The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-08-04
Constitution of Kansas,

The Convention called to frame Constitu
ton for Kansas, has completed its labors and
adjourned. The history Of Kansas, has been
an eVsnttul one; during the past five years there
has been waged fierce contest between free
dom and slavery indeed ever since the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise, which repeal was
designed to open the way for the introductio n
of slavery in new territory the people have been
menaced and kept in disquietude by the minions
Of slavery until quite recently. The slavery
propagandists, 'backed by the strong arm OF
the Federal government, sought to force the
peculiar institution upon the soil of that Terri
tory. Legislatures elected by hordes of fraudu-
lent voters from Missouri, assumed to enact
laws the most infamous aud these laws were
attempted to be enforced on the people by Uni
ted States troops. Governors of the Territory,
were repeatedly removed from Office by the
National Administration, and others appointed
for no other cause than refusing'or evading the
execution oflaws, enacted by bogusLegislature
In short, whatever has been in the power of
democratic administration to make Kan.
sas a slave State, has been done. But freedom
thus far has triumphed, in spite of Pres identiaI
mandates, United States Judges, and Federal
bayonets.
The new constitution for Kansas, re-enacts
the slavery prohibition of the ordinance of 1887
in words following =
"Sec 6. There shall be no slavery in this
State, and no involuntary servitude, unless
Tor the punishment of crime whereof the parties
shall have been duly convicted"
Thus after all the pains taking of the great
pro-savery democratic party, to repeal the Mis-
souri, Compromise, and remove the barriers
whichhad been erected against the encroachment
OF slavery; the Jeffersonian Ordinance of free
dom, lenuncated by our forefathers, in respect
to all the then existing territory of the United
States, northeast of the river Ohio has been
incorporated in the Constitution of Kansas
Had Congress adopted such an Ordinance ten
years ago in regard to our Western Territory
the prolonged and bloody strifes in Kansas
would never have occurred. Or had Congress
never repealed the Missouri Compromise, Kan.
sas would have been saved from the troubles
which have marked its history Nevertheless the
cause of free labor, after protracted struggles
with enemies at home and at Washington, has
gained the ascendency
The new Constitution OF Kansas has vet TO
be submitted to the people, before it becomes
the fundamental law of the State there is yet
one more ordeal for the people to pass through,
before free labor shall be permanently establish
ed, and slavery forever excluded. The demo-
cratic members ofthe lateC constitutional Conven.
ton, have refused to sign the new Constitution,
and it is understood that vigorous attempt
will be made by the pro-slavery party of Kan
sas, to defeat the adoption of it. So there
remains to be made one more effort by the pro-
slavery interest, supported perhaps as
heretofore, by the influence of the Administra-
ton, and recruited for tho emergency by fresh
volunteer voters from Missouri. The negro in
terest will not relinquish its last chance inlKan-
sas without desperate fight; the slave power
has heretofore been so accustomed to triumph
in all great contests, involving northern and
southern interests, that it will not yield in this
instance, while there remains the slightest hope
of defeating free labor in Kansas. That an
attempt will be made to prevent the admission
of Kansas, by ultraists at the next session of
Congress, IS quite probable, but it cannot
succeed. Such palpable injustice, would not be
likely to find favor with the majority of Congress
in either House. The democracy have already
found it too losing business, to trAe with
the rights of the people of Kansas in the Halls
of Congress; they cannot afford any further
depletion of their ranks, by insane efforts to
crush out freedom.