The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-04-16
Letter from Hon. F. P. Stanton.
LEcoMPToN, Apr. II, 80.

LEcoMPToN, apr. IL, 'oS.
G. W. BRowN, ESQ. DEAR SIR =
Yours of the 9th inst. was received yes
terday.
1 have had. little time to consider the
important subject upon which you seem
desirous of eliciting my views. But it
has not been customary with me to con-
ceal my views. and can, therefore. have
no objection to stating them briefly, al
though l may-not claim for them the
weight to which thu results of matured
reflection would be entitled.
Youa are not mistaken in surprising that
1 cOncede the point that Kansas Will be
free State. l go further, and admit that
her best interests require the exclusion OF
slavery from her borders. Ny experience
Of this climate has convinced me that the.
Territory is better suited to free labor, aud
that the prosperity Of the community will
be greatly promoted by adopting that
system. In exercising her undoubted
right to become free State, it does not
follow that Kansas will thereby indicate
hostility to the institutions of any existing
State, or to the fundamental principles Of
State sovereignty, upon which our great
confederacy is founded. She will but
claim her rightful equality in the Union,
disdaining to enter it upon any terms
which would deny to her the supreme
control Other own local and domestic in
stitutions.
It ought not to be forgotten that Kan
sas now rests under the odious discrimi-
nation affixed upon her BY the terms Of
the Act of Congress, passed on the 4th
day of May last usually known as the
English law. By the provisions of that
Act she was authorized 10 enter the
Union with the Lecompton Constitution
while, If she should reject that fraudulent
and hated instrument, she was subjected
to conditions which have not heretofore
been required of any other new State, and
which were, doubtless, intended to OBJ
struct and delay her admission. To tn.
eternal honor Of the people of Kansas
they refused to enter the American
Union as a sovereign State, with consti.
tuition not of their own choice, although
it was sanctioned by the Federal Govern.
ment, and attempted to be enforced by al
the powers of an administration falsely
claiming TO be democratic. Kansas in
dignantly rejected the offer of power aut
independence, which would have beer
obtained only by sacrifice of popula
rights, and by gross violation of tn,
principles of the Union into which sh,
was invited to enter. She has the glor.
of having contributed to the preservation
of the Federal Constitution, by spurnin,
the advantage which she might have de
, rived from disregard Of its most sacre,
provisions.
In the Organization of parties in thi
Territory, (and 1 believe, also, in til
Union these important facts cannot b
overlooked. You are right in supposin
: that I am not prepared to join the Re
publican party, but, at the same time,
feel compelled to say that, without
complete reorganization, and an utte
> Abandonment of the heresies and treache
!, ries OF the Buchanan administration,
. cannot CO. operate with the so-called Dem
. ocratic party. The principle of populs
. sovereignty-the right of the people {
d any State ofthis confederacy. old or new
, to adopt or reject proposed constitution
: and TO determine the character of the
g own institutions-is SO fundamental in il
$ connection With all my notions of Demot
!, racy, that I cannot recognize the legit
G macy Of that organization which could d.
t liberately violate that principle.
: Kansas is not yet State of the Uniol
r Her admission may be opposed on Ii
S ground of her failure to comply with tho:
q humiliating prerequisites which, it cannc
o be denied, were adopted by those VII
9 claimed to represent the Democratic pa
: ty. In this state of things, can the Den
It ocrats of Kansas blindly unite themsely'
: to the party which has heretofore thl
: sought to degrade tho Territory, ar
I, which may hereafter insist upon mali
n tanning ard enforcing that Act of degr
# dation :? Until Kansas shall become
o State, we can have no direct agency in Il
:, government of the Union, and no eficie
/; power in politics, 1t is no part of our d,
i ty-it is not even our privilege-to pa
e ticipate in the management of federal a
e fairs. Why, then, should we busy ou
= selves in preparing for contests in whic
n possibly, we shall not be able to engage
+ all? Our first and most important inte
e est is to secure the acknowledgement
q our rights-to undo the wrong which h
5, been. done and to vindicate the princip
o of popular sovereignty which has been
e shamefully violated in our own recent hi
d tory. The Republican party has n
], heretofore professed to favor that primo
. pie; and the Democrats, while professir
d it, have utterly disregarded it in the
!, treatment of Kansas. and some of the
If are even now, proposing Congressional il
. tervention, in tho shape Of laws for Il
9 protection Of slavery in the Territories.
Q You will readily infer from what ha'
. already written, that ] am opposed to Il
}. organization Of parties in this Teuitor
= upon the political questions which .
2 discussed in the States. 1t is by no meal
% certain that the presept ORGANIZATIONS vi