Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-03-18


islature, by the delegate upon this floor,
and in every other way open to them, ex-
pressed their indignant condemnation of
the act Still more shameful is the fact
which no man, here or elsewhere, is hardy
Ienough to deny, that the pretended Consti-
tuition, under which they are to be admit
ted, is The work of pitiful minority of its
citizens. who themselves concede this by re-
fusing the people they profess to represent
the opportunity of rejecting the instrument
under which they are forced to live; and
who violated the essential principle of an
election right to choose-by so Snb-
nlittng it that every one who voted at
their polls should be compelled to vote FOR
it, and to swear besides, in advance of It's
adoption, that he would faithfully support
it, under the pains and penalty's of perju-
ryl And worse than all is the undenied
and undeniable truth that the people Of
Kansas, who it is claimed, have techni-
cal.y framed this Constitution, SO utterly
hate, scorn, and repudiato it, that it can be
imposed upon the infant State. if at all,
only by the same power of bayonet aud ball
which holds the Usurper of France on his
Naples from the hate and revenge of his
subjects
The Administration hatters itself that
the power ofthis Government, swollen as
it has been Of late years 10 such an cnor-
nous extetnt, is irresistible and command
ing. SO in good and righteous cause.
But that power will prove to be but weak
ness itself when exercised in such a shame
less enterprise as this. They will find that
they cannot enslavc the free peoplcof Kan
/ sas. If they were Chinese or africans,
Russian Serfs or Indian Sepoys, it might
be possible. But they are the descendants
4 of the men who spurned petty tax OH tea,
not on account of the paltry pittance it in
yclved, but because it was the agency by
which their despots sought to attest and
signalize their submission. And when this
Administration seeks to pcrpetrate the
higher crime of forcing on them an organic
law as their Magma Charta, which they de-
, test as the consummation and cnshrine-
ment of the usurpation which the Govern
ment power has so long upheld, they will
, find that not all the bayoncts of all the
hired soldiery which tho military despotism
at the head Of our affairs can call into the
field, will be able to put this fraudulent in
strumcnt into successful operation over a
, people who despise it, or to crush the free
T men of Kansas into submission to its au-
thority.
, i rejoice to say that there is apossi5iIty.
, in spite of the despotism Of party discip-
| line and the threats and persuasions of the
, Administration, that this wicked scheme
may be frustrated. If the People WILL IT,
and in their popular conventions speak
| their will with a voice deeper toned than
party. and therefore more potential, they
can aid materially in consigning this gigan-
, tic fraud to deserved and an ignominous
3 grave. If, however, as has too often been
{ the case in the North, on the threshold of .
, crisis like this, those who agree in hostiI-
( iiy to this last exaction Of the slave power
, array themselves into half-dozen antag-
onistical camps. seeking rather to defin,
8 more sharply the points on which they dis
agree than to lock shields together in de-
r fence AMI ..viniiction of the impcrlel
: rights of frecmcn, no one need wonder il
fthe compact, united and almost irresista
r bic influence of the Administration, aided
v by an almost unanimous southern delega
: tion in Congress and the power of a grca
c party besides, should win the victory over
: divided foe. But, il acting on the maxim
a that "when bad men combine good mer
r should unite" the hosts Of the opposition
e should take the field with platform high
r Ell than party-without any repudiation Of q
Y single political principlecvcr entertained 10y
: any ofthem-but all united in hostility t
this grea. crime Of the agc-a crime agains
the platforms of all the political partie,
S of 1856, Republican, American, and Dem
| ocratic-but what is Of higher moment .
crime against an oppressed people. a Grim,
g against liberty, crime against justice-anc
' should resolve to consign to political ami
hilation every man. high or low, who aids
t and abets in it, the moral influence Of thai
: stand would be powerfully felt in the strug
' sle here at Washington. The successful
: resistance, thus far, to every move of tn,
: Administration in favor of the Lecomptor
D iniquity has been achieved by.a spontane-
ous union OF members who, differing on 9th
er issues, agreed in hearty hatred of this
In that union, Republicans, Democrats ant
: Americans have co-operatcd, without re-
quiring each other to forswear their allie
glance to their respective crecds- And il
f the Administration is finally defeated, i
will be by a faithful persistence in thi.
. course to the end. 1t will he by a. union
: of those who are for popular rights agains
1 executive wrong-who are for justice fo
n Kansas against tyranny for Kansas, and
who are resolved to resist this monstrou.
a demand of the oligarcly whichsrules Pres
; idcnts and Cabinets. but happily haze moi
: yet absolute control over Congress, and
who will resist that rule learlessly. in spite
of the the threats of disunon. if its demands
are rejected. afls.
e Twas gratifed, therefore, to see that the
/ Republican State Central Committee. and
the distinguished citizens ofthe State who
A united with them in the call of the mass
I meeting. tcn&eredto 'sall persons, with
out regard to past party designations, OPP
: posed to the Iecomptonpolicy Of the pres
| ent Administrations cordial invitation to
attend, and participate its deliberations.
! Meeting as yousdo early in the contest Of
| this, eventful year, it may be that the at
; tendance will be mainly from the ranks ol
9 the party which is the largest column Of