Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1858-02-20
Tho Truth in q Nutshell.


We would advise all such Democrats
whether editors or privatcs as are disposed
to sympathiso viii the free state men o
Kansas, to take to heart the subioned ex.
tracts, With many others of like character
that might be given. That the men wht
refused to attend elections are alone re
sponsble for the present position of th,
Kansas question, there can be no doubt
And, yet, strange as it may appear, th,
Republican press is dcnouncing President
Buchanan, in most unmeasurcd terms, be-
cause he will not repudiatc the Democratic
policy Of non intervention, take sides with
those who stubbornly refused to vote, and
say 10 Kansas you shall not be admitted
into the Union
In his message to the late special session
of the Legislature, acting Governor STAN
tan said -
cat the election for delegates to the con
vention, on the 18th Of June last, the great
body of the people refrained from voting.
That refusal of the majority to 60 to the
polls was too unfortunate to be now denied.
1t has produced all the evils and dangers
of the present critical hour. 1t has crca-
ted the present profound excitement"
"rhe great body of the people," 1. e. the
free State men "refrained from voting -
That's true to the letter. But, what does
the Herald of Freedom, the leading free
state organ, say! Here it is-read it -,
"Aad the free State party consulted their
best interests instead of standing on eti-
quette, as they did in June last, they would
have 'pitched in" and elected every dele
gate to the constitutional convention. -
Then if they had wanted the Topeka con-
stitution as their fundamental law, they
could have clothed it with legal sanction, SO
far as appearances are concerned, and now
we could have been half way out of the
woods, instead of being surrounded with
difficulties which attimes seem insurmount-
able We have long chapter to write on
this subject some day that will put a diff
ferent face on this statement from that
now seen by many of our readers
That would be enough for any reason
able man but here is another extract
from the same paper:
"At Mound City, the ballot-boz was
broken IN pieces by the deluded disciples
of this policy, and votes were scattered
broadcast upon the ground and trampled
in the mud. At Clinton in this county, a
body of peaceable lree-State men went up
to the polls, and they found others upon
the ground declaring that no votes should
be polled there that day for State officers.
A general melee seemed nevitable-taoen-
ty coats were stripped off amdtwenty brutal
'nen stood ready, it is said, to fight if the
polls were opened. The true men of the
vicinity, who deprecated such action, and
who still desired. to exercise voice in the
election, prevailed upon the judges to visit
Bloomington, and open the polls at that
place. They complied, but were followed
by these roagdieS, and an election was pre-
vented at that point. At Lawrence no Vi.
olence was exhibited; but throughout the
day men were seen around the place of
election, continually laboring to prevent.
Other artifce which bad cause can invent
were used to keep the people from excrci-
sing the right of suffrage, and about 500
were induced to Withhold their tickets for
State and Legislative officers. Runners
and newspapers, and lying circulars were
sent over to Doniphan county, the object
of which was not to bring the people out
in their strength to the polls, but to keep
them away; and too well they succeeded. p
Now, all this exemplifcation of r'Diaa-
ism was heralded through the country al
the time of its occurrence as the work oil
interloping Nlissourians or pro-slavcry
men. But, the sober second thought ha'
returned, and the saddle srightfully on tho
other horse. Will Democrats endorse shi'
conduct of the Free State men, now ad
mitted, by keeping Kansas out of the Uni
on We hope not