The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-05-14
Era Staia Party Ra.nr1anizad :

ED. S. NASH.
Free State Party Rs-organized!
Agreeably to the published call of a
large number of the citizens of Kansas, a
Delegate Convention of the FREE STATE
party of Kansas, who sustained the plat
form of the party adopted in 1856, and
who were in favor of rsdeeming their
pledges, and perpetuating the organiza-
ton until its ends were fully accom-
plished, and we were admitted State into
the Union with free Constitution, met
at Big SPRINGS on the 18th of May inst.
The Convention was called to order BY
Judge G. w. SMITH, who, in brief
speech, stated the objects of the assemblage
and the motives which actuated those who
had called it, and the ends to be attain
ed. He said it was characteristically
meeting of the OLD GUARD OF FREEDOM in
Kansas, an assembly of those who had
pledged themselves, and all they had,
and all they hoped for, to secure to them
selves and posterity, and to the future
State Of Kansas, the blessings of self gov
ernment and of free institutions. Those
who had been instrumental in calling
other Conventions, and were laborlng to
organize other parties in Kansas, had
come here after the struggle was all over,
and after the danger had passed, and
were now striving to wrest from that par
ty and those men who had endured the
burden and sustained the losses, all the
honors to which they were entitled. For
himself, he had resolved to abide by his
solemn pledges to the end, and he was
fully satisfied such was the case with the
masses. 1t was your uneasy politicians
who wanted Office, and who saw no way
of getting it through the Free State party,
who had gone out from that party, and
were trying to organize others, with the
design of being leaders in them, and there
by securing place and position, which in
duced them thus to act. He looked for a
rebuke to those men from the people,
and he was sure they would get it, and it
was due the pioneer party of Freedom in
Kansas to have the honor of aiding in
overwhelming them with defeat.
The Judge closed his remarks by mov-
ing :hat RoBT. RIDDLE, Esq, of Jefferson
county, who had acted an important part
throughout our protracted struggle, and
who had the honor. with others, of rep
resentiug the 10th district in the Con-
vention Of 1855, be President of the Con-
vention. Carried.
l. n. ROBERTS, Esq, of Shawnee coun-
ty, and G. w. SMITH, Esq, of Douglas
county, were elected Vice Presidents and
II. S. BoSNIFIELD, of Big Springs, and G.
W. BRowN, of Lawrence, were elected
! Secretaries.
On motion. it was
Resolrei, That all persons in attendance
sympathzing with the views Of those
who called this Convention, and who was
in favor of perpetuating the Free State
party as such, until we are State in the
Union. be invited to participate in the
proceedings of this Convention.
Hon. F. P. STANTON moved that a
committee of seven be appointed on reso-
lutions, which was adopted, and the chair
man announced the following gentlemen
on said committee F. P. Stanton. NJ
S. Bounifeld and H. Hiatt, Douglas
county; W. Y. RoBERrs, Wyandott coun.
ty: VIM. NJ. Jourdan and C. B. Clements
Shawnee county; j. D. Cody, Jefferson
county.
While the committee were absent
Judge SMITH wss called for, who enter.
tanned the Convention with a very inter.
esting speech in regard to the early his.
tory of the Free State party, its struggle.
and sacrifices, its opposition from the
federal executives, and the attempt tc
Override the settlers by outside and Con.
lgressional interference in our affairs. HI
said that just before the organization o.
the Free State party, a Legislature, elect
ed by Missouri votes, and by men wht
had usurped our franchises, had closed it
session. They had passed code of law
designed our for enslavement Instead o
Extending the blessings Of liberty" a
the federal Constitution had contemplat
ed, they had labored to extend the area o
] slavery, and BY special laws had convert
edfree born citizens Of the American Re
public into the worst kind Of slaves. Tn,
! press had been manacled, and free speecl
and free thought had been prohibited b,
law. To repudiate and throw of this un
1 just legislation, and to organize a part,
/ which, would perpetuate the principles Q
! freedom. was the object ofthoss who as
sembled here near four years ago. By al
1 most superhuman effort we had succeede,
! in Wrestling the forms Of law from sh
iusurpeSs. and aftsr thrss yssD ssrussl