The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-05-29

and in need of rest, and desirous of 60
| ing about their industrial pursuits. i
OF this whole proposition well calculated
secure vote of that long oppressed peo,
pie, desirous of peace, even for Whist the,
do not want? ? The truths, it addresses
them with motives of that kind. IF thel
follow it, they will certainly be deluded
Just SO sure as the Lecompton Constitu
ton is put into effect and operation, i
will net be amended. If they attemp
to amend it Immediately upon its being pu
into operation by the action of the newl,
elected Legislature, the Governor woale
veto the act. The Free State people hsv,
| not got two-thirds of the Legislature, snG
they are not to have it anyhow. The at
tempt to amend the constitution will b,
stopped but if it were to go on, whenev
er that resolves itself into a judicial cues
ton, as it may at any time, and is present
ed to the Supreme Court of the United
States, it will no doubt be decided tha
the people cannot alter their constitution
contrary to the provisions of that consti
tuition. 1t will be held that it is a sort o
national compact by which people have
come into the government of the MAORI
ty on that condition, and being thus il
the nature of compact, it is incapable o
being changed, except agreeably to tn,
terms of the compact itself. They viii
be deluded in that and I suppose, in.
deed l know, that this is well calculated
to delude them. Whether it will do 81
effecsually, time will determine.
have very little hesitation in saying
that, whatever may take place, if ths
question of accepting the land grants j.
presented to the people, under this bill
rely upon it,, Mr.. PRESIDENT speak
merely from the lessons which the histo.
~ of Kansas has taught me-a majority
will be returned in favor of accepting the
land grants. Isay that majority viii
be returned for it, in all human probabili.
ty, whatever the actual votes may be.
do not agree with the honorable Senator
from Kentucky, that the result will be
otherwise, and that the proposition viii
be rejected. do not say that do moi
believe majority of the people will vote
against it but say the returns viii
show majority the other way /; aud wher
I say that, speak merely from the les.
sons taught me by the history of Kansas
itself.
There is another matter that equally
bears upon this proposition, and address.
es itself to us on this occasion. An cleo
tion has been held under the Lecomptou
constitution and if the people accept
these land grants with this condition, ol
course, then, take it, they are to abide
by that election. Now, can anybody tel
me what is : the result of that elec.
ton? Does not the final and ultimate
determination of it rest with certain Mr.
Calhoun to-day Is it not altogethel
within his hands and under his control
Most unquestionably it is. Ii the people
do as they may do under this proposition
and as it is calculated to have them do
accept the Lecompton Constitution under
the belief that the certificates of election
are to be actually issued to a majority ol
the representatives of the Free State par.
ty, they will certainly be deluded.
have attempted to show that ali these
motives and purposes are presented, by
the arrangement of this bill, calculated
not to carry into effect the true wishes ol
the people of Kansas, but to Illustrate and
evade them, and obtain, in point of fact,
from these motives and considerations, a
vote of that people, by which they shall
take upon themselves this slave constitu.
ton, abhorrent to their feelings.
Mr.. President, / do not wish to detain
the Senate longer. have stated the rea.
sons why, in my view, we cannot vote fol
this bill that is now presented here, when.
ever it shall come up properly, proposed
by the committee of conference. It j;
utterly inconsistent with the votes we
have given in relation to the House
amendment. do not know but that, il
it be presented to them, the people oi
Kansas will manifest continuance OF the
virtue and endurance they have hereto.
fore displayed, by which they will disre-
gard all the motives and inducements
here held out to them, hold on their way,
and go on enduring even unto the end,
rejecting this proposition. It is possible
that such may be the result of their dis
cernment and their virtue but l think
we have but little reason to expect that
such will be the result Certain am that
none of these gentlemen who contrived
this bill, and devised the form in which il
is presented, expect to have any such re-
suit. At least strong hope is entertained
that it will secure the purposes for which
it is designed by these contriyances-se-
cure success to the Lscompton constitu-
ton, whether the people desire it or
not.
Viewing it in this light, regarding it in
this view, it seems to me that the thing it
self, in its character and allits aspects is
utterly inconsistent with that conduct
that becomes an American Senate-the
Congress of great people, whose conduct
should be distinguished for direct
ness, for frankness, for business, for fair
ness, not for cunning nor device. Sir,
think, if we intend to secure the conf
dence and command the respect of the
people of this great and discerning nation,
lovers of justice as they are, we shall re-
ject this proposition.