The Kanzas news., 1858-05-22
Parties in Kanzas.


practically settled. The people win almost
unanimously vote down the Ordinance of
the Lecompton Constitution, and the way
win then be clear for the speedy admission
of Kanzas into the Union as free and SOW
ereign State, which viii put 6nality upon
this long vexed question. The election on
the Leeompton Constitution viii probably
be the last one In which the Free Stats par
ty yas a party win participate. With the
settlement of the question of freedom IN
Kanzas, the platform on which the Free
State party has been organized falls to piec-
es. Nearly all the various Free State Con-
ventions have resolved that ''the only test
of membership in the Free State party was
that of making Kanzas Free State" On
this platform Democrats, Wings, Republic
ans, Abolitionists, and Know Nothings,
have united, and worked while there was
sufficient external agitation to make them
forget their past affiliations and aspirations
in sight of common danger. This danger
past, however, and the heterogeneous mass
called Free State party viii be no more.
It's members viii unite themselves with one
or The other great parties that are now
struggling for the supremacy in the control
of the Federal Government. There can be
but two parties of any magnitude or inn
portance until the question which has aris-
en- whether the social system of the one
part or the other of the Union shall prevail,
to the exclusion, which is unavoidable, of its
opponent, is settled There is no middle
ground, and should be none. The systems
are antagonistic and the existence of nei-
ther is safe while the other lives. These
systems have each their representative in
the Republican and Democratic parties of
the country. The Republican party is the
Representative of Free Labor, as opposed
to slave labor-the party of the people as
opposed to the party of demagogues and
politicians. 1t would administer the affairs
of government as in the earlier and purer
days of the Republic-using the power
thereof to establish freedom throughout the
land. It is this party that has been the
steadfast friend and ally of the people of
Kanzas in the darkest hours of their history.
and to which they owe their political free
dom. 1t was that party which furnished
the material aid'' that clothed and fed the
impoverished squatters when their homes
had been desolated by the torches of the
Administration incendiaries.
On the other hand, the Democratic par
ty, representing and upholding the system
of slave labor, has been the persistent foe
of the liberty-loving people of Kanzas, and
has pursued them with fire and sword be-
cause they dared to stand up manfully in
defence of their inalienable rights. 1t has
used the entire power of the Government
not only to crush out the squatters of Kan
zas, but also to deprive them of the SYM
pathy of their brethren of the States. 1t
has mocked and sneered at the tale of their
wrongs, and never for one moment abated
its persecution-and with malignant power
it is pursuing them now.
To the Republican party the people of
Kanzas owe their political existence. To
the Democratic party they owe all their
prosecutions in the past. Ere long they
will be called upon to strengthen the hands
of one or the other of these parties-the
party of Freedom and Free Labor, or the
party of slavery and slave labor. They
cannot forget the past-never-andw we feel
that they can never consent to become the
ally of those who in the days of their
<vesEness uoujd have desfrovad them