The Washington union., 1858-03-12
E1frCTryr Dtp.uqmryr
Lecompton. N. T..l Feb. II. isss

tlSTLKaES In response your note Of yesterday.
qUeStiDg nv ogdion upon the legality Of the calling
fg constitutional convention, IL Is necessary, 10
correct understanding Cd the question 20 go back 10 the
first Monday in January last tbs day which the leg
islature convened under the Law.
The 2zd section Of the organic act provides that
session ia any rear shall exored the term Of foy
dsys, excerpt the fins: session which may continue sixty
days The session Just elosed the third held
under tins act and therefore could not exceed the term
q forty days The first Monday in January last
the fourth day OF that mouth In Law fractional days
not kno~n- That day must lie regarded the first OF
the session, and be counted whole, II
gaTde and counted Nv every until few persons,
wards the close OF the session in onier accomplish
certain objects thought proper TO give il different
strnciipn and they would have dreamed Of
giving IT, but 70 effect the Objects they had in view The
law fixed no hoUr cor oonFeuing and they might just
well have al O'Clock IN the morning 10 have
waited until noon, the hour at which they dd lsept
Commanding. then, the fourth gave thrna twenty
eight days in January, and twelve would make
forty This would carry them TO the end 81 the twelfth
day Of February, when the forty days elapsed and they
stood adjourned Sa DEE by the operation OF the organic
act.
The constitution bill was presented to me al III O. clock
n the loth of February. The oath section the
organic act provides that ii any hill shall De
turned by the governor within three days Sunday
eeptei3 after il shall have been presented him. the
shall be Law in like manner IL he had signed IT,
unless the assembly by adjournment prevent lie return
in which it shall not he law. Counting by
hours-twenty our hours TO the day this would have
a.
which 10 return the bil which beyond the period
at which the session close but fractional DAYS
not known to the law had right 10 hold il hack
until any time within three days after the day which
il pseSeniel to This would have carried the
time to the end Of the lSth OF February, when the SEES
sion could not continue longer than the 18th.
/ have understood that Mr Whiting, the enrolling
clerk of the house made statement under oath 10 the
effect that he had offered to present the constitution bin
to before eleven clock the evening Of the ninth
This hardly be correct and allre TO il only
foT did mot refine ID rest that night until after
thai hour and both houses had adjourned time be-
fore Being gnite unWel thai evening told Mr. Walsh
my private secretary, to give information al that fact
and that it my ntehton retire Shortly after he
left the the house adjourned and after his return
retired leaving him and Mr.. a. 81 Stevens engaged III
writing in my room They we're ss only persons Who
had been there foF lhIes hours before This
after eleven clock, and il MIR Whiting was there il
afier thai time, and after the house had adjourned
Tor the night Ii @as eleven the nrNt day when Nj
Whiting fsacsd roll Of paper my Table, upon open
ing which found il the bill above Allnde.i TO-
Bat the hil never properly presented me- and
WAS not bound at any time 10 have noticed a. Ia
proof q this have only to refer to the joint Fes o the
two hoIises, whch as fellows:
l@th Ehdn laH daily euroel R sia BY -shi
@ q y is. e sah ,s asaaiel @ r iiA @ psrE.ase ~ae
he laGses, AID 4i lay
snroA report frtixth tAt rs7IertTe
isf Aaer eariaa rrl-t each signed ID
he FeSprrye llzr speaker rrJasssata
use tseo sy iAe lsssslasna q tir etaancii
u
or NJ iqeeyA iRg arst snaorr1 back
shan be ssBe3 rs clerk bous aeatary n
w 4 at " n-s ha'e "a one ~ t otr helse
gsvsraor, rih shah ~ esrd 5aaTla AgaS
Mr. Whiting NOT usl4.aSY % the house
much less 0t the enroling committee coad the
rolling oog.nittee have reported presentation
have IL enere the Journal of each house for they
did present the bin There was nu1h irree
uarity ia the manner in which bnsres conducted
f- 1ast a
members 10 tine Importance Of the duties imposed on The
enrolling committee and the necessity there WIS ior
keeping ygil&nt watch the enrornents Written
statements made me that material alterations had
been made in balls after Iheg Lad a h5th houses and
the ate1Ai.s reported Others were amended Ia
house and the amendments not reported 10 the other
and ia every such felt constrained to withhold the
bill ana not give il my approval
With regard To the convention ball. however | had
often expressed nay olinion, which was al~ays against
it, had advised members no. press sacl measure
through, believing did then and DO now that it was
fraught only with mischief Af the time lnellers
elected Snci contemplated and con
sequtnfly thry eictra with that object in view
if the Lecompton constitution should be accepted by Con
gfcss t would h useless tronbie eegF OF dele
gates a oonFenon TO be held under territorial
law. il the Leoomptnn constitution should I've rejected
then it would be well to et the people have time 10
csglidrr whether they desire State organixatjoa which
they could do before the annual ec,ion takes place
IN October. Tbs passing of sh believe would
only tend 10 nafapte matters in the Territory already
too much complicated.
Believing that the people of the Territory das.re peace
and quiet rather than renewal Of excitement and
Bile thought il my gty 10 exercise the power vested ia
me hy the oTgac act and retain the hili though intor
naail} pgesst, and thus prevent il from becoming
law which did Had the hill been approved become
Law, il would have been regarded a purely partisan
movement and the elections under ii would have been
participated ia BY the adhefents Of OF tlie political
parties only and by tile whole people the Territory
In this respect al the ol5ections that have been urged
against other movements Of the kind would have been
urged against this and the result wond have been
newa ~ the difficulties and troubles which have long
disturbed the peace of the Territory
have the honor to be, gentlemen, your oieiient ser
want. y. w DENVFp
Messrs O. ". Brovs C. W. coLLvaonT, and O. A
BEIxoLrs.
The Kansas Dail lger Of the 2Tth Of February con
tains article which give entire We presume that
the meeting forehadowei therein the one referred 10
ia the telegraphic despatch from 81 Louis nblishs1 yes
tisy Fnorning, stating that division had occurred in
hc ranks of the iEeestate This is but widening
q tle division that has existed for scms time which may
now le regarded AZ open npture The article from
the Ledger gives glimpse of the political riyslrsas
thai prevail in the Telritory
The rleeing that takes la.e to-niht Is OF greater i'm
lortance baa < looks 10 be- To the unins ted the pro
ooedings may look fair enough s-sd they y think thry
are serving the Lord when they obey the command
shout TOR glory hut Ia reality il Is nothing but
farce As a general thing the programme o. rroceed
ines primary meeting is all marked ont time
before the meeiiag takes place Whssher il is in this
Instance net fuiif ~Grd bGi ifom the lights be