The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-03-13

, Venton was the creature OF the IeTiitoiid
Legislature and as much in its power o
t the llth Of Dec, when the law providing
: for tie election on the 9th Of Jan. was en-
acted as on the 10Th Of Feb, when the LIE
: gislanre called the Convention into exist
ence. Therefore, whenever the Legislature
J ascerained that the Convention had devised
, scleme te force Constitution upon thu
peope without their consent, and withou
authority from Congress, it became its i'm
perafve duty to interp0se, and it deserves
creat for the promptness with which 1t act
ed. Not only were the people authorized
by he Act of December II, to vote for OF
against the Constitution, but by unani-
nous vote of both houses, a preamble and
resolutions dcnouncing the Constitution were
passed and forwarded to Congress.
II the face of all the evidences that the
Leeompton Constitution is not the act Of the
people of Kansas. we are told by the Presi-
dent of the United States, that to the peo-
pie of Kansas the only practical difference
between admission or rejection deperd ds
simply on the fact whether they can them
selves more speedily change the present
! Constitution if it does not accord with the
Will f the majority, or frame second Con-
stitution, to be submitted to Congress there
after
Th,re is a practical difference far more
/ important than the mere question Of time,
and .aere are principles involved intinite;
more important than the practical difference.
! There is serious difference, whether the
/ people Of Kansas shall be permitted to make
/ and adopt the Constitution under which
/ they shall live, or whether Congress will
force them into the Union against their will,
and with a Constitution which they have
repudiat ed the by an overwhelming maj ority
Ii il be true, as the President alleges, that
large portion Of tn inhabitauts oi Kansas
have been in state Of rebellion against the
United States Coz rnment ever since his
inauguration, aud that up till this moment
they still adhere 10 their reasonable peril
nacity, is there ground for hope that the
speedy admission Of Kansas into the Union
under the LecOmptOn constitution would
restore peace and quiet to the whole coun-
try? IL is to be ,auortcd that the President
seems - misunderstood the nature and char
acter Of the Kansas controversies. From
March, 1865, when the first annual election
for members OF the Legislature, and Of
,icers was held, until the general election in
October. 1857, the Free State party, 50 call
ed, did boldly and pcrsistentiy refuse tc re-
cognize the Territorial LeEi'atGrc as a legal
Is constituted Legislative body, for the rea-
son, as they alleged, that It, members were
no; elected by the people Of hTasas, bat ~
invaders from Missouri.
Il is not my present purpose TO inquire
how far these allegations are sustained by
the facts: refer 10 them with the view OF
showing upon what grounds the Free Sta;e
party claimed that they were justified N
Withholding their allegiance to the Terrific
rial Government, until q fair opportunity
was afforded the people to elect their own
Legislature. Since the October election,
however, al the opponents Of the Lecomp-
ton Constitution have recognized the Terri
tO.ial Government IS valid. The October
eleclion thus becomes a memorable period
in the history Of Kansas. Up TO ,his time
it had been generally understood that the
Coavcalion had been called for the purpose
of forming Constitution, and submitting
il to the people for ratification or rejection,
and of sendin. il to Congress for acceptance
only in the event that it should first be ra-
tilted by a majority Of all the legal voters of
the Territory.
The President himself intructed Governor
Walker under date OF March 30:
when such Constitution should be sub
mitted to the people Of the Territory, they
must be protected in the exercise gf tier
rjgAt or yotiag for or ag1i1s, that instr'-
n.sl.t, and the fair expression Of the popular
will must not be interrupted by fraud or
violence"
Gouarnor Walker. in his official dispatch
to the Secretary Of State, under date OF
June 2d, says:
ION one point the sentiment Of the pco-
ple is almost unanimous, that the Conctitu-
ton must be submitted for ratification or re-
lection. TO vote Of the people, who shall be
bona tile residents. of the Territory next
fall"
And in his inaugural address to the peo-
pie of Kansas, Gov. Walker said:
with these views, reH kH0l-a to the
Pres.deat and his CoJiaet and aPprored By
them, | accepted the appointment OF Gov
ernor of Kansas Ny instructions from the
President, through the Secretary of State,
under date Of Goth March last, sustain the
Irregular Legislature Of the Territory in as
semblinc a Convention to form Constitu-
ton" And they express the opinion of the
President, that when such Constitution shall
be submitted to the people Of the Territory,
they must be protected in the exercise OF
their right of voting for or against that IN
strument, and the fair expression OF the
popular will must not be interfered with by
fraud or violence. l repeat then, as my
clear c0nUicti0n, that unless tie Conrehttoh
submit TIE Constitution to the cote ct' all the
actual resident settlers Of haRsds, and the
election be fairly and quietly conducted, the
CONSTITUTION WILL BE, AND OUGHT TO BE, RE
JEcrED By CONGRESS"
RELYING on such solemn assurances, as
| these the people were lulled into a fatal Sc
! curity, under the belief that the frauds in
the apportionment Of delegates would be
corrected and rendered harmless by the
| submission of the Constitution to vote Of
| the people. The October election having
! dissipated the last hopes of making Kansas
| slave State by fair vote of the people,
! the Convention determined, instead OF con-
| forming their action to the known wishes OF
| the people of Kansas, to form slave State
| Constitution, and submit it to the people In
such a form as to render it impossible tor
| them to reject it.
The Lecomptonites were loyal to the
| Territorial government as long as they tllled
| the offices and controlled its power; but
the moment they were defeated, and the
mower passed into the hands of tn cir oppo-
| nents. they rebelled against it, defiled its
authority. and devised schemes to destroy
! it. They proposed to abrogate and subvert
the territorial COVER ment, by providing
that the people should vote for their Constl,
tuition, but not against 1t. W nat is TINS ou'
rebellion; open, marked, undisguised rebel
lion? Where is the difference between this
and the Topeka movement, which the Ere
| sident denonnces as n revolutionary govern
: ment? The Lecompton, as well as the 10
peka Constitution, was declared to take ef
feet and be in force rot only without th'
consent of Congress, but in defiance ant
contempt of the authority of the Territoria
Legislature established by Congress. Upol
what principles of farmers, then, can it b.
urged that we should admit Kansas into tn
Union under the Lecompton Constitution
, The speedy admission of Kansas is urge
, by the President as aquestion of mere ex
3 pediency, to allay agitation. In order t