| Show from the y X T Y tribune dla Dia dialogue logne between a freestate free state man and gov walker lawrence july 24 1857 I 1 yesterday asked gov walker do you consider us in voting for the topeka constitution at the august election as assuming a position a antagonistic agonistic lit tit to the united states gov ern ment go gov walker that election ia is either a wicked and arid iniquitous farce or a reality it is and insurrectionary setting up tip a against the territorial government As such my duty and oath of office require me to put a stop to 0 o it I 1 must and will do it I 1 went to topeka when ivhon that legislature was in session and requested them not to enact laws they concluded not to except to take the census and memorialize congress I 1 have no object objection ign to either of those proceed proceedings ng I 1 admit the right of petition free state man alan abut but sir I 1 regard the action of the people in voting for and lind presenting hig fig to adri congress L re ss that constitution as in substance maurig the petition that kansas be admitted as a hl sit fit state ate gov W nothing nothing of the kind sir they a remer ely cly making agitation for political purposes to forward their nefarious schemes and ruin the democratic parly party most of the northern papers have commit commuted ed them thom themselves seles in in my favor in the very intelligent city of N york but one paper the N Y tribune remains in favor of the topeka movement there has been an immens immense e failing falling off of your republican party sir this lawrence movement is an usurpation of government produced for the purpose of killing me politically and electing a black republican president in 1860 it is done by a f faction action in lawrence who obey the orders of abolitionists and abolition societies at the north such men as those who abo manage the mie tribune the great fountain head of the mischief they can ran have no hope of being admitted with the topeka constitution it is impossible F S af albut but sir many of us think we have a well grounded hope of being admitted under it as we expect to poll an overwhelming majority of the settlers in its favor our int intentions tent ions lons are not treasonable we merely express our sentiments through the ballot box we make no colli collision 8 lo 10 n avit with h the laws of the united states we intend to vote in october under united states law which we should not do if we previously aimed to supersede it gov W you have no hope whatever bever sir ill in that constitution this congress is 19 opposed to you you should wait and vote on the tae constitution now about being framed your people of lawrence have tried trieb three times to provoke me to bring the troops here first they refused to be assessed second they rei fused to hold a delegate election in june took possession of the polls and prevented the citizens flom from from voting M and now have refused to accept a charter from the Terri territorial territory tori torl 1 legislature but have formed a city government themselves an act of rebellion against aminat the government an and d laws which must be suppressed your people under pretense of removing dead horses and cats from the streets have taken the positron ejon of rebels against the government of the united states and arid actually compelled me to come here with the troops the sheriff has made the assessment without valtia dation tion as he had a leg legal alright right to do F S AL 1113 but tit sir we hold that people ought not to be taxed without representation we have not been represented in the territorial legislature we regard the payment of this tax as contributing money to usurpers usurp ers to provide berovide fetters for our limbs we regard ringing braingin althe the troops here as a pro slavery mea sare sure farej calculated to make unnecessary ag agitation gi tation both here and in the states to make political capital for certain leaders and I 1 retard letard northern emigration in june many of us were not registered and consequently dis franchised I 1 was not a voter no census having been taken in my neighborhood gov W silent for a few moments nio ments your topeka constitution is an n imposition upon the people sir it contains a pro provision vinon guaranteeing the property right in all slaves now in the territory but it is done covertly why not openly avow if F S M that clause proves that we are not robbers that we are disposed to regard the property right to the few slaves now here but which will doubtless be removed by their owners before this becomes a free state it cannot be done donel covertly if as you assert the face of the instrument shows it gov W now assumed the attitude of champion of the constitutional convention declared it to be bi the hope object and aim of abolitionists that they should frame a very ultra co constitution in order that the national democrats may mar be driven into opposition and thus elect a black republican president in 1860 but their expectation will ivill probably be disappointed he made the charge unheard of before that the Y freestate free ree state men at previous elections have voted by proxy one man throwing awen ty hive five or twenty six votes and throughput ut a three houra hours c n sh bl himself myself the shrewd wary war y politician rather fehlin hah ohp statesman nian he also aiso reiterated d his former promises that thit thie bilot harlot box box bax should be restored res torea to the people in I this he lie lle appears al to be sni cere cene r i i I 1 drew dr ei his hii attention n to t the fact f i that a scoy jacow ardly and brutal attempt to assassinate in me e had recently been made by a territorial officer in the presence of a united states commissioner also justice of the peace who refused me a warrant for his bis arrest and a bogus sheriff present declined to take the ruffian into custody I 1 asked the governor what means I 1 now non possess for legal ic te iress dress he frankly acknowledged that lie he did not know how walker could suppose a provola provocation tio existed to bring the troops here oil on account of the refusal of the people to be assessed when as he be asserts the sheriff had legal right to in make ake the assessment ent with without out val valuation nation I 1 leave him to explain but I 1 boldly assert that the people here hero did not prevent the opening of the pois the fact was nobody wanted the election enough to act as its judges gov W makes a prominent point in his case of the assertion that the city charter requires the city officers to take oath to support the topeka constitution this charge is not founded I 1 the form forth of oath is 13 similar to that in use in several of the states arid and bind the officer to I 1 support the constitution of the united states and of this state the expression of this state is is perfectly harmless as it campot cannot be expected uld nid arid arld is is not intended to contain any atal ital itai forc force e until this become ea aa state and vill will then of course apply to any constitution under which kansas in may ay be admitted I 1 dare him to his proof that any freestate free state mariever mari ma never ever voted in in E kansas ansas by pro proxy axy whether Wal kerwill fulfill his threat of putting a stop to the election is 13 a matter of much doubt |
