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The farce over niggers and "popular sovereignty" in Kansas is at length drawing to its close. The election upon the slavery clause of the Lecompton constitution, appointed for the 21st. instant, appears to have passed off quietly; and from the returns thus far, of the vote cast, the result has been in favor of Kansas as a slave State. This would, perhaps be conclusive with the administration were there no other proceedings to be considered; but there is another side to the picture, which, we think, will result in the rejection of the proceedings of both parties, and in a new, short, and simple process for the settlement, decisively and permanently, of the whole question.
Under the authority of the free State Legislature another election is to take place within a few days, at which the Lecompton constitution will be voted upon in three forms - first, with the slavery clause; second, without the slavery clause, and third against the said constitution in any shape or form. The administration has instructed the new acting Governor, Mr. Denver, to see that this election shall not be interrupted; and from the apparent smallness of the vote cast at the late Lecompton election, it is evident that the rank and file of the free State party have taken no part in it; but have reserved themselves for the express purpose of voting down the Lecompton constitution on the 4th of January. Nor have we any doubt that it will thus be voted down by an overwhelming majority: provided, always that the returns of the late Lecompton election are not three or four times multiplied in the making up. Our reports from Kansas, however, indicate that Mr. John Calhoun is disposed to act fairly and openly in the matter; nor is it likely that, from the vigilance of his enemies, he could with impunity attempt any multiplication of his voters, even if so inclined.
In view, therefore, of the approaching January election, we do not suppose that the administration will accept the fractional vote already cast for the Lecompton constitution as conclusive in favor of that instrument. On the contrary, we apprehend that the President will wait for the authenticated returns of the January election, and that the result will be a submission of the results of both elections to Congress, with a recommendation that the proceedings thus far, on both sides, in Kansas be quashed; and that an enabling act be passed authorizing a new Constitutional Convention to be elected under such provisions, Congress may deem expedient, to the end of the speedy and peaceably admission of Kansas as a sovereign State, with or without slavery, as the people may decide.
This plan of action will make short work of the Kansas agitators and speedily put out of the way this rotten cheese of our mousing politicians. The administration is not committed to the acceptance of the Lecompton constitution in any shape, unless it shall be presented at Washington under a state of facts consistent with a fair expression of the popular sentiment of the Territory. Thus it is already manifest that the desperate and reckless Kansas nigger agitators and scheming politicians, inside and outside of the Territory, have overdone the thing, and have thus created the desired opening for a fair and honest solution of "popular sovereignty." We congratulate all honest and sensible people that this Kansas extravaganza is now nearly played out.
