The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-05-07
DOUGLAS Co., May I'd, 1855

I
I shall nevertheless respond upon some
points sufficiently to make myself under
stood, and thus submit my views to such
criticism as he or any other gentleman
may think applicable to them.
Mr. Heath is in error when he states
that our Legislature has complied with
the provisions of the English Bill" BY
directing a census to be taken. The law
of Congress is explicit in authorizing the
formation Of a State Government and the
election of delegates for that purpose.
",cheneUer and not BEFORE" it is ascertained
by census duly and legally taken, that
the population of said Territory equals
or exceeds the ratio of representation, &c.
Manifestly this requirement of the law
has not been observed, and Kansas is not
yet secure in her right to enter the Amer
ican Union upon the terms hitherto al
lowed to new members of the confedera-
cy. In my judgment, it is premature to
assume, as Mr.. Heath does, that the in
stitutions of the Territory are already
settled beyond controversy. Whatever
necessity, therefore, existed in 1855 for the
Big Springs organization, continues to
operate at the present day, inasmuch as
the objects then ayowed huue not get
been erected.
am not advised whether Mr.. Heath
was, or was not attached to that organi-
zation but as that is the subject of his
criticisms, and as 1 have approved the
principles of the platform adopted at
Big Springs in September, 1855, l beg
of you the favor to insert that document
here in full, emitting the preamble, on
ly for the sake of brevity; the resolutions
are as follows
ResolUe.i, That setting aside all minor
issues Of partisan politics, it is incumbent
tupon us to proffer an organization calcu-
lated to recover our dearest rights, and
into which Democrats and Wings, Native
aud Naturalized citizens may freely enter
without any sacrifice of their respective
political creeds, but without forcing them
as a test upon others. And that, when
we shall have achieved our political free
dom, vindicated our rights of self-govern-
+ ment and become an independent State ii,
the Union, when those issues may become
vital as they are now dormant, it will be
| tip,n nt,1,,Oh - 10 Of ~,
by these tests, the importance of which
we fully recognize in their appropriate
sphere.
Resolcel, That we will oppose and re-
sist all nonresident voters at our polls,
, whether from Missouri or elsewhere, as a
gross violation of our rights, and virtu-
, al disfranchisement of our citizens.
ResolUei, That our true interests social
I ", morally and pecuniarily require that
Kansas should be FREE STATE that
free labor will best promote the happi-
J ness, the rapid population, the prosperity
and the wealth of our people; that slave
labor is a curse to the master and the
community, if not to the slave that our
, country is unsuited to it, and that we
! will devote our energies, as party, to ex-
! clude the institution and to secure fol
Kansas the Constitution of Free State
ReSolrsa, That in so doing we will con-
/, , sent to any fair and reasonable provision
/ in regard to the slaves already in the Ter.
! ritory, which shall protect the masters
J against injustice and total loss.
, Resolved, That the best interests oi
D Kansas require population of free white
men, and that in the State organization
S we are in favor OF stringent laws exclud-
ing all negroes, bond or free, from the
e Territory. That nevertheless such meas.
], ures shall not be regarded as test o
r party orthodoxy.
D ReSolUe9, That the stale and ridiculou.
charge of abolitionism, so industriously
a imputed to the Free State party, and Sc
pertinaciously adhered to, in spite of al
n the evidence to the contrary, is withou
a shadow of truth to support it; and tina
e it is not more apparent to ourselves thar
/. it is to our opponents who use it as tern
of reproach to bring odium upon us, Ire
tending to believe in its truth and hopin!
to frighten from our ranks the weak an,
timid who are more willing to desert tbei
principles than they are to stand up unde
persecution and abuse with conscious
!, ness of right.
Resolred, That we will discounten
n ance and denounce any attempt to en-
croach upon the Constitutional rights o
: the people of any State, or to interfer
y with their slaves, conceding TO their citi
o zens the right to regulate their own insti
), tutions and to hold and recover thei
slaves, without any molestation or CD
struction from the people of Kansas.
Such was the platform, entire and with
out alteration, upon which the Free Stat
party undertook that long and terribl
controversy. which, according to the dis
} tinct avowal of the first resolution, is no
Il yet ended for we have not yet "bccom
9 an Independent State in the Union."-
, Not having been in the Territory in 1855
;. it does not become me to construe tn
obligations assumed by the members 0
b the Free State party upon that celebrates
= occasion. But 1 may say, hope withou
. offense to any one, that / fully concu
/ with those gentlemen who conside
themselves still bound in honor to adher
# to the principles of that organization, IN
/. til by the terms of its platform, the oh
}. jects then proposed shall have been full,
!. accomplished. Those objects are of suf
Hatapk A. = 4
IS ting aside all the minor issues of partizal
!. politics." and still maintaining an organi
!. zation "into which Democrats an,
II Wings, Native and Naturalized citizen
il may freely enter without any sacrifice Q
!. their respective political creeds."
. Recent developments among the Re
publicans of the Territory, would seem +
Indicate that the doctrine of nonnl.r eova