The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-01-30
Kansas Conventions. 9

Conventions are generally supposed to
reflect the will and wishes Of the political
party which they represent. But in Kan
sas this is frequently not the result. The
Convention held at Topeka, June 9th,
1857, passed resolution condemning, in
the strongest terms, and virtually expel-
ling any person from the Free State party
who should suffer himself to be candi-
date for the position of delegate to the
Lecompton Constitutional Convention.-I
This was an unwarrantable and tyranical
piece Of party discipline, and was carried
through by loea5 pressure. The Conven-
tion that assembled at the same place on
the 18th of July, 1857, was influenced
and controlled, to some extent, by the
same local outside influence aud had it
assembled at any other town in the Terri
tory, with the exception of Lawrence, its
action might have been very different
from what it was. The GraSshopper Falls
Convention was truthful exponent of
the Free State party, and gave more gen.
eral satisfaction in its action than either
of the three that had preceded it at To-
peka, during the year. There was moth
ing for the Lawrence Convention of De-
cember I'd, 1857, to do, its assembling
having been rendered unnecessary by the
proclamation of Acting Governor Stanton
convening an extra session of the Terrific
rial Legislature. But even here the out
side pressure went far towards securing
the passage of one Of two resolutions that
were unpopular with the masses, and
would have been defeated had the Con-
vention been held at some other place.
This same body re-assembled at Law
renee December 23d, 1857. The ques-
ton that it was then called upon to de-
eide was almost equivalent to that of
Freedom or Slavery for Kansas. The
fanatical blood and thunder rabble of
Lawrence were on hand to shout them
selves hoarse over every aQusion to the
Topeka Constitution, and every. threat to
fight the United States troops, and every
declaration to smash things generally, and
| thus control the Convention. To do this
it was necessary to make an impression
that the people were opposed to voting by
loudly cheering every speaker who took
that position. And this was successfully
done, and the result was that the Conven-
ton failed to satisfy any respectable por-
ton of the people outside of Lawrence
and Topeka.
The so-ealled Boilers" were aware of
this fact, and also knew that the time was
too limited to call another ConY ention that
would more truthfully reflect the senti-
ments of the people therefore they did
the best thing that could be done under
the circumstances, and nominated a full
ticket; and the triumphant election of
that ticket is full and fair justification
| of that course.
And now we would say that the time
has passed when the outside rabble of
Lawrence or Topeka can control the ac-
ton of Kansas Conventions, and if the
resident politicians of these two places,
wish to know the public sentiment of the
people, they must learn it elsewhere than
in the senseless hurrahs of their Own 10
cal population. They must rid Hem
selves of the idea that Lawrence or To-
peka is Kansas, and Kansas is Lawrence
or Topeka. And when they do this, they
will save themselves from many a stupid
blunder and ridiculous position. When
they cease to control the representatives
of other portions of the Territory, but to
tolerate and permit fair expression Of
the viii and wishes of the people of all
sections of Kansas, there will be much
better feeling and harmony prevailing in
the ranks of the Free State party than
there has been in the past-Kansds
Leader.