Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-24


declare distinctly which of these previous laws
are in force, and which are not
There are many specific subjects Of legislation,
some OF which are expressly referred 10 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 up in the basis of
free or slave labor. Claiming as we do the same
capacity for self-government our fellow -citi-
Zens 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 and 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 or citizens of
other States who are no more competent to the
task than we--who have no stake with in their
results, and who would most Indignantly repel
any offer of reciprocity from in assisting to
manage their affairs. The provision Of our Ter
Titorlal Organic Act secures us this right, and is
fonded in the true doctrines of republicansm.
II may be exercised in various degrees and in
various ways, and whenever it is called into
ton 1t cannot legitimately be attended with that
excitement 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 aboli-
tionism, can never be productive of aught but
evil, and is calculated in an eminent degree to
obscure the gores of the past to evoke the foulest
spirit of discord among the citizens of our COM
mon country, and also to mar brilliant future,
if not to endanger the existence Of our cherished
Union want of fidelity to the solemn com
pacts of the Constitution, and an attack upon
the rights Of the State, which are guaranteed by
ha.,a
view OF the case, however, is not to be confound
ed with the discussion and settlement of the
slavery question in Territory, in its bearings
upon the formation of our institutions. That
has been referred to us an open question by
the legitimate action of the nation, and here it is
not only the privilege but the duty of every man
to speak his opinions freely, and enforce them
peaceably and fairly. Advocate and opponent
stand on the same ground, and must mutually
concede to each other the identical measure Of
right which they claim for themselves. Freedom
of opinion and freedom of discussion, without
RIGHTEOUSNESS, of the very essence of repub-
licanism at all times, and are peculiarly to be
spected here. The permanent character and
high authority Of State constitution, and the
fact of its submission to direct vote of the peo-
pie of the Territory, indicate that event as
signal occasion for the decision of that peculiar
question. In the meantime, however, Terrific
rial Legislature may undoubtedly act upon the
question to limited and partial extent, and may
temporarily prohibit tolerate, or regulate slavery
in the Territory, and in an absolute or modified
form, with all the force and effect of any other
legislative act, binding until repealed by the
same power that enacted it.
Among the several objects of legislation which
are referred to your action by the act organizing
the Territory is the creation and defining of coun-
ties. The noncompletion Of the surveys would
seem at first to require. resort to natural boun-
diaries in the performance of this work but from
a map OF projected surveys made in the office of
the Surveyor General and kindly furnished me
for the purpose, it is probable the county lines
may be designated in advance at least over por-
ton of the Territory. You will decide whether
it is expedient to provide that the said designation
shall be made before the lines are run on the
ground. Of the eighteen ranges East of the base
line, and the thirty five townships South, the
lands lying within townships one to fifteen South
OF range nine to eighteen East, and continuing on
to the Misc river and State lnc will be first
surveyed Outside of these limits it perhaps
would be premature TO adopt the projected lines
of survey as boundaries of counties. The map
alluded to is submitted with this communication
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 thous-
and five hundred and twenty lone persons, exclu-
sive oflndans and officers, soldiers and employees
of the army Of the United States not residing in
the Territory. The census returns which are
submitted for your inspection, contain consider
able amount of statistical information, such as
the place of emigration, ages, occupations, &c.
This population consists Of FIVE thousand one
hundred and thirty eight males, and three thous-
and three hundred and eighty-three females; and
IT is a fact worthy of remark, peculiar to a
great extent to this Territory, that they are not,
as usual, collected about one point or along a
frontier line, but are dispersed over district of
more than $4,000 square miles This state of
things, although il has its Inconvenience at pre-
sent, is nevertheless highly gratifying, as it ind-
Gates that our Territory has many points of strong
interest, and promises an early development of
our resources.
In obedience to the act of Congress, have,
until otherwise provided by law divided the State
into Judicial Districts, designated the places for
courts, and assigned the Judges as stated in my
proclamation of the 26th of Fenuuary last, which
together with all the other proclamations from the
Executive Department will be submitted 10 YOU
The designation of terms of the Supreme Court
was purposely omitted, for the reason that my
action was only provisional until the subject could
be submitted to your charge, and the jurisdiction
of the court as yet being probably only appellate,
there could be for some time no business to evoke
its action.
The provisions for County Courts, and the Off
GERS connected with them, and the other officers
of the Territory which you mayconsider neces-
sary-the laws for regulating and holding cleo
tions-the qualifications Of voters--the iurisdc-
ton Of the Supreme and District Courts-the
election or appointment Of Justices Of the Peace
and Constables-their powers and jurisdiction
the means Of settling decedents estates ESQ far as
these several matters unprovided for by the
existing laws) together with other obvious sub
jects, need no special comment from me. In re-
gard to Constables and Justices, however, desire
to state that have issued number of commits
sons throughout the Territory, which, under the
act of Congress, will expire at the end Of your
present session, and il would probably prevent
public and private detrment to authorize them
to complete any proceedings which may then be
pending before them. If as is probable, you shall
provide for filling these offices by election would
suggest that some provision be made for the time
that shall elapse between the expiration Of the
present commissions, and the election and quail
hcations of new incumbents
The presence in our Territory of SO large a
number Of Indians, interpreted as they are with
the white population, adds feature to the indis-
criminate sale Of intoxicating liquor which does
not exist in other communities. A portion Of
them indulge upon almost every opportunity in
the excessive Of ardent spirits, and the friends
and enemies Of prohibition who are acquainted