Squatter sovereign., 1855-07-24
The Gorerssores Message.

Having been duly notified that your re-
spective bodies have organised for the per-
formance Of your official functions, / here
with submit TO you the usual Executive COM
nunlcation relative TO subjects OF legisla-
ton, which universal and long continued
usage IN analogous cases would seem TO
demand, although no express requirement.
OF it is to be found in the act of Congress
which has brought US into official existence
and prescribed our several duties.
TIE position which we occupy, and the
solemn trust that is confded to us for origi-
mating the laws and institutions, and mould
ing the destinies Of new Republic in the
very geographical centre of our vast and
magnificent Confederation cannot but i'm
press US with deep and solemn sense oi
the heavy responsibility which we have as
sumed, and admonish US to lay aside all
selfish and equivocal motives, to discard all
unworthy ends, and in the spirit of justice
and charity TO each other, with pure hearts,
tempered feelings, and sober judgments to
address ourselves to our task, and SO per-
form It in the fear and reverence OF that
God who oversees our work, that the Star
we expect to add to the National Banner
shall be dinmed by no taint or tarnish OF
dishonor, and that when viewed from the
trying and scrutinising stand point of the
future we shall be subject to no reproach
save that which springs from the inevitable
fallibility of just and upright men.
| In the business of Legislation, the very
first necessity is the ascertainment of the
existing law; as it is impossible to deter
mine what we need in that respect, until
we ascertain what we already possess. 1t
will be found, I think. upon slight investi-
CATION, that we are already provided with
an ample and valuable store Of laws, for
| the redress of civil wrongs, and the punish
ment of criminal offences, wl;sh will ma
terially diminish your labors.
The present Territory Of Kansas has hecn
at various periods since the treaty of April
Both, 1903, with the French Republic. a
portion Of the District Of Louisiana, of the
Territory of Louisiana, the Territory of In
diana, and the Territory of Missouri; and
! 1t becomes necessary to take brief review
of the Legislation of Congress relating 70 it,
during each Of these periods. Immediate
| " after the acquisition OF the Territory of
| Louisiana bv TIE treaty before mentioned
provision was made, hv act Of Congress,
passed 3lst Oct. 1903, for its Temporary
government which continued the civil,
military, and judicial powers then existing,
until the expiration of the first session of
the eighth Congress. On the 26th OF
March. 1904, being TIE dav before the
close of said session, the said Territory was
divided into the Territory OF Orleans, and
the District OF Louisiana; and the 33d
parallel OF North latitude from the EIissis-
sippi River west. was designated as the
boundary line between the two-thus in
Guiding the present Territory Of Kansas in
the northern division; and hv the same
| act, this portion, by tie name Of the Dis
| trict of Louisiana was subjected to the gov
ernrnent of the Territory Of Indiana. and be-
came Il part Oft. The Territory of Indiana
had been a portion Of the old North
ern Territory, which was first organised
by the ordinance Of July Is, 17S7. This
ordinance was subsequently adapted 70 the
provisions Of the constitution OF the United
States, by act Of Congress OF Aug. z. 1889;
and. by the act Of Congress, passed Nav z,
1900 a portion Of this Northwestern Ter
| ritory was organised as the Territory OF
Indiana, TO which, as already stated, the
District Of Louisiana was annexed. On
the Sd Of March, 1903, the District of Lou
isiana was again severed from the Terrific
~ Of Indiana, and organised by the name
OF the Territory of Louisiana, and on the
4th day of June, 1912. was converted into
the Territory Of Missouri, with considera-
bic modification OF the rules for its govern
meut.
1t viii thus he seen as have stated,
that the country composing our Territory.
has been successfully subjected to the
French code, existing at the acquisition of
Louisiana. hv the treaty of Paris-to the
laws ct Indiana. derived from the North
western Territory, as well as those enacted
for Indiana after It's seEerance-tot the laws
OF the Territory of Louisiana, and the laws
of the Territory of Missouri. The sever
ance of 4 portion OF the latter Territory, and
its erection into the State of Missouri, in
TIE year 1921, did not. in my opinion. at
all effect the laws in force outside of the
bounds of the State. which remained as
valid after that event as they were before.
r