Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1856-12-11

seqnenes', civil and servile war; vet NAM
cItizers have suffered themselves TO be drawn
int one evanescent political issue or agitation
s.ter another, appertaining to the same set of
topinions and which subsidized as rapidly as they
arose, when it came to be seen, as it uniformly
did, that they were incompatible with the com
pacts of the Constitution and the existence of
| the Union.
Thus, when the acts of some of the States to
nullify the existing extraditon laws imposed up
on Congress the duty ofpassing new one, the
country was invited by agitators to enter into
party organization for its repeal; but that agita-
ton speedily ceased by reason of the impractical
bility of its object. So when the statute restre-
ton upon the institutions of new States by a
geograp hcal line had repealed, the country was
urged to demand its restoration and that project
died almost with its birth; then followed the crv
of alarm from the North against imputed Soutb
err entertainments. which cry sprang in reality
fromth spirit of revolutionary attack on the do
nestle Institution of the South, and after troub
led existence of few months has been rebuked
by the voice of patriotic people
OF this last agitation one la,nentable feature
was that II was carried on at the immediate ex-
pense of the peace and happiness Of the people
of the Territory Of Kansas. That was made the
battle field, not so much of opposing factions
inherent within itself, as of the conflicting pas
sions OF the whole people OF the United States
, Revolutionary disorder in Kansas had its origin
in projects of Intervention deliberately arranged
by certain members OF that Congress which en-
acted the law for the organization of the Terrific
ry, and when propaganda colonization of Kan
sas had thus been undertaken in one section Of
the Union for the systematic promotion of its
peculiar views of policy, there ensued as mat
ter of course counter action with opposite view
in other sections OF the Union.
In consequence of these and other incidents
many acts of disorder, il is undeniable have
been perpetrated in Kansas, to the occasional in
terruption rather than the permanent suspensien
of regular government Aggressive and most
reprchensible incursions into the Territory were
undertaken both in the North and the South, and
entered it on its Northern border by the way of
Iowa, as well as on the Eastern by way of Mis-
souri,, and there has existed within it state of
insurrectisn against the constituted authorities,
not without countenance from inconsiderate per-
sons in each ct the great sections of the Union
but the difficulties in that Territory have been
extravagantly exaggerated for purposes Of pol
itical agitation elsewhere.
/ The number and gravity of the acts ofvioence
have been magnitied, partly by statements en-
tirsly untrue, and partly by reiterated accounts
CT the same runors vr facts. Thus the Territory
has been seemingl " filed with extreme violence,
when the whole amount of such acts has not been
greater than what occasionally passes before US
in single cities, to the regret of all good citizens
but without being regarded as of general or per-
| pohlIC%I lulpOitdHCc.
Imputed Irregularities in the elections had in
Kansas, like occasional irregularities of the same
description in the States, were beyond the sphere
of action of the Executive; but incidents of ac-
tual violence, or of organized obstruction of Law
pertnaciously revived frem time to time have
| beenmet as they occurred by such means as were
available and as the circumstance required, and
nothing of this character now remains TO affect
the general peace of the Union.
The attempt of part of the inhabitants of the
Territory to erect a revolutionary government
though seduously encouraged and supplied with
pecuniary aid from active agents of disorder in
some of the States, has completely failed. Bo-
dies of armed men foreign to the Territory, have
been prevented from entering, or compelled to
leaveit. Predatory bands engaged in acts of
rapine under cover of the existing political dis
turbances, have been arrested or dispersed, and
every well disposed person is now enabled once
more to devote himself in peace to the pursuit
OF prosperous industry, for the prosecution of
which he undertook to participate in the settle
ment of the Territory.
| 1t affords me unmingled satisfaction thus to
announce the peaceful condition of thinps in
Kansas, especially considering the means TO
which it was necessary to have recourse TO the
attainment of the end, namely the employment
of part of the military forco ofthe United States
The withdrawal of that force from its proper du-
ty of defending the country against foreign foes
or the savages of the frontier, to employ it for
the SuppresSlon of domestic Instruction Is when
the eXigency occurs, matter of the most earnest
soicitude On this occasion of imperative ne
cessity lit has been done with the best esults land
my satisfaction III TIE attainment of such res ults
by such means is greatly enhanced by the con-
sideration that through the wisdom and energy
OF the present. Executive of Kansas, and the
prudence, hrnness and vigilance Of the military
officers on duty there, tranquility has been re-
stored without one drop of blood having been
shed in its accomplishment by the forces of the
United States.
The restoration of comparative tranquility in
that territory, furnishes the means of observing
calmly and approaching at their just value the
events which have occuIredIthe and the discus
sions of which the government of the Territory
has been the subject. We perceive that contro-
versy concerning its future domestic institutions
was inevitable-that no human pradence-no
form of legislation-no wisdom on the part of
Congress could have prevented this 1t is idle
to suppose that the particular provisions of the
organic law were the cause of agitation Those
provisions were bit the occasion or pretext of
an agitation which was inherent in the nature
of things. Congress lsgislated upon the subject
IN such terms as were most consonant with thes
principle of popular sovereignty which underliss
our government.
1t could not have legisated otherwise without
doing violence to another great principle of free
institutions, the defeasible right of equality of
the several States. We here perceived also that
sectional interests and party passions have been
the great impeachment TO the salutary operation
of the organic principles adopted and the chief
cause of the successive disturbance in Kansas
The assumption thai, because in the organization
of the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas Con
gress abstained from imposing restriction upon
them to which certain other Territories had been
subject, therefore disorders occurred in the lat
ter Territory,is emphatically contradieted bv the
fact that none have occurred in the former The
disorders were not the consequence in Kansas
of freedom. OF selt-government conceded to that
Territory by Congress but of unjust interference
on the part OF persons not inhabitants of the
Territory. Such Interference wherever il has
exhibited itself by acts o: insurrsctionary char
acter or of tho obstruction to processes of law
has been repealed or suppressed by all the means
which the Constitution and the laws place in the
hands of the Executive.
In those parts of the United States, where by
reason of the intiamed state of the public mind
false rumors ana misrepresentation have the |
greatest currency, it has been assumed that it |
was the duty Of the Executive, not only TO sup |
press insurrectonary movements in Kansas, but |
also to see to thu irreguarity of focal elections |
II needs little argument to show that the presi-
dent has no such power. All government in the |
United States, rests substantially upon popular /
election The freedom eff elections is liable TO |
be impaired Dy the introduction of unawful votes |
VI lHe eAciusioh III Ia"lui ohssi ny improper IN |
huences, by violence, or By fraud
But the people of the United States are them
selves the all sufficient guardians of their own
rights, and TO suppose that they will not remedy
in due season any such incident of civil freedom
is to suppose them to have ceased to be CAPABLE
of selfgovernment. The President of the L nj
ted States has not the power to interpose in cleo
tons TO see to their freedom to canvass their
votes or to pass upon their legality in the Terri
tories, any more than in the States If he had |
such power the government might be RepubIi-
can in form, but it would be a monarchy in fact.
and if he had undertaken to exercise il in the /
case of Kansas no would have been Justly subject
to the charge of usurpation, and of violating ous
OF the dearast rirhts of the nannla nf H. Iln;.I