Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-02-07
AFFAIRS IN X NSAS.
Message of the President,

WASHINGTON, Jan. 81, 1856.
To tie Senate md House Of Representatives.:
Circumstances have occurred to disturb
the course of governmental organization
in the Territory of Kansas, and produce
there condition of things which renders
it incumbent on me to call your attention
to the subject, and earnestly recommend
the adoption by you of such measures of
Legislation as the grave exigencies of the
case appear 10 require.
\ brief exposition of the circumstances
referred to, and Of their causes, will be
necessary to the full understanding of the
recommendations which it is proposed to
submit
The act to organize the Territories OF
Nebraska and Kansas was manifestation
of the Legislative opinion Of Congress on
two great points of constitutional construc-
ton; One, that the designation of the
boundaries of q new Territory and provis-
ion for its political organization and admin
istration as a Territory are measures which
of right full within the power Of the Gen
eril Government: and the other, that the
! inhabitants of any such Territory, consi l.
cred as an inchoa.e State, are cnIilled, III
the exercise Of self government, to deer
mine fr themselves what 81 ali be thci.
+ own domestic institutions, subject only to
the Constitution and the laws duly enacted
by Congress under it, nd to the power OF
the existing States TO decide, according to
the provisions and principles of the Con
! stitution, at what time the Territory shall
be received a State into the Union
Such are the great poli,ical rights which
are solcmnly declared and affirmed by the
act.
Based upon this theory, the act Of Con-
grcss defined foreach Territory the outlines
of republican government, distributing
public authority among the lawfully created
agents; executive, judicial, and Legislative;
to be appointed either by the General Gov
crnment or by the Territory. The legisla-
tive functions We're entrusted to a Council
and House of Representatives. duly elect
ed and empowered to enact all the local
laws which they may deem essential to their
prosperity, happiness and good govern
ment. Acting in the same spirit, Congress
also defined the persons who were in the
first instance to be considered as the peo-
pie of each Territory: enacting that every
free white male inhabitant of the same
above the age Of twentv-one wears, being
IN actual resident thereof, and possessing
those qualifications hereafter described.
should bc entitled to vote at the first cleo
ton, and be eligible to any office vi hin the
Territory; bat that the qualifications of vo-
tcrs and holding Office 1t all subsequent
elections should be such as might be pre-
scribcd By the Legislative Assembly; pro
vided. however, that the rirht of suffrage
and of holding office should be exercised
only by citizens of the United States, and
( those who should have declared on oath
j their intention to become such, and have
taken an oath TO support the Constitution
/ of the United States and the provisions of
the act; and, provided further, that no of
/ ticcr, soldier. seamen or marine, or other
person i'll the army or navy of the United
States, or attached TO troops in their ser
vice. should be allowed to vote or hold Of
/ fee in either Territory by reason If being
on 'ice therein.
tories as, by the provisions of the act. were
to be appointed by the General Govern
ment, including the Governors. were APP
pointed and commissioned in due season:
| the law having been enacted on the goth
Of May, 1854, and tie commission o the
Governor of the Territory of Nebraska be-
ing dated on the Cd day of August, 1851,
and of the Territory of Kansas on the
! Goth of June, 1854
Among the duties imposed by the act
upon the Governors was that of directing
and experimenting the political organiza-
ton of the respective Territories. The
Governor of Kansas was required TO cause
census or enumeration Of the inhabitants
or qualified voters of the several counties
or districts of he Territory to be taken bv
such persons and in such modes as he
might designate and appoint to appoint
the time AID place of holding the first cleo
tons, and the manner of conducting them,
both as to the persons TO superintend such
elections and the returns thereof; to declare
the number of the members of the Coun-
ell and the House Of Representatives f,r
each county or district to declare what
persons might appear to be duly elected;
and to appoint the time and place of hold
ing the first meeting of the Legislative
Assembly. In substance, the same du-
ties We're devolved on the Governor of
Kansas
While, by this act. the principle of con
stitution for each of the Territories was one
and the same, and the details Of organic
Legislation regarding both were nearly as
could be identical, and while the Territory
of Nebraska was TRANQUILITY and successful
ly organized in the due course of law, and
It's first Legislative Assembly met on the
18th of Jan. 1855, the organization of Kan
sas was long delayed, and has been attend
ed with serious difficulties and embarrass
ments, partly the consequence of local
administration, and partly of the un-
.ustifable interference of the inhabitants Of
]some of the States. foreign by residence.
interests, and rights of the Territory.
The Governor Of the Territory Of Kan
sas, commissioned, as before stated, ON the
29th of June, 1854, did not reach the des-
ignated seat of his Government until the