The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-01-02
ADDRESS
or the ABti.Usurpation CeHtrnI Committee,
To the People of Kansas.


by Mass Convention of the people o.
Kansas assembled at Lawrence on the
24th December, 1857, who are opposed
TO masterly inactivity and in favor Of
action for the preservation of our rights, we
address you.
We fear that the administration ha:
power to force us into the Union under
the unsubmitted Constitution lately franz
ed at Lecompton. With all the opposi-
ton it has met, both within and without
the ranks of the National Democracy, il
may be fastened upon US. The Execu-
tive patronage is not yet distributed and
past experience proves that, with the
spoils, the viii of the Executive may be
made the law of Congress. The oppo.
nents of that Constitution are writing to
us from all parts of our Country, that il
| is yet doubtful whether it will be rejected
! by Congress and they advise US to trust
to none but ourselves, and to fight the
usurpers at the ballot box.
/ If we let the election for officers under
the Constitution on the 4th of January
next, go by default, and Kansas be ad-
mitted under it, we lend aid and
comfort to those who seek to trample on
our rights, and become the instruments of
our own subjugation. We lie down
inactive, while our chains are forged and
fastened. And, however vigorous or vi
olent our resistance may then be, it will
be vain. We lose two Z. S. Sen
atorS, one for three and the other for six
years, Representative in Congress, the
Legislature, and all the State officers and
more than this, we lose the means
of governing ourselves, so long as the
usurpers frame laws or concoct schemes
to defraud us. And if we rise up in re-
sistance to such Government, we may
be crushed by the arm of Federal author
ity.
What can we lose by voting? NOTHING.
1t is said, if we 60 into the election we
will be defeated by invasion or official
fraud. Possibly we may. But, if we
DO not 90 into it, shall we not be defeated,
without invasion and without fraud ? 1t
is said. that by voting for officers under it
we will give implied sanction to the
Constitution, and that Congress may act
on that sanction. We do not think SO.
An implied indifference might, with more
plausible sophistry, be argued from our
abStaining from the polls. But, in fact,
no such implication of consent or indif-
ference TO that Constitution can honestly
be drawn from action or inaction at this
election. For, Congress has the most
abundant evidence that an overwhelming
majority, representating every shade of
political sentiment, would regard an act
admitting us under that unsubmitted
! Constitution as an act of oppression and
| tyranny. 1t is SAID, finally, that the sup
| port of officers under this Constitution
would be an abandonment of principles
and past policy. Policy must change
with changing gevents-PRINCIPLEs never
And every man opposed to the subjuga-
( ton of the people, by a faction SO feeble
in numbers as not TO rise to the dignity of
! a party, should unite in this effort to de-
stroy the power of the uSurpers, and to
enable the people to frame and adopt
a Constitution such as the majority shall
approve. Such effort involves no sacri-
fee of principle.
We believe that everything may be
lost, and nothing can be gained, by poll
| cy of inaction; and therefore call on the
people of Kansas to vote at the coming
election The Convention TO nominate
candidates for State officers, have nomi-
mated men who are hostile to the Lecompton
usurpatioB, and appeal to the sober thought
ofthe people to sustain them. And We call
upon them in their several districts to
nominate candidates for the State Legis-
lature to put their shoulders to the work;
and TO overthrow the usurpers ere they be
fastened upon u.s.
By order of the Convention.
S. \. WOOD, Chairman.
G.. ". BROWN,
E. S. LOWMAN,
ROBT. MORROW,
E. HEATH,
WIN. AUSTIN,
o. F. SHORT,
JUDGE PASSMORE,
/ 4. DANFORD.
! JAMES DAVIS,
C. f. CURRIER,
JUDGE Mckay,
DR. GILPATRICK,
C. Y. ESKRIDGE,
JAS. RODGERS,
S. D. HOUSTON.
D. II. WIER, Secretary.
> --------
Appropriate.
We observed in Lecompton the othel
: day one of the most fitting appointment
, which We have yet witnessed in the his
, tory of the pro slavery party. twas th'
selection Of Fred. Emory, the presen
Register of the Ogden Land Office, ant
, whose name has been rendered foreve
} infamous by the murder of VIM. Phillip
at Leavenworth in September, 1856, t,
/, preside as temporary Chairman over th'
Convention TO nominate State Officers un
der the bogus Constitution. As that in
: strument has been not inaptly styled tn
+ Robbers Constitution, We would sugges
that the title be amended, that it ma,
, now with eouaf 1,rorrisfv he known a