Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-09-17
JUDGE CoNwAY'S LETTER.

Hon. NJ. I. Conway, of Kansas, says, in
the Lawrence Republican, that The Lcaven-
worth Constitution was formed by Convcn-
ton authorized by an Act of the Legisla-
laturc, submitted to the people, and approved
by them that it will be submitted to Con-
gress, as the Act provides, with the forma'
prayer adopted by the Convention for the
admission of Kansas to the Union, and with
an official statement Of the votes cast on its
adoption. As the Republicans will, of course,
favor it, it will remain with the party of the
Administration whether the people of Kansas
shall be repulsed again or not.
He goes on to say that, " except to make
Kansas II Slave State, there never was any
motive with the dominant party to keep us
out Of the Union This is true, but this
purpose is not given up yet.
In regard to National politics Judge Con-
way says
In Federal Politics, under existing circum-
stances, | am Republican. Although born
and raised in the South, and trained to I'M
varying fcalty to the Democratic party, / was
never an advocate of Slavery. gathered my
lessons of Democracy from the precepts of
| Jefferson, Madison and Monroe and their
| illustrous compeers-thc original founders
of the Democratic party. From them learn
ed that Slavery was an institution entirely
| local, pertaining to the Statcs--a bad insti-
tuition withal-to be done away with by the
States in which it existed. at an early day.
From them learned that the Federal Gov
crnment had no responsibility for or connec-
ton with Slavery, any more than for and
with any State institution and that it was
bound to protect it, if at all, only incidental
ly, in protecting the general sovereignty OF
the States Until became Il citizen of Kan
sas and bchcld from this standpoint the
course of the Democratic party with respect
to Slavery, | sincerely believed this to be the
position it occupied. Since then have been
induced to direct my attention more fully t.
the matter and have found out that, fol
forty years, the General Government has beer
covcrtly, as well as openly, used by the
leaders of the Democratic party to advance
and strengthen the institution of Slavery
that, after the annexation of Texas, the party
was stepped in this iniouitv: and that, since
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, it ha
become thoroughly and irrcdeemably de
bauchcd.
Its doctrine now is. that Slavery exists il
virtue of the Constitution of the United States
Although long attached to the Democrat;
party, from sentiment as well as conviction
with this degrading record before me, | re
nouncc all fellowship with it. As long a
the Slavery question, in any of its phases
shall constitute the matter at issue between
the national parties, so long will be compel
led to be against it. But as | am agains
the Democratic party, so | am with the Re
publican party-because the latter, in tn
matter Of Slavery, occupies ground direct.
opposite of that maintained by the former
The Republican party stands where the orig
inal Democracy stood, with Jefferson, Madi
son, and the rest. 1t regards Slavery as be
longing to the States in which it exists, to b
disposed of by them as they sec fit. 1t regard
the Federal Government as having nothing
whatsoever to do with it. And it aims t
bring the nation back on this subject, to tn
old landmarks of tie fathers. As long a
Slavery is the issue in national politics. yor
may set me down for Republican.