The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-02-22
tsr,. They acknowledged that such refer

ence should have been made at least on the
slavery clause, and then they framed sched-
ule which made no true reference even OF
that clause, butdisfrarchised all except those !
who would acknowledge their usurpation,
and were willing TO take test oaths to sup |
| port it. The Convention further assumed |
most extraordinary power. and sought in ad- |
vance to nullify and render void the acts of
the newly elected Legislature. They did |
what thew conld to show appreciation of the |
| fraudulent vote which Walker and Stanton,
| with the approval il Is to be hoped, of the !
President. had rejected. Moreover. it or
dercd an erection of State officers, under their
| unratifed Constitution, without requiring an
oath of the election officers, or atlixing pen
atty on fraudulent voting or forged returns;
| and they, moreover, directed returns to be
made, not to the Governor or the legal Leg
stature. but to one man alone, the President
of their Conventions; man holding n most
lucrative office aud large patronage under
the General Government; clothed with pow
or to judge at his discretion of all returns of
Legislature before which he might become
a candidate for office; bound by no oath to
fidelity, and exposed to no legal penalty for
the abuse Of his trust. We hold, then, that
the Convention has no claim to the sover-
eighty in Kansas but by usurpation; that 1t
had in no wise the sanction Of Congress, nor
of the President, nor Of the people of Kansas,
and was but a cunning d,vice to defraud
that people of its sovereignty.
The cardinal point on which the great ques-
ton turns is this: Is the Lecompton Con-
stitution the choice and will Of the people of
Kansasl say it is not, and shall prove it.
The first witness is the Convention itself;
they were urged to refer the matter to the
people; the President in his high office pledged
, himself over and over, and over again, to
the appreciation of that course, and by the
authority aud with the knowledge Of the
PRESIDENT, the Governor, and officers Of the
Presidents appoip tment, quieted the discou
tents of the people of Kansas by advocating
= the necessity of such submission before the
Constitution could claim any validity. And
yet the Convention refused to submit its do
= ings to the people; thus confessing its con-
sciousness that its work would be rejected.
The second witness is the newspaper press
of Kansas; that press is againt the Constitu-
e ton by majority of seven or eight to one.
= Next: Kansas, by act OF Congress, has a
G right to delegate in Congress, charged with
- the duty to speak for its people. They have
, now a delegate who is undoubtedly the choice
h of the people, and is the first Kansas delegate
y ever chosen By the people. He is my third
, witness.
% Next: ask the line of Governors appointed
- by Presidents themselves: Geary; Walker
70 formerly Senator from Mississippi, and re-
o Gently proposed for place in the Presi-
: dents Cabinet, and highly commended
'' by the President himself; Stanton, so lately
= member of Congress from Tennessee, al
,f agree. And | would not fear TO ask Denver
the present incumbent, if he will certify tina
even fraction of the party against the LIE
,r compton Constitution is more numerous thar
the whole Of its friends.
rs Fifth The people of Kansas now happily
No thanks TO Walker and Stanton, have Leg
islature indsputably representing that PEG
D pie; and as soon as they cobld lift up thci
IN voice, they protested against the Lecomptoi
Constitution.
NJ Sixth: Those State officers who receive,
e the largest number OF votes Mt the election oil
% the 4th of January last, have likewise sen
~ their protest TO Congress.
r. Seventh: The voice of the people of Kan
=, sas itself it should be heard. On the 4th o
r January they repaired TO the polls under n
lg ordinary circumstances of solemnity. Th
@ President had sanctioned the proceedings b.
- his special protection; the Legislature an
Vt Denver took care that the vote should be a
n. honest one, and by that vote 1t appears tina
an overwhelming majority of the people G
re Kansas reject the Constitution of Leconipton
IN So then, we have seven sets OF witnesse
against Lecompton: the circumstantial evi
ne dencc OF the Lecompton Conventions; th
W Kansas Press; the Kansas Delegate in Con
gress; the series Of Kansas Governors-fou
IN in one year; the Kansas Legislature; tn
in Kansas People. All, all declare that Oh
T. People of Kansas reject the Lecompton Con
10 stitution.
he If could hope that the words of one S
humble as myself could reach the presenc
IS. of one so high us the President of the Unite
a. States, i would entreat him to lend his ea
reverently, and hear and respect the voice @
We the people OF Kansas, however lowly the
is may seem in the log cabins and homes th1
they have made for themselves in the wilder
&C ness. What they have accomplished tier
Id under unexampled trials and difficulties
the miracle of the age. A commonwealth i
10 all its fair proportions his grown up. rs
de were in the nighttime. If the President
the United States will have peaceful admir-
nc istration; if he will, by and by, have dignit
ty in retirement; if he will stand well with til
~. world OF mankind; if, like Washington an
III all our great Presidents, he wishes to stan
we'll with posterity. let him respect the wi
of the people of Kansas.
at II is said that the whole affair is of lit
RS consequence; that the wrong, if it be wron
49,. is small one. But there il in political in!
y tice no such thing as small wrong.
i'm small wrong contains within itself the seed
N. of all evil.
~ 1t is further said that the people were fac
~ tious, and rs they meant ut any rate to reie,
viz hNSOhptoH tOHsbisublot, III Gl1nI nN
to give them chance to do so. But il til
ne Constitution for any reason did not pleas
CIV them, they had right to reject it; nothing
so factious as minority attempting to rul
ST. o majority.
1t is said they should be punished for M
going to the polls at the bidding of men VIII
of were believed to be disposed to defraud then
in They went to the polls the first moment til,
,us they were satisfied of any chance of ia
of retHrn, even though suffering under gre.
'ut disadvantages in the apportionment of req
is resentatives.
es, 1t is said that the people Of Kansas, ono
are admitted into the Union, may change the
are Constitution. Ii this is dis honestly said,
the will not use the language which would proI
ent erly describe the proposition. II, as it is
ire be presumed, it is honestly said, and al
Gle sure it is honestly said by the Presiden
at then why give to the men Of Kansas a revC
yer lutionary right where they have a right
ion possession! Why do wrong, simply tn;
we wrong may be undonel IL this is all that
re- intended, if there lies nothing behind this,
IN there are no indications of a wish to perple
ON the national councils, and so to pave the wa
to- for q change of the national policy or Il
our disunion, then mischief has been done wal
tn tonly and gratuitousy; the country is col
vulsed by its public authorities, for an issr
re- as ludicrous as it is wrong. 1t was hardl
the worth the while to shatter the Democrat
ear party for anything so paltry. But while
os- is admitted that the Submission of Const