The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-08-18
njisceitaqeops.
Memorial
FROM THE LEGISLATURE OF KANSAS TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.


FROM THE LEGISLATURE OF KANSAS TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
To his Ereellency, Franklin Pierre
Prssidsnt-of he United St.ates The
undersigned. your -memorialists, mem
bers of the Council and Houseof Repre-
sentatives of the Territory of Kansas, re-
specially repre- sent that a crisis has a;
lcngth arrived In the affairs Of this Terri
tory, which makes it imperative that you
should interpose, SO that our government
(the wheels of which have been dragging
so heavily heretofore, and which have al
last come to stand, may be relieved oil
the clog which has been attached TO it,
and be enabled to move on once more In
lis regular course.
A brief history of our Territory. writ
ten and unwritten, since Reorganization
viii enable yod to see the causes which
have condueed to this end ;and the rem
edy being in your own hands, we trust
and believe you viii not hesitate imme-
diately to apply it.
On the 3oth of May. 1854, (more than
one year since the bill opening the Ter
ritory for settlement, west of Missouri
and Iowa. was passed. The public, ex-
cited by the glowing description of those
who had been in the Territory. and by
the debates in Congress regarding the
future political destiny of this newly
opened country, Immediately rushed in
by the thousands from every quarter oil
our widespread Union. No territory
ever organized by this government has
been peopled with half the rapidity OF
this, save California. owing To the un-
natural stimulus above alluded to. A
people thus numerous-thus diversified
from birth. education, previous associa-
tions, and present intentions and objects
required, it seems to US, fortheir gov
ernment, the most prompt action on the
part of those called on to preside over
them. From the month of May until
October there were no officers here; the
Governor appointed to organize the Ter
ritory, under the provisions of the bill,
arriving in the latter month. So soon
as it was aseertained by rumOr, that he
had arrived, flor he never in any way
made it public, it was presumed that he
would Immediately order the census of
the Territory to be taken, and election
for members of tho Legislative Assem-
bly, to be held, and call them together
at once, so that laws might be enacted
for the preservation OF the public peace
and veal But what was the course pur-
sued by that official :? The citizens of
our Territory received him with open
arms, and even in Missouri, the State
bordering on our line, he was rendered
supper on the day of his arrival. to
enable him to meet with the distinguish
ed gentleman of that section of Missouri.
together with the private citizens of the
vicinity. Received thus frankly aud
cordially, both in Kansas aad on the
border, urged time and again to provide
for the election of Legislature-the
people knowing of no laws in force, and
the Governor himself having no settled
opinion upon the sabject-appointing
justices OF the peace in various sections
ofthe Territory, some OF whom enforced
the Pennsylvania, some the Ohio, and
some the Missouri code, acting as q
matter Of course under his Instructions
still. with all these various imperative
necessities urging his complispce, he
needed them not. bat assumed himself
30 act as slle law making power, by pre-
scribing the various codes above, aud
usuFpiag the powers of the Judiciary in
issuing writs, and sitting as an examiH-
ing court upon charge of assault with
intent to Kill, !" the prisoner being at the
same time ineareerated within the walls
of a prison. and before dischsrgiag hia
demanding his recsgnizance, which was
taken however By Judge whose district
had as ret not been assigned him. In
the midst of all this confusion, turning
coolly from those who had thus warmly
welcomed him, associating with those
only from one particular section of the
Union. psrsisting in not adopting that
course which alone could produce order
from this chaos, It Is not singular that
load eomplainings should be heard, and
that sinister motives should be attribu-
ted 10 him for his conduct.
The Gorernor then commences bis
course ofspecaiatiens, beginning by ar
rayiag himself directly in opposition 20
theopinions of the General Government.