turn failed. Mr. Buchanan now selected Robert
J. Walker for the difficult task. Mr. Walker was a Southern man
in all his relations, though by birth a Pennsylvanian. He had held
high stations, and possessed great ability. It was believed that
he, if any one, could govern the Territory in the interest of the
South, and, at the same time, retain a decent degree of respect
and confidence in the North. As an effective aid to this policy,
Frederick P. Stanton, who had acquired an honorable reputation as
representative in Congress from Tennessee, was sent out as secretary
of the Territory.

THE LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION.

Governor Walker failed. He could do much, but he could not placate
an element that was implacable. Contrary to his desires, and
against his authority, a convention, called by the fraudulent
Legislature, and meeting at Lecompton, submitted a pro-slavery
constitution to the people, preparatory to asking the admission of
Kansas as a State. The people were not permitted to vote for or
against the constitution, but were narrowed to the choice of taking
the constitution with slavery or the constitution without slavery.
If the decision should be adverse to slavery, there were still some
provisions in the constitution, not submitted to popular decision,
which would postpone the operation of the free clause. The whole
contrivance was fraudulent, wicked, and in retrospect incredible.
Naturally the Free-state men refused to have any thing to do with
the scandalous device, intended to deceive and betray them. The
constitution with slavery was, therefore, adopted by an almost
unanimous vote of those who were not citizens of Kansas. Many
thousands of votes were returned which were never cast at all,
either by citizens of Kansas or marauders from Missouri. It is
not possible, without using language that would seem immoderate,
to describe the enormity of the whole transaction. The constitution
no more represented the will or the wishes of the people of Kansas
than of the people of Ohio or Vermont.

Shameful and shameless as was the entire procedure, it was approved
by Mr. Buchanan. The Lecompton Constitution was transmitted to
Congress, accompanied by a message from the President recommending
the prompt admission of the State. He treated the anti-slavery
population of Kansas as in rebellion against lawful authority,
recognized the invaders from Missouri as right