The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-02-25

this be equally true IN to the nine hun.
dred and nlnc,y,nine Tree soil voters
against the one pro-slavery voter, yet
this would only prove the case to be one OF
a double instead of single injustice. II
proves only il was wrong, injuriously af.
iecting both sides and the whole people and
not part only
The truth is, there was obviously sinister
and anti.republican purpose in thus giving
an unfair election as part, coupled with no
election rs TO the whole. IL was To force
the people TO adopt the Constitution framed
by the Convention. No man was allowed
TO vote for slavery who did not also vote for
the constitutions and no man was allowed 10
vote against slavery who did not vote for the
Constitution. lie nigh, reject slavery or
adopt it, proyidcd be- would vote for the
Constitution; and il he voted against the
Constitution, his vote for or against slavery
was not allowed 10 be counted.
This was not all The Ii section is worse
than the iniquity Of the llth.
SECTION IL Every person Offering To
vote ut the aforesaid election, upon the said
Constitution, shall, If challenged. take an
oath TO support the Constitution Of the Uni
tod States, aud 10 supper, this Constitution,
if adopted. under tho penalties OF perjury
under the Territorial laws"
Tho Democratic party had just come out
of severe and doubtful conflict with the
Know Nothing secret society. the most obi.
GUS feature Of which was test oath
Now behold an honest, peaceful, law abiding
citizen approaching the polls in Kansas, ua'
der the schedule imagine myself an ulin
| Southern stakeholder put 10 the ordeal oil u
| challenge under this clause OF the schedule ;
I | am anxious very anxious, 10 record my
vote for my right to hold the chief part Of
4 the little property own; am told tina,
have the right, by the grant OF the high Ia
compton Convention, to vote for OF against
property in slaves approach the polls to
exercise that right am challenged; the
Bible il held out to me To swear first to
support tho Constitution OF tho Unitel
States = ask why impose on me that oath;
I urge that the obligation is binding on me
without the oath that love and obey the
Constitution OF the United States, and that
il IN made the supreme law Of thu land bind
ing of itself, but being unwilling 10 support
that instrument. and anxious 10 vote for my
property. | assent Ia swear 10 support II.
But I am told | must. In the second place,
swear also 10 support the iccomp'on +" Con.
stitution, if adopted, under the penalties OF
perjury under the Territorial laws ] red
den with wrath under the insult Of such MI
oath rendered 10 freeman at the polls Ia
support Constitution. il adopted, bsfors a'
ADOPTION. | dcnounce the obstacle To my
freedom Of election. II is IN vain must
take it or leave my property unprotected
! suppose the superstition IN almost intol
eral,le--l take the oath am then, and on
ly then. granted the privilege OF voting.
vote for slavery, but against the Constitu
ton, | am then told that my vote cannot be
counted, yet nm sworn to support, II adopt
ed, what have voted against Stung by
insult and then disiranchised, go avn,
maddencd 10 violence by injustice, inoquali
ty, and insult and injury. Ia that my &C
and d,edl IL that republican, If Caligu
wa tyrant for posting laws too high TO b
read by the Roman people, what docs tn
deserve 10 be called, which puts the whol'
and part together 10 that minority TO,
the whole may prevail over n majority fo'
or against the partf " il not the very ho
Gus pocus and lcgerdeman Of keeping thu
promise To the ear Of the people aud break
log to their hopeSt tell you that no proud
free people will stand insult aud Outrage
like this, and such drpotism is enough 4
drive peaceful and good citizens 10 violenc
for q redress u grievances. But the ques
ton ia not whether the Lecomp'on Copstitu
ton has been opposed unlawially, but is !
the net and deed Of the sovereign people
whose il purports to bc- aud Ia It republi
can in its submission by the schedule OF tlr
Iecompton Consultation And mark too
that this test oath is applied when the con
stitution IL 70 be- cent 10 Congress iron
II Territory for approval. After taking thi
oath, the casuists may determine whether h
could, il the constitution b. adopted, oppos
II before Congress, though he voted agains
II at the polls
But il s urged in the message that tn
people, il Opposed 10 slavery. nigh, hay
voted il out Of the Constitution on the Els
Of December. deny that they could bav'
voted for or against slavery nDder this seized
ue, unless they voted also for the Constltu
ton. Ash have said, nine hundred an,
niDety nine might have gone 10 the polls AM
yotcd Tor or agnins, slavery. and yet hav'
been outyotd by one man, II they voted
against the Con.ti,ution and the one votes
for il. In word, no one who voted sgaIns
the Constitution could vote at all. How
unlair thea, 10 urge that tb0sc who were Of
posed 10 the Consultation, though for O
agaius. slavery, s'ald away from the polu
90 the 2lst Of December, and let the clec
ton 90 by default! Could they hare rae1
al al If they were aga,na the Constitution
Could they be counted for or against SLAYER,
unl,ss they voted for the Constitution p
Why hold the people responsible for not At
tending the polls, when, Il they had attsndef
them, they were no, allowed 10 vote but II
ooe way, not oil allowed TO vote their owl
way. and the minority d one was given tb'
majority Of one over a thousand! DO 70,
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