Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1858 — ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MAN. [ARTICLE]

ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MAN.

At a recent Convention the Lecompton men of Ohio and Switzerland" counties nominated a Mr. Henry for the Senatorship of that district. "Colonel Pepper, an old Democrat, come out as an Independent AntiLecompton candidate, and we presume the race will lie between him and Mr. Henry alone. As the Lecompton strength will be united on Mr. Henry, we hope the whole Anti-Lecompton strength, Democratic, Republican and American, will unite on Colonel Pepper, and “pepper” the supporters of the fraud thoraughly'and finully. The following is the Colonel’s card: TO THE ELECTORS OE SWITZERLAND AND OHIO COUNTIES; Fellow-citizen js: After a careful examination of the Cincinnati Platform of 1856, and a candid recurrence to the arguments of the papers and speakers who supported the candidate fi r the Presidency nominated by the Convention that adopted it, it seems to me that to strip the platform of the spirit of pop-, ular sovereignty, you have instead of principles fit to be supported, a scaffold well suited for the political execution of every Democrat who shall step upon it. I cannot concur with that party or faction that would waive the right to exercisd popular soveseignty, or stifle the will of the people by forcing nn odious Constitution upon an unwilling community—such as the Lecompton Constitution is—after it had been rejected by an overwhelming majority. I would compromise expediency often, for the sake of peace, but principle never. Ido not regard rhyself as a leader in this political strife against public wrong; but I feel that “I have a duty to perform,” and I will perform it. You may therefore regard me as an independent candidate for the Senate in . this district,lup in the Democratic platform of popular sovereignty —the doctrine that the just powers of all governments are derived Irom the people—which, rishtly interpreted, meansithat. the people of all the Territories are vested with an unalienable right to vote for or agafnst a Constitution for their future' government, anJ thcrf any attempt to cheat them out of that right is a manifest violation of political liberty. The policy ofTthe present Administration to force the Lecompton Constitution upon the people of Kansas, against their will, by culling to its aid the power of the National Legislature, involved an act of Executive and Congressional intervention and criminal usurpation, in defiance of the principle of self-government, and at the sacrifice of the plighted faith of tlhe nation. The Crittenden-Montgomery amendment of the Lecompton Constitution was, and deservgd to be, acceptable to all right-thinking men. But the legislative artifice and tr ckery of the Green-English amendment, ought to be, and I think is justly regarded by all high-minded men of every party as an insult, and meritsrthe severe rebuke of the American people. I must, therefore, if elected, be allowed to to oppose Lecomptonism, Bill Englishism, flunkyisrri, and the worship of men fur the United States Senate who are in favor of L“Coinptpn, or the leaders who supported it. I will obey instructions on all subjects, by the majority, or resign—will insist upon an economical administration .of the eminent —will expose the frauds that have been practiced upon the treasury and people of the State to tine utmost of ray humble abilities, and, if possible, drive from their biding places the sedundrels who perpetrated thorn. If my viewssh'ali be approved by the independent electors, I doubt not they will vote for me?if not, I shall have at least accomplished my object in the main, by seeking this opportunity to denounce the practice of the present Administration as antiDemocratic, as exemplified in the Lecompton swindle. ■ ■*- j