The Lecompton Conference Bill Has Passed

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THE LECOMPTON CONFERENCE BILL HAS PASSED.

Such are the words that are flashing to-day, over the telegraph wires, in every direction through the United States. The bill which it announces to have become a law provides for submitting to the people of Kansas, (if, for a wonder, they should get a fair election under democratic auspices,) the question of accepting the Lecompton Constitution—¹but submits it in an indirect and every way disgraceful mode, never before descended to by Congress. They are to vote on the acceptance of a “Land Ordinance,” by which the State is endowed with the uses and profits of a large quantity of public lands. This is offered to the people openly and above board, in the way of a persuasion, a bribe.

If the people vote “Yes” on this Land Ordinance, it is provided in the just-passed bill, that the “Yes” shall be taken as meaning to accept the Lecompton Constitution! If that is not plastering it on thick—awful thick!—what is it?

But the Conference Bill is a law, a triumph of the President , and his party—they think. It remains to be seen how long they continue thinking so. The people of Kansas will, of course, soon hold an election under this bill, and decide for themselves, (if they have, for once, a fair chance,) whether to accept the Land Ordinance, Lecompton Constitution, &c., or reject the same.

As to the effect of this latest development upon party prospects, our opinion is clear that the Republicans could not easily have had any thing happen them, more lucky and encouraging than this poor triumph of the Administration. The Democracy, on the other hand, must perceive themselves seriously damaged already by the discussions, votes, propositions, &c., that have grown under the Lecompton contest. Nor are they likely to be helped, in the future, by any course the affair is likely to take. From where Buchanan² has placed them, advancing is as fatal as to go back.

Upon the whole, this Kansas business offers the most marked illustration yet of American politics—showing what kind of people get the public offices—what real American Democracy there is in the land—who rule us, not for our general good, but for petty partizan results—and what probability there is of the good people of the United States, before long, doing in a peaceful way what in our rough Western States, it is sometimes necessary to do by the uprising of a great Vigilance Committee, armed and unanimous.

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