A 2 name is on that census list. They might employ, under this power, Stringfellow, Jones, and Donaldson, to go out and take the census of the people—making such a list as would suit their purposes, and secure the success of the border ruffians in their crusade in behalf of Slavery. But, even if the list was a fair one, what security have you that a fresh invasion would not be effected, or that armed men would not go to the polls, seize upon the ballot-boxes by force, and drive away the legal voters of the Territory by violence, as has been done in every election heretofore held in the Territory? The penalty fixed in this substitute for illegal voting would not prevent it, for it is simply a fine not to exceed a certain sum of money. Should a Slavery propagandist be brought before Judge Lecompte, charged with illegal voting, who believes that, when the penalty is not to exceed five hundred dollars, it will exceed six cents ? Who believes that the penalty would ever be fairly enforced under such an administration of law as exists in Kansas ? A Judge who orders the destruction of public buildings, printing presses, and private dwellings of respectable citizens, as nuisances, on the mere finding of a grand jury, is not to be trusted with the rights of American freemen. But, sir, there is some encouragement for the friends of Freedom in Kansas in the propositions which have been submitted within a few days in this Hall and in the Senate. It is, that the ground taken in the early part of the session with respect to Kansas is abandoned by the men who resisted the appointment of any committee to investigate the transactions in that Territory, alleging that no frauds or violence had been committed ; and even if there had, this House had no power to control or redress them. Propositions for settling the troubles in Kansas, and professedlv to prevent the repetition of the wrongs and injustice perpetrated upon her people, are now made by those who strenuously opposed the appointment of that committee, and justified or apologized for the wrongs which their report exposes ; and the ground taken in the opening of the session, that Kansas must have a population of ninety-three thousand four hundred and twenty before she could be authorized to form a State Constitution, is abandoned on all sides. That was really the only plausible objection that could be made to her immediate admission; and that yielded, what objection can there be, save that her Constitution prohibits Slavery? The power of Congress to admit new States is conferred in section three, article four, of the Constitution, in these words: “ New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union.” The time, mode, and manner, of admission, is therefore left entirely to the discretion of Congress. The proposition is now to admit her as a State into the Union, after taking a census, without regard to the number of inhabitants. Why delay her admission, then, for the taking of a census, when it is proposed to admit her, whatever her population may be? I appeal to every gentleman who proposes to admit the State of Kansas^ I after the taking of a census, without regard to the number of her inhabitants, why not admit her at once, and put an end to all these troubles? Some gentlemen say, we ought to take no action upon the subject until the Investigating Committee, which was sent into the Territory, have made their report. Now, that report, so far as the question of the admission of Kansas into the Union is concerned, it seems to me is -wholly immaterial, except as furnishing an additional reason for her admission, in order to relieve the people from great wrongs. But if it is considered necessary, that Commission has returned, and any member who is not satisfied as to the condition of things in Kansas, can satisfy himself by an appeal to the members of the Commission. The question now before us is, whether the people of Kansas are to be relieved from their oppressions and wrongs by its immediate admission as a State into this Union ? So far as that question is concerned, it makes no difference whether the Kansas legislation was valid or invalid. Even if valid, and elected without fraud or violence, the pretended laws they enacted, and which were transmitted to this House by the President of the United States, are a disgrace to any civilized people. The only question is, whether you will relieve these people from that despotism and wrong, by admitting them now as a State into the Union? There is no other way in which you can effectually relieve them, and prevent constant invasion of their rights by nonresidents. But it is said, that if the laws enacted by this Legislature are wrong, they can be repealed— that the ballot-box is the proper place to change unjust laws. As a general proposition, that is true. But this legislation was forced upon the people of Kansas, through fraud and violence, by an invasion of non-residents. Of the six thousand three hundred and thirty-one votes polled at that election, but fourteen hundred and ten were legal i votes, as ascertained by the investigations of the committee sent by this House to Kansas. After enacting laws which even Southern Senators, rising above the prejudices of their section, have declared on the floor of the Senate to be cruel, oppressive, and palpably unjust to one section of the Union, and an insult to honorable men, they provided against their repeal by disfranchising at the polls—by unauthorized test oaths—all who are opposed to them. They provided for their execution in the spirit in which they were enacted, by taking from the people any voice in the election of their officers. There is not an officer in the Territory of Kansas to-day, civil, military, or judicial, save the thirteen members of the Council of the spurious Legislature, (who hold over another year,) in the selection of which the people have had any voice. The executive and judicial officers were sent by the Federal Government, and the Legislature appointed, or provided for the appointment, by their own appointees, of the election boards, sheriffs, constables, justices of the peace, and all other officers in the Territory. And then, to guard against the change of any of their “ cruel and unjust laws/’ they require^ as a qualification to vote - 7
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