The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-08-13
Jus,lcs 10 the Negro.

|
ger" question, as they facetiously style it,
They recognized negro equality and they
didn't. But they tickle themselves that
they put the Democrats on the record to
their disadvantage. Yet they claim that
theiz Constitution is freedom loving in
every sentence" 1t is just to the negro,
because it permits him to immigrate to
Kansas, to be schooled, and when infrm
to be supported at the expense of the
State.
How the Republicans came to this con-
clusion is developed in the following ex-
tracts from the correspondence of the
Pittsburgh Dispatch:
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION HALL,l
Wyandott, K. T., July II, 80. : !
EDIToRs DISPATCH The Republican
caucus last evening had under discussion |
the question of the exclusion of free ne
groes from the future State Of Kansas. |
No course of action had been decided |
upon when the caucus adjourned, but the
expression of opinion on the subject was
most decided. OF the thirty. FIVE Repub-
licaus in the Convention, there is but one
who is what is called "b!ack law'' man.
All the other members of the caucus ex-
pressed themselves inveterately and I'M
compronisingly hostile to the insertion in
the Constitution Of any provision so man
ifestly urjust to humanity and so at va
rance with the laws of nature. The SEN
timents expressed were noble, and indi-
cate that the Republican party of the
State will be true to tho early promise of
the Free State party of the Territory
true TO their friends in the States, who
aided and sympathized with them during
their long aud bloody struggle against the
combined powers of federal aud border
ruflianisrn, and true to humanity. The
one exception to the general rule is that
of a gentleman from one of the slave
States. This man was one of the most
active and efficient members of the Free
State party during the troubles which ex-
listed in the Territory, and has done good
work for the cause-of substantial kind.
+
Several propositions were made to the
caucus, in the shape of policy, to escape
from the responsibility Of the question,
such as to refer the matter separately to
vote of the people, ETC.; but it is not
possible that any of these policy move
ments will obtain much favor with the
stern and incorporating advocates OF
the principles OF the party. If this I'M
fortunate course of policy should by any
mischance be adopted, you may strike
Kansas from the roll of Republican States.
Such course would Inevitably insure
the defeat of the Republican State ticket
at the coming fall election. 1t would do
this because the party would lose the
sympathy of those who are now its most
ardent supporters, and because the COM
promise of principle that such course
would indicate would not secure one vote
among that low class of persons who cher
ish the most absurd and villainous preiu-
dices as principles.
So, as a matter of stern principle, the
Republican delegates refused TO exclude
free negroes. They recognize the negro
as u man, and entitled to the rights of our
common humanity. To prohibit him from
coming into the State, owning property,
or having the full benefits of common
schools, and of benevolent institutions,
were ''odious attempts of the Democracy
to incorporate wicked and iphuman pro-
visions into the Constitution, for Danish
ing and brutaliziug innocent mon and
women"
Every right except those of voting and
holding Office are accorded to the colored
manipulating him in this respect almost
on an equality with the foreigner. Why
did they not give him the right of suf-
frage? The Convention started out with
the assertion that "All political power is
inherent in the people"-not in white male
citizens, twenty-oae years of age, and for
eigners who have declared their inten-
ton to be citizens--"and all free govern
ments are founded on their authority, and
are instituted for their equal protection
and benefit" If the negro be man, and
entitled to the rights of manhood, his
right to come to Kansas, to own proper
ty here, and TO claim the protection of
law, involves necessarily the right to
WELD portion of that political power
inherent in himself to vote and to hold
Office. To deny him these political rights
is to deny his manhood-to degrade and
brutalize him--to Cypress him by tax
ing his property and holding him amena-
bic to laws which he has never had an
opportunity to give his assent to or dis
sent from. The most uneducated white
men, the most drunken, debauched and
unprincipled white villains who escape
conviction under general amnesty act,
or by legal blunders or defects of legal
process, are qualified electors, and there
fore qualified to 6ll any Office under the
new Constitution; but the colcred man,
ever so talented or so good, is told to
stand aside. He has no voice in the en-
actment or sanction Of laws-the high
privilege of holding Office is withheld
from him-he is but an inferior to the
most worthless white. Such is the posi-
ton assigned to the colored man, by the
men who lay great stress on having been
"true to the throbbing impulses of the
popular heart"
The miserable hypocrites who are
Haunting their cwn praises about their
devotion to the negro, had neither the
principle or the courage to give the black
man his rights. We can give them cred
1t, IN voting down the black law provision,
for merely fishing to secure the anti-slav-