Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-05-18
Kansas.

| xAdLSdS.
 At meeting held in Leavenworth. to dis cuss the conStution promulgated by the abol- tlonlSts debate ensued, which we find report ed in the St. Louis Republican We extract a | portion of It, to show that the friends of the measure contend that the word "white," was purposely excluded, and some of them are not yet parpared to swallow negro suffrage, though the know nothings of Arkansas may be-
 THOMAS EWING, jr., then came foruard.- He said;
 Felo0- Citizens: am but lilly prepared to- night to address an assembage of this mag- ntude upon questions so great and impor tant as those presented by the honorable speaker who preceded me I would not have taken the stand tonight at all, if 1t were not for the purpose of vindicatiEg a portion of the free state party of Leavenworth against an implied charge that they had been running as tray on distractions, and seeking to disunite the free state party. A voice, that is rght) This charge was not made In express words but that IS the pnrport Of 1t, and as one of the men who supported the free white suffrage ticket to- day, (cries of good" and applause,) mean to show that for one, was not running after an abstraction.
 MT. LANE. I desire to say in justice to my self
 MT. EWING. will not go on unless Gen. Lane has an opportunity to interrupt me-
 Mr. LANE. l desire to say that intend to make no charge against any member of the free state party. So far as that ticket is con- cerued, it has upon it the names of men that I know are as true friends of mine as 1 have in the city of Leavenworth.
 MT. EWING. That gentlemen, is not the point. The point is, that we in running upon the white suffrage platform were after an ab straction. GA voice: "T hat is it'D want to show that it is not an abstracton but a great fundamental principle, and one that 1t is impor- tant for us now to vndicate.
 The gentleman who has preceded me thinks that there are no good free state men in Lea venworth who will oppose the Leavenworth constitution. l think there are (Voices: les;" plenty;' "none.") I want to see no test on the Leavenworth constitution introduced into the free state party, and 1 say that whoever introduces it as a test. intro duces that which will divide the party. GA voice, " believe you.')
 | The Leavenworth constitution, I believe, is not an embodiment in these disputed points, of | q believing that it is not, 1 know good many free state men in this State who will vote against the constitution, probably, and who, if they do, no man shall read them out of that party. guess.
 1 Now, gentlemen, l wish to state here, to- night, for the vindication of my own position. that 1 mean to vote for the Leaven worth con- stltution. (Cries of "good" Three cheers. as also three groans were given for the speaker l But say also, that there are may good free state men who will vote against it. 1 know that, (voices "you are right;) that is so and l wish to say, moreover, that l considered that upon the question of suffrage and upon the l question of common schools, the Leavenworth constitution contains provis ons, against which 1 will battle from this night forth, until they are changed. (Cheers and voice, " low did you vote in conveniently voted in the con |. venton against these objectionable provisions, and introduced amendments for the purpose of changing them; and l tough against them, and my only reason for voting for the Leavenworth constitution IS, that Tn the complicated state of Kansas affairs in Kansas, l, for obe am rot will ling to take the responsibility to say that Con- greis shall have no choice, but take Lecomp- ton, send Leavenworth up, and let them take their choice. l would not-although the gen. tleman has perhaps alluded to me as one who would have officers qualify under the Lecomp- tion constitution. I would not see that const |. tuition pass for the sake of avoiding objection able features in the Leavenworth instrument: and we framed it that it might unite stronger force in favor of 1t than could be united agaiust Lecompton.
 l say, gentlemen, that there are provisions in that constitution affecting the rights and feelings | of the white men of the territory, that deem most obnoxious, and against which 1 shall eX- ert my might. GA voice. "what are they?') l will reply to them, and reply to the arguments on the other side
 Gen. Lane plants himself upon the Dred Scott platform. He says that he repudated the Dred Scott decision; and yet 1 appeal to every intelligent man in this audience if that Dred Scott decision is not the only decision which states that a negro is not citizen Of 2 the United States. And l ask Gen. Lane whether he and the whole republican party oi the north do not denounce the decision upon that point against law, and declare their un- alterable purpose to change the decision by re- constructing the court.
 GA voice, 'they do.") They do. I do not plant myself npon that decision, for one.
 Gentlemen, the first clause in this constitu- ton which IS deemed specially objectionable by the free white suffrage party of Kansas is that clause which declares that every male citizen of the United States, and so on, shal be a voter Gen. Lane says that the first legsla- ture elected under this constitution may pass law saying that black man is not citizen of the United States. I would respectfully submit that that is judicial decision and not a question for a legislature to decide If the Leavenworth constitution becomes the funda mental law of Kansas, 1 assert that until there IS decision to the contrary in the territory by the Supreme Court, negroes will be permitted to vote in certain parts of the territory. I as sert, moreover, my belief that if the men who framed that clause so cunningly-if they have the control here, that their judiciary will decide that negro is citizen of the United States know their is large abolition element in the free state party, and knowthat it has been in.