Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-23
Gov. Reeder's Message.

We subjoin that portion of Governor Reeder's
message which relates to the slavery question:
There are many specific subjects of legislation
some Of which expressly referred to you by the
bill organizing our Territory, and others spring
from the necessities Of our community Prominent
among them is the question whether we shall build
our government upon the basis of free or Of slave
labor. Claiming, as we do the same capacity for
selfgovcrnment our fellow-citizens of the States
with far greater, If not an exclusive interest in
the institutions and laws which are to exist among
US; compelled alone to bear their burdens, and
entitled alone to claim their benefits wisdom,
justice, and fairness would dictate that those laws
aud institutions inside of the Constitution of the
United States should be moulded by ourselves,
stimulated by the absorbing interest we must feel
in them rather than by the representatives of cit
zens Of other States who are no more competent
to the task than we-who have no stake with us
in their results and who would most Indignantly
repel any offer Of reciprocity from us in assisting
TO manage their affairs. The provision Of our Ter
ritorial Organic Act secures us this right, and is
founded In the true doctrines Of republicanism.
1t may be exercised in various degrees and In
various ways, and whenever It Is called into action
II cannot legitimately be attended with that ex-
element which Is incident TO the agitation of the
slavery question in the direction Of an attack upon
constitutional rights. An agitation Of that kind,
such as we have seen industriously prosecuted In
the past history Of our country by the destructive
spirit Of abolitionism, can never be productive Of
aught but evil and Is calculated in eminent de-
gree to obscure the glories Of tho past, TO evoke
the foulest spirit Of discord among the citizens Of
our common country and also TO mar our brilliant
future, IL not TO endanger the existence Of our
cherished Union. A want Of fidelity to the solemn
compacts Of the constitution, and an attack upon
the rights Of the States, which are guaranteed by
Il, can have no justification or excuse. This view
of the case, however, Is not TO be COMPOUNDED with
the discussion and settlement of the slavery ques-
ton In our Territory 10 its bearings upon the for
nation Of our institutions. That has been referred
TO us as an open question by the legitimate action
of the nation and here IL Is not only the privilege
but the duty Of every man to speak his opinions
freely and enforce them poaceaby end fairly.
Advocate and opponent stand on the same
ground and must mutually concede 10 each other
the identical measure Of right which they claim for
themselves. Freedom Of opinion and freedom Of
discussion without licentousness are of the very
essence Of repubhcanism; at all times are peculiarly
to be respected here. The permanent character
and high authority Of State constitution and the
fact Of its submission to direct vote OF the Terri
tory indicate that event us a signal occasion for
the decision Of that peculiar question In the
meantime, however, Territorial Legislature may
undoubtedly act upon the question to limited and
partial extent, and may temporarily prohibit tole
rate or regulate slavery in the Territory and in an
absolute or modified form with all the force and eff.
feet OF any other legislative act binding until re-
pealed by the same power that enacted IL.
In regard to the census the Governor says
The census Of the Territory, taken under the
provisions Of the act of Congress- exhibits return
Of two thousand nine hundred and four qualified
voters and an entire population of eight thousand
FIVE hundred and twenty-onc persons, exclusive of
Indians, and officers, soldiers, and employees Of
the army Of the United States not residing in the
Territory. Tho census returns which are submit
ted for your inspection, contain a considerable
amount OF statistical information, such as the
place Of emigration, ages occupations, DC. This
population consists of FIVE thousand one hundred
and thirty-eigbt males, and three thousand three
hundred and eighty.three females, and IL Is fact
worthy Of remark as peculiar to great extent to
this Territory that they are not as usual collected
about one point, or along frontier line, but are
dispersed over district Of more than $4,000
square miles. This state Of things, although II
has It's Inconvenience at present, is nevertheless,