The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-12-17

lneQlaJe expense OF the peace and happiness of the
people of the territory of Kansas That was made tie
battle Held not so much ofopposing factions or inter
ests within ITSELF Of the conflicting passions of the
whole peopleo the United States. Revolutionary dis
order IN Kansas had its org in projects of nteryen
ton, deliberately arranged BY certain members of con.
gess which enacted the law for the organisation ofthe
territory. And when fopagandist colonisation OF
Kansas had thus been undertaken in one section ofte
union for the systematic promotion Of its peculiar
views OF policy there ensued, matter of course
counteracon with opposite views in other sections of
the Union. lapConsequence Of these and other Incl
dents, many acts Of disorder it is undeniable have
been pcrpetrated in Kansas to the occasional inter
rupon, rather than the permanent suspension ofreg-
ular government. Aggressive and most reprehensble
lncursonSnto the territory undertaken both in
the north and the south, aud entered in on its northern
border by the way Of Iowa, well on the eastern
by way of Missouri and there has existed within it
state Of insuecton constituted authorities
not without countenance from inconsderate persons
in each Of the great sections Of the Union But the
difficulties in that territory have been extravagantly
exaggerated for purposes of political agitation else
where. The number and gravity of the acts of VIC
lenee have been magnified partly by statements en-
trey untrue, and partly by reiterate accounts of the
same runors or facts. Thus the territory has boon
seemingly filled with extreme ylolencewhen the whole
amount of such acts has not been greater than what
occasionally passes before in single cities to the
greet ofall good citizens but without being regarded
of geue al or political consequence Imputed ilrag-
uarites in thescctons had in Kansas like occasion
al irregularities of the description in the States
were beyond the sphere Of action Of the executive
But Incidents of actual violence of organised OBJ
structlon of law, lernacous renewed from time to
time, have been met as they occurred, by such means
Were available and the circumstances required;
and nothing ofais character now remains to affect the
general peace of the Union The attempt Of part of
the Inhabitants of the territory to erect revolutionary
government though seduousV encouraged and SUP
Mi led wit r
der in some ofhe States, has completely failed b.
dies of armed men, foreign to the territory have been
prevented from entering, conpcbed to leave it
Predatory bands, engaged in acts of mpine, under
of the existing political disurba nccs have been
arrested dispersed. And every we'll disposed per-
son is enabled once more to devote himself in
peace to the pursuits Of prosperous industry for the
prosecution of which he undertook to participate in the
settlement Of the territory.
1t affords me unmingled satisfaction thus TO an
nounco the peaceful condition of things in Kansas.
especially considering the to which it was ne
ccssary to have recourse for the attainment of the end
namely the employment of part of the military force
of the United States The withdrawal of that force
from its proper duty OF defending the country against
foreign foes the savages of the frontier to employ
it for the suppression of domestic instruction when
the eNlgency occurs, matter Of the most earnest So
lici:ude On this occasion Of imperative necess itv it
has been done with the best results and nv satisfac
ton in the attainment OF such results, by such means
the wisdom and ergy ofthe present executive of Kan
and the prudence, iirmness and vigilance of the
military officers on duty there, tranquility has been
restored without one drop of blood having beer shed
in its accomplishment by the forces Of the T. States
The restoration Of comparative tranquility in that ter
rtory furnishes the means of observing calmly and
approaching at their just value, the events which
have occurred there, and the discussions of which the
government of the territory has been subject Weper
cclve thHt controversy concerning its future domestic
I \
form of legislation, wisdom on the part of con
gress could have preventc" this 1t is idle to sup
pose that the particular provisions Of their organic law
were the Of agitation. Those provisions were
but the OCCASION or the prccHt of an agitation which
was inherent in the nature Of things Congress leris
lated upon the suhiece in such te We're most con
sonant with the principle Of popular sovereignty
which undprlies our government. It could NOT have
iegslatrd othcv les without doing violence to unuh-
great principle of our nsttutons, the mPrescrpi-
bic light Of equality Of the several States. We per
ceiv also that sectional interests and party passions
have been the great mpedimnnt to the sallturv oppr
alton Of The organic principles adopted 'and the chief
cause OF the successive disturbances in Kansas The
assumption that, because in the organisation of the
territories of Nebraska and Kansas, congress abstain
ed from imposing restraints upon them to which cer-
tain other territories had been subject therefore disor
dc1s ACQUIRED in the latter territory is emphaticalv
contradicted by the fact that have occurred in
the former. Those disorders not the consequence
in Kansas OF the freedom of clfgovrnnent it conced
ed to that territory by congress- but Of unjust inter
ference the part Of persans not inhabitants of the
territory. Such Interference, wherever has exhibit
ed itself by acts of insurecionary character, of OBJ
structono processes Of law has been repealed sup
pressed, by all the which the constitution and
the laws place in the hands Of the executive Tn those
parts Of the United Sncs where, by reason of the in
famed state of the publ, mind false rumors and
msrppresentatio have the greatest currency it has
been assumed that it was the duty of the executive
Kansas but also TO to the regularity of local cleo
tiors. II needs but little argument to show that the
president has such power All government in the
United States rests substantially upon popular eec-
ton The freedom Of elections is Liable to be impair
ed Iy the intrusion of unlawful votes the exclusion
of lawful ones by improper influences by violence or
by fraud. But the people Of the United States are
themselves the all sufficient guardians of their own
rights; and to suppose that they will not remedy, in
due season. such incidents of civil freedom is to
suppose them to have ceased to be capable of s6oov
crnmen The president of the United States has not
power 10 nerpose iii elections, to to their freedom
to canvass Their votes or to pass upon their legality in
tAeoerrtories any than in the States If he had
such power the government might be republican in
FORM but it would be monarchy in fact ahl if he had
undertaken 10 exercise it in the case of Kansas he
would have been justly sub ect the charge of usur
patton, and Of violation Of the dearest rights Of the
people of the United States. Unwise laws equally
with irregularities at elections, are, in periods Of great
cXrGlle lie occasional incidents OF even the trocSt
and best political institutions But all experience de-
monstrates that Ill country like ours where the right
of seconsttution exists in the compctest form the
attempt remedy unwisc legislation by resort to rev.
olrtion, totally out of place: nasmuch as existing
legal institutions afford more prompt and et1icacous
means fer the redress Of wrong. | confidently trust
that now, when the peaceful condition of Kansas af-
Ords Opport unity for calm reflection and wise legis
ton either the Legislative assembly of the territory or
congress, will see that act shall remain its sta
tut book vollive of the provisions of the coustitu
ton or suhversye Of the great objects for which that
ordained AID established and will take all other
necessary steps to toits nha bitans the enjoy
Tcnt, without obstruction abrdgment, Of all the
constitutional rights, privileges and immunites of
citizens Of the United States, contemplated BY the
organic law Of the territory. Full information in re-
aon to recent events in this territory will be found
in the documents communicated herewith from the de-
parnents Of state and war.
refer You to the report of the secretary of The trea-
sury for particular information concerning the nan-
cial condition of the government, and the various
branches ofthe public service connected with the re
sury department. During the last fiscal year the re
celpts from customs for the first time more than
S64 00O, 900, and from all sources 1913 9S Isl; which
with the balance in the treasury on lst Of July 1855
made the tota resources the amount to 92 $50
H. The expenditures including So 900 900 in exc
cutlon Of the treaty with Mexico and excluding sums
paid on account Of the public debt amounted to 500
liz lGl and incnHin,r the latter SID as 100