The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-10-01
Tn. re., Of oiazau.hip

Ion. F. P. STANTON, the question was Il
sked, "Who are to be the people under e
he Wyandott Constitution ?" This, in d
act, is the most important question to il
lin, as he says. 81 would not consent to t
inter- voluntarily into an organization upon
IN equality with the inferior races. Ac- c
,ordingly, if this Constitution, as has been
places negroes and mulattoes up
IN an equal footing with the whites, l
would be compelled to vote against it."
Mr.. Stanton is devout believer in the
Dred Scott decision, and pins his faith to
Judge Taney's sleeves, hence he believes
that no negro or mulatto can be recognized
as an American citizen. The principal
reason urged for such definition of the
term "citizen" is that free negroes and
mulattoes have not been allowed to vote
or hold Office. This has been proven
more than once to be untrue. The Re-
publican party has denied its correctness
and opposed the Drsd Scott decision
Least of all have Kansas Republicans any |
respect for Judge Taney's extra-judicial
decision. They reach the hight of their
ambition when they can throw back in
the teeth of the Federal Government any
law it may pass, or dictum it may an
nounce. They now clamor for ajudiciary
of their own, not dependent on the Fede-
raj Government for Pay, or on Judge Ia
ney for legal decisions. The equality of
the State Supreme Court with the q. S.
Supreme Court is one of the day-dreams
of the leading Republicans of Kansas
They honor the Judiciary of Wisconsin
for setting aside Judge Taney's opinion.
apnulling the Fugitive Slave law, and re-
fusing an appeal to the Supreme Court of
the United States. Place NJ. F. Conway
and W. A. Phillips on the bench of the
Supreme Court in the State of Kansas,
and Judge Taney's opinions will be
scorned, as the Republican press now scorn
the decisions of the Federal Judges
Judge Taney's misrepresentation as to the
status of the African race will be exposed,
and the position taken that neither color
nor seq are distinctive tests of citizenship,
if the past course of the aspirants for
liudgeships is indicative of their future.
With an ultra Republican Supreme
Court, and Legislature imbued with the
same spirit, there is nothing in the way
of statute declaring certain classes o.
mulattoes to be Unite citizens, and there
fore entitled to the right of suffrage.
What Mr.. Stanton, who swears by
; Judge Taney, would decide is one thing
, the decision of Judge Phillips, who woult
l consider his opinion as of equal authorit.
with that of Judge Taney, is quite anoth
er affair. Mr.. Stanton must be sure tina
the Republican party will indorse tn
bred Scott decision before he speaks con
fidently as to what meaning will be give
II by the Supreme Court of Kansas to tn
: terms "white" and "citizens of the Unite
States"
The Constitution confers equality, i
school privileges, on the African race
J 1t does not prohibit negroes or mulattoe
from being made witnesses against whit
: men, or jurors; it places them on the sam
e level with the whites in the spportior
: ment of representatives, and leaves
u loop-hole open for the Legislature and tn
u Courts to permit mulattoes with less tina
( half African blood to vote. The votin
privileges which may be conferred, al
e not granted in manly and straightfol
+ ward manner, as they should have beel
e by men who denounce the bred Scott d.
l. cision, and are subject to be granted b
1t one Legislature and withheld by its SUI
o. cessor, to be guaranteed by one set
J. Judges and denied by their SUCCESSORS
m This is placing the tight of suffrage tt
lie much at the mercy of partisans. We cri
or icised the Constitution because it pandert
ID to false prejudice in retaining the wort
Il "white male" in the suffrage article, th,
p violating the principle of equal rights f
w which Republicans clamor so loudl
ne We have given our view of the righ
W it does confer on "the subject race, in Il
course of criticism of the positions of Il
m defenders of the Wyandott Constitution
TO- yet, we have not opposed it, because
u contained partial recognition, even,
at the equal rights of the African race
ed Kansas. If anti-slavery men vote for
ne because they may take advantage of
cd evasions to guarantee civil equality to t
African race, it is their own matter. T
D. Constitution, like the Osawatomie pls
nd form, faces both ways on the "negr
gn question.