Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-02-13
Gov. Wise's Manifrsto Against the Lee
compton Constitution.

WIses letter, In response u an INVITATION u
attend the anti-Lec Imptpn meeting held IN
Phila leiphia. LIS Importance. however, de-
mauds q fuller statement OF lis argument
than has been given. ADD we, therefore, take
from it the following extract', winch Will eS-
hibit the iorcil lie argument which, as
Southern man, Gov. Wise presents.
Governor Wise says that u careful renew
OF the Presidents Message cUnstrains HIM
10 differ with the President of his choice.
lie protests against the mode in which the
Lecomptlu Constitution was pretended ID be
submitted as anti-repubictn aud oppressive,
and as offensive u the sclt-rcspect ana moral
sense Of a tree people.
Alter expressing the opinion that the Kan
saS-Nehrasks act was an "enahling act ot
itself he admits thaE the conduct Ot the To-
pekaites was violent and unlawful, and that
their opponents acted under lawful authority
up to the submission Vi the constitution TO
the people Bat that has nothing t. do WITH
RI, ISSUE Is tie constitution tie act dh'd deed
Of tie people, and IS the schedule rep"Gttcaa|
The wrong OF the TOpekaItes will 40; justly
the wrong Of the Lecompton ConHent'on'
nor cure the defects of the Lecompton sche.
cation or rejection, was submitted for appro-
val alone, without allowing vote upon It's
rejection.
After scathing review Of the Lacompton
Conventions election schemes, GoSernor
Wise proceeds to give a SUutherner's view
OF the question.
The Democratic party bad just come out
of severe and doubtful CONFLICT with the
h now Nothing secret society, the most oil
Gus feature of which was "teSt-Outh." Now
behold an honest, peaceful, law-Abldlng c'tI-
zen approaching the polls in Kansas under
TINS schedule; imagine myself an ultra
Southern Shareholder pu' 10 the ordeal OF
challenge under this clause OF the schedule;
| am anxious, very anxious, ~ record my
vote for my right to hold tue Chief part OF
the little property | own; | am told that |
have the right by the grant Of the high L.
COMPTON Convention, TO vote Tor or against
property in slaves | approach the polls Il
exercise the right; | am challenged; the BIZ
ble l. hell out t. me to swear first 10 "SuF-
port the Constitution OF the United States"
| ask why impose on ne that oath; | urge
that the obligation is binding on me without
the oa;h-,hat love and obey the ConSlitu
the supreme law of the land, binding Ot II
-elf--!ut, being willing to support that 10
strument, and ANXIOUS to vote Tor my pro-
perty | assent to swear to support II. But
| am told | must In the second place, swear
also to support the Lecompton "COustltut!ou
If adopted, under the penalties Of perjury
under tie territorial laws" | redden INTO
wrath III Ter the insult of such an oath ten
dered Ia n freeman At the pulis-tJ support
q constitution, II ADOPTED, before us a1op-
ton | denouncc the obstacle 10 my tree
dom of election II is in vain; must take
II OT leave my property unprotected. sup
pnse-the superstition Is almost lntoleratIe
i take the uatn; | am then, and then only,
granted the privilege OF voting. | vote Tor
slavery, hut against the Constitution. / am
thpn It'd that Cly vote cannot be counted,
vet am sworn t. SUPPORT, II adopted, what
have voted against, Sung by insult, and
then di-franchi>ei, 20 away madlened to
whence ty Injustice, inequality, aud insult
added to injury Is that my nc: and dcet
l. that republican? If Callguia was ty-
rant for posting laws to high TO be read by
the Roman people, what does this deserve TO
be called, which pats the whole aud part
tIgether. So that minority for the whole
may prevail over majority for or against
the part? Is it not the very hocus-pocus
and legerdemain Of keeping the prOmI to
the ear OF the people and breaking 1t TO their
hoIes? | tel! you that no proud Tree people
will stand insult and outrage like this, and
such dcspUtIsm is enough 10 drive peaceful
and good citizens t. violence tor redress OF
grievances. But the question Is not whether
The LecOmptOn Constitution has been oppO-
sed unlawiuIly, but Is 1t the act and deed Ol
the sovereign people, whose 1t pur ortS t.
bc-and IS il republican 10 its SUBMISSION
by the schedule vi the LccJmptUn Constiju-
ton? And mark, to- that this test oath l.
applied when the Constitution is t. be sent
to Congress from Territory for approval -
After taking this oath, the ca-ulst may de-
termlnc whether be could, ii the Constitution
be adopted, oppose 1t before Congress, though
he voted against it at the polls"
lie conteuds that there was obviously
sinister and aut-republican purpose IN thu,
giving an unfair election as 10 part OF the
constitution, with No election as 10 the Whole.
lie denies the assertion Of the President
that no people could have proceeded with
more regularity in the formation OF consu.
tuition than the people OF Kansas have ioue.
The peuple were not allowed fair election
ut all 4 fair election could not be held un-
der the sch eiue, as appears from its face.
lie contradcts the Preeiient's idea thai
the admission of Kansas would speedily end
the agitation in Congress, and lOcalize 1t ~
Kansas lie declares that it never can be
local again. 1t il all essential that the set
Element shaIl be just, right, and eq"aI, anu,
If not 20, il is sure to be misChleGOus to that
party sustaining power without right, and
doing wrong that good may come.
The letter concludes with the following
warning appeal u The friends Of the Prcsl-
dent
ave have proudly, heretofore coutended
only tor equality and Justice; but 1t this be
wantUn.y done, without winulDg a stake-the
power OF a slave State therehy-it will be |
snutcnlng power per taS ant ".tlS, To BE- lost
speedily" with the loss Ut something OF far /
more worth than political yotes-or m0rul
prestige 1t we are not willing 70 do Justice,
we can't ask for just c.; f We can't agree to
equality, We must expect 70 be denied It. IL
is our bull gorlng the antl-s!avery Ok. Sup /.
pose we had had n maj .rlty Of slave holders /
in that territory; suppose minority u aOL- .
Iitonists had gotten the census and registry .
into their hands and kept fifteen out Of thr' /
ty-iour counties cut OF the Convention; sup .
pose they had formed a constitution with .
clause prohibiting slavery; and had sent It to .