohibit slavery in all the Territories of the
United States. We believed the Leeompton
constitution was not the sentiment the will, of
the people of Kansas If we had possessed
the power we would have voted it down aud
| crushed it under our feet I'VE would then have
given an enabling act to the people of Kansas
and said to them frame constitution, sub
NIT it to the popular vote, and then come here
and ask for admission into the Union" But,
sir, we were in minority in this body and in
the other House we were utterly poweresS
We believed that the people were opposed to
the LecomptOn constitution; we had no doubt
of that. We believed that if they couId have
fair vote, they would vote it down. The Senator
from Kentucky made a speech condemning in
burning language this LecomptOn fraud. lie
made speech that has been read with fearful
eyes by tens of thousands of men all over this
I country-men who differ from him in sentiment
aud opinion-a speech that has won their love
and their confidence. While living he will
their affectonate regards, and when he sleeps
beneath the soil of his own Kent ucky he will
live in their memory He made a fair prop
ositiOn; that proposition was, to submit the
Lecompton constitution to direct, fair,
and honest vote Of the people If they wan
ted it they would take it, and they were in the
Union If they did not want Lecompton,
they were authorized to make, at once, another
constitution, and on proclamation of the Presi
dent, they were come into the Union Could
we, as liberty-ioving meu-thc friends of
making Kansas free Staie-hesitate to ac-
cept this proposition made in good faith by the
Senator from Kentucky
| admit, sir, that we subjected ourselves to
the risk Of letting slayehoIduC constitution
the creature Of fraud, come into the Union but
we had the best evidence that the people Of
Kansas were against it, and that if they had
fair opportunity they would vote it down by
a crushing majority. Oar friends in that Ter
riJory have the county officers We have the
sheriffs we have the balIot-boxes they are
all in the hands of the free-State men. The
Senator frcm Kentucky knowing that We did
not desire to avail ourselves of this advantage
of having the territorial officers made this pro-
poSiton-and a fairer proposition could not
be made-that the Governor and Secretary,
appointed by the President and removable at
his will, and the President of the council, and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives
representing the popular will OF the Territory,
should be appointed board of Commissioners
and that three of this board thus constituted
shall form quorum. We knew that the ap-
pointees of the President could not control
that board we knew that the men who had
defrauded the people of Kansas could not con
troll il we knew that the board could not be
organized for dishonest purposes. We believed
/ that board thus constituted would promptly
appoint proper time, and fix upon proper
places to hold the election, and that proper
men would be selected to conduct the election
We knew that under board thus constituted
vour Hendersons, your DiefendorlfS, your
/ McLcanS, Your Calhouns ; the men who chea-
ted us at kickGpoo, at the Delaware Crossing
at Oxford. aud at Shawnee that the men
who took the returns over into Missouri and
added names by hundreds to the returns the
men who have spent many of the winter months
under the shadow of the Capitol, away from
the bitter condemnation of the people whom
they have betrayed aud defrauded we knew
that these corrupt creatures who have defrau
ded the people at the baIlot-box, aud taken
false oaths in regard to election returns who
have buried returns by night in cande-bOXeS,
under wood-pe and under the ground and
then swore that they had sent them out of the
, Territory, we knew that those corrupt and
renal creatures who, during the last few
4
where rascals have recently 50 much congre-
gated, would not be appointed 10y the board
constituted by the Senator from Kentucky
We believed that the board appointed under
that proposition would choose as election Off
GERS to preside over the Oalot-bOXes, men Of
all parties in whom the people would have con
! fdence. and that the frauds which have been
so often committed during the last ten months
at Oxford Shawnee, Kickapoo, Delaware Cros-
sing, aud other precincts, would not be rePea-
ted aud that We should have fair and hon
est expression Of the popular will. ayow
| here today that fairer proposition was never
I made than was by the Senator from Kentucky
and which was adopted substantially by the
House of Representatives under the lead OF
! Mr. MONTGOMERY, Of Pennsylvania.
Here is u sort Of feeble imitation Of that
proposition Senator's tell Us that does no,
submit the Lecompton constitution to the pa0-
! pie of Kansas, that il only submits certain
! propositions in regard to the public lands. II
/ submits the inducements to come into the
/ Union, it holds out the c.itter.ng briDe in the
one hand and the threat in the other, and as
! If this would not accomplish their purpose
/ thev have added the district attorney 10 the
! board OF Commissioners They offer TO the
people Of Kansas FIVE per cent Of the proceeds
/ OF all the lands TO be sod they offer them four
and 4 half million acres and then unless
that people take Lecompton they propose 10
/ keep them out Of the Union under any con
s,itution, without these lands until they have
ninety-fouv thousand Inhabitants, aud they
| constitute board of commissioners 10 have
charge OF the elections majority OF whom
are to be appointed by the President of the
| United States, mere executive instruments men
who can be removed at any time it his will.
Why is this change made Answer. if you
can. The Senator from Ohio Mr. WADEl
/ .h.r d., ,rl.r - d. al ~,