Squatter sovereign., 1855-07-31


act of Congress, for the settlement of 7.
sas and Nebraska, and the act of lss1 ,
popularity known as the fugitire-sEars ~ ;.
3. That the Incorporation of mon;os
soclatlons and the patronage OF soreras
States Of this Union, for the avowed
pose of recruiting and colonising larcipUNi pNi
mics of Abolitionists upon the Terr;,sose.af 3 d:
Kansas, and for the ayowcd pnrnos:
DESTROYING the value and existence nf i.
property now in that Territory, in desa:,s 4a,s
of the wishes OF the bona fde, independta.pE.
settlers thereof, and the purpose, eonsn.
plain and obvious, whether avowed or -.
of ultimately abolishing slavery in NJ;
souri,, is a species of Legislation, and
mode of emigration Unprecedented in O..
history, and is an attempt, by State lers
lation, indirectly to thwart the purposes
a constitutional and equitable enactmen-s
Congress. by which the domestic inst,
tons of the Territories were designed
be left. to the exclusive control and ma.
agement of the bona tide settlers thereol
6. That these organised bands Of Cole.
lists shipped from Massachusetts, and OTIS
quarters under State patronage and resen,
bling IN their essential features the mill,
ry colonies planted by the Roman Enps.
rors upon their conquered provinces, rate,
than the pioneers who have hitherto Ierol
ed the forests and broke up the plains 4
the West, authorize apprehension of an
intent OF erciusiUe occupancy, and will NO
cessarily lead to organised resistance :.
the part of those under the constitution an
/ - L.
| rights to possession, and whilst we earnex.
ly deprecate such results, we are justice
IN advance in placing their entire respg.
sibility upon those who have commences
the system, and are the aggressors.
z. That we disclaim all right and arr
intent to interfere with the bona fde. inle.
pendent settlers in the Territory Of Kansas
from whatever quarter they may come. or
whatever opinions they may entertain tut
we maintain the right to protect ourselves
and our property against all unjust and un.
constitutional aggression, present or pros.
pective. immediate or threatened, and We
do not hold it necessary or expedient %
wait until the torch is applied to our DIVE.
lings, or the knife to our throats, before We
take measures for our security and the Sc.
curity of our friends.
g. That the eighteen counties of Ms.
souri, lying on or near the border of Kan.
sas, with only an imaginary BOUNDARY in.
| tervening, contain a population Of about
fifty thousand slaves, worth at present wiccs
| twenty-five millions of dollars, and ,his
large amount of property, one Ealf of the
entire slave property of the State, is nc,
merely unsafe, but vaIueless, if Kansas IS
made the abode of an army of hired "a.
natics. recruited. transported. armed ard
paid for the special and sole purpose of al.
olitionising Kansas and Missouri.
| 9. That this Convention and the people
| they represent, and the State Governmen,
of Missouri and the entire people thereoi,
should take such measures as to them az
pear suitable and just, and constitutional to
TO prevent such disastrous consequences TO
their security and prosperity and peace,
and confidently relying upon the sympathy
and support Of the entiress South and South.
west whose alternate fate must inevitably
be the same with theirs; and confidentlv
relying also upon the conservative portion
of the North, they respectfully appeal "a
the good sense and patriotism OF the entire
| North to put down such fanatical aggres
sions as have hithorto characterised the
movements Of Emigrant Aid Societies, and
leave the settlement of Kansas and tie
regulation of its domestic institutions "a
be controlled, as the settlement and inst.
tutions have been, by those impulses a
self-interest and eongeniality of feeling
| ing on the part Of the settlers. which II
the national laws of climate and soil, VII
if undisturbed, invariably determine tlt
ultimate condition Of tie Territory.
10. That committee of five he apron.
ted TO draw up and publish an address 70
the people of the United States. serrg
| forth the History of the Kansas excitemcrl
with the views and action OF our peopa
thereon, in conformity with the principle
and positions of the foregoing resolution:
and that printed copies of the same with
copy of these resolutions appended, be fUr
warded by the Secretary of this Conven
ton to the Executive of each State In tht
| Union.
The following resolve was reported b
Judge Napton from the committee. sepa
rate from the above report. and was adop
ted.
Resolved, That in view of the acts c
the Legislature of the State of Massachu
sets. and other nothern and western State:
practically nullyfing the Constitution G
the United States. and the laws OF Con
gress relating to the rendition of fugitiv
slaves, and in yindication of the Constiul
ton and for the purpose of preserving Ii
integrity of the American Union, we re
commend to the general assembly of Mi:
souri, to pass such retaliatory measure
discriminating against the, sale of the pre-
ductions or manufactures of said State
within this State as they may deem PROF
er for that purpose, and that such measur
shall be made operative as long as the O
fensive Legislation above referred to cor
tinues on the statute books of those State
! F. 4. Kownslar, Esq, of Lafayette. 0
fered the following resolution. which va
passed:
Resolved, That the peace, quiet an
|, welfare of this and every other slarehol,