The Smoky Hill and Republican union., 1864-03-05
CAN IT BE PREVENTED

CAN IT BE PREVENTED!
The Leavenworth organ of the man who deals
in - whisky by the barrel. half barrel. keg and
bottle" asks how the bogus Senator. Carney, can
be prevented from taking his seat if a majority
Of the next State Senate shall r.fuse to go into
Joint Convention for legal election of q success
sor of General Lane? Sure enough, how can
the people of Kansas prevent the consummation
of this fraud upon their rights? The organ
seems to think the question poser. 1t knows
the whisky dealer has the money" and as
money has, thus far, been omnipotent in the
purchase of legislative votes, it thinks it will
prove equally potent in the future. We differ
with it. We heard question very like this
propounded and answered on similar subject
II was in the winter Of 1888, when old John
Calhoun and his man Mclean were snugly
ensconced in the St. George Hotel at Weston, in
the State Of Missouri, manufacturing returns of
the election which had been held in Kansas for
officers under the Lecompton Constitution. 1t
was known unoficially that the Free State can
didates had been elected by several thousand
majority. and that il Congress should ratify the
Lecompton Constitution, the Representative in
Congress, the Governor, both branches of the
Legislature, and all the judicial officers of the
new State. would be anti slavery. This was a
contingency not foreseen by the then swindlers
and conspirators. To avert this calamity to the
pro slavery cause, Calhoun removed his quarters
from Leconpton to Weston, and with the aid of
Mclean. Jo Carr, Frank Marshall, Jack Hen
4 i II II of
"retrrns" from Kicapoo, Delaware Crossings,
Oxford, &C., as q pretext for announcing the
success of the pro ro-slavery candidates. 1t was
whilst they Were so engaged that the question to
which We have referred was asked. If Calhoun,
who is authorized by the Lecompton Consttu-
tion to receive and canvass the vote, and declare
the result shall declare the pro-slavery candi-
dates elected, how are you going to prevent their
taking charge of the Government. and running
it until 1865, in the interests of slavery? The
sagacious men who Propounded the question
flattered themselves that they were asking one
difficult Of answer. They were mistaken. The
answer was smple-so simple that it is surpris-
ing that the then swindlers did not themselves
see it. 1t WAS this: The people of Kansas have
by their votes elected Judge Smith Governor,
and majority of both branches of the Legisla
ture are Free State; if, by virtue of fraudulent
returns, Frank Marshall, and q majority of pro-
ture and if they shall dare to present themselves
at Lecompton for the purpose of assuming the
duties of the Offices, they will be hanged, every
scoundrel of them, hanged by the neck until
they are dead. dead. A mass meeting will as
semble at Lecompton on the day fixed in the
bogus Constitution, whose single motto will be,
No quarters to conspirators against the iber-
ties of the people usurpers of their rights, but
death and damnation to them, one and allr
Calhoun and his candidates quailed. They
dared not proceed. Immersed as Mr.. Carney
was at that time in the immense whisky COM
merce of Leavenworth, he may have been un-
conscious of the patriotic electricity blazing
all about him, and unable to appreciate the
lesson of that hour. If SO. it might profit him to
use some of his money in employing some
one to read to him the history of the State which
he aspire to represent in the United States Sen
ate. 1t is not only full of moving and dramatic
interest but it ought to impress even upon the
most stolid the fact that the people Of Kansas,
from 1854 to 1860 were neither slaves, menials, !
or towards. They are pretty much the same |
people yet. They love their State. democratic
principles, freedom. truth. honor. honesty, and |
fair dealing. They despiss sham patriots, fus-
tan fools. and sycophants. Aud they hate
Oh, how they hate all men. great or small,
who seek by force. or by fraud, cunning, bribery
and corruption, to wrest from thea single one
Of those rights Of personal liberty and selfgov.
ernment, which they inherit as the birthright Of
every American citizen. The old fires are not
The men who would not be
slaves in 81 will not be in "a. The answer
given then will be given now. If the people at
Ihe next election decide against this conspiracy /
and fraud, and corrupted State Senate inter
poses to thwart the decision. the lamp posts Of
Topeka will groan with the careaeses Of recreant
but defunct Senators. There will be . mass
meeting held in Topeka about the second Tues
law Of January, 1865, and wo! vol to the
r.stor who sets himself up against the rights Of
he people Of Kansas.