The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-10-24


Room of the remocra,ic Association Of e.y~.worth,
IE~yENwoETn CRY, X. 7 sept 20, lsG0.
To the People of the United States:
Rgmors OF positive nature having been in
circulation in this Territory during the last two
years, attributng to Hon. Stephen A. Douglas
United States Senator from Illinois, course OF
conduct in regard to the Lecompton COnstitu-
tion, involving his sinceritysto the country, his
fidelity to the Democratic party, and his honor
as a gentleman, Lewis Burnes, Esq, President
of the Democratic Association of Leavenworth,
addressed several members of the Association,
with the view of obtaining authentic information
on the subject, to ascertain if the facts would
Justify an extended and formal inquiry. That
correspondence is given below under proper
caption.
The information impaired to Mr.. Burnes in the
correspondence, was deemed sufficient to author
ize an investigation, designed to be made public,
and the undersigned were, at meeting OF the
Association, chosen committee to conduct the
inquest and submit the result to the consdera
ton Of the American people.
We have sought to discharge this dsagreea-
bic, We may say painful duty, with the impair
tiality and completeness becoming us as citizens
regarding our own regulations as depending up
on the aspect in which our conduct in this in-
quiry shall appear to our cOuntrymen. 1t has
been our aim 10 draw out the truth, and the
whole truth. We have, therefore, addressed
every member Of the Lecompton Constitution
whose residence We could discover, and several
gentlemen who were not in the Convention,
without reference to the past or present political
asseveratOn or predictions of either. Whilst
acquainted with the present political sentiments
of but very few of those with whom We have
communicated, of those few as many are sup.
porters of Mr. Douglas as are supporters of Mr..
Rrecknridge. And we feel it due to ourselves
to mention the former: They are Mr.. Doniphan,
Mr. Diefendorf, General Whitfield, Mr.. Fain, and
| Mr.. Jones. 1t will be observed, that with the
exception of Mr. Doniphan, they are all silent.
! Below We give in full, under a descriptive
heading, the questions We put and the answers
we received. We do not think we assume too
much in saving there is fearful weight of eyi.
| dence against Mr.. Douglas. We give the case
| to YOU without argument. Citizens here, citi-
zens one hundred and fifty miles West, citizens
| fifty miles South, citizens hundred miles East,
with unfailing accuracy, with solitary excep'
ton, contribute to the ndubitable establishment
of the fact that Nr. Douglass suggested to The
late John Calhoun the form of Submission de-
termined upon by the Lecomptcn Convention,
and pledged himself to support 1t u. Congress
| Inc fcttef as pTOteu 70 mare Ott't tn b' poeScc
sion of John Calhoun himself, to hare been IN
the possession of his family ctter he's deccase
and TO hare been made an object Of traffic.
For reasons which will readily suggest them
selves to every thinking person, We have no
made any inquiry of the widow of General Cal
houn. We leave it to Mr.. Douglas to apply t.
that source for ms vindication, If vindicatOn h
shall enter upon.
FRED. EMORY Chairman,
WM G. MATTHIAS,
DANIEL SCULLY,
Z. DYER,
JOHN w. HENRY.