The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-04-30


quered:" that "a Legislature had been
forced upon the people by violence" that
the inhabitants were scattered and dis
couraged," and SO thoroughly subdued
that they dare not assert their rights or
proclaim their wrongs The time had now
arrived for brave men, with strong arms
and stout hearts, and patriotic purposes,
to step forward and rescue their beloved
Territory from the oppressors' graspl
Hence, notices were promptly printed and
scattered in every direction, over the sig
nature Of "Many Voters" calling upon
the people to assemble in mass meeting at
the city Of Lawrence, on the 14th Of
August, to take into consideration their
perilous and oppressed condition! This
was the first movement in that series of
acts which resulted in the attempt to put
in operation State government in hos
tility to the territorial government estab-
lished by Congress, and in defiance of the
Federal authorities! Upon this point the
minority report discourses as follows:
The people of Kansas, thus invaded,
subdued, oppressed, and insulted, seeing
their territorial government (such only in
form) perverted into an engine to crush
them in the dust and to defeat and destroy
the professed object of their organic law,
by depriving them of the "perfect free
dom" therein provided; and finding no
ground to hope for rights in that organ
ization, they proceeded, under the guar
antee of the United States Constitution,
"peaceably to assemble to petition the
Government for the redress of (their)
grievances" They saw ne earthly source
of relief but in the formation of State
government by the people, and the accep-
tance and ratification thereof by Con-
gress."
Now, is it true that they assembled
under that clause Of the Constitution
which authorizes citizens peaceably to
assemble and petition the Government fer
redress of grievances? Is it true that they
ever professed to assemble for any such
purpose Is any such purpose expressed
in any resolution, address, proclamation,
or any other publication eminating from
any Of their meetings and conventions !?
1t cannot be found in the proceedings of
the Lawrence meeting, nor of the Big
Springs convention, nor of the first con-
vention at Topeka, ner of the second
convention at Topeka, which formed their
constitution, nor anywhere else except in
the minority report of the Committee on
Territories. will explain to the Senate
when and where this idea originated of
justifying the revolutionary movements in
Kansas, under that clause of the Consti-
tuition of the United States which secures
to the people the right peaceably to
assemble to petition the Government for
redress of grievances" The Committee
on Territories, in investigating this sub
ject, had occasion to look into the opin-
ion of Mr.. Attorney General B. T. But
Ter, in the Arkansas case, in which it was
held, that, while the inhabitants of Ter
ritory had no right to take any step or
do any act designed or calculated to SUBJ
vert or supersede the existing territorial
government, without the previous assent
ard authority of Congress, yet they might
under that clause of the Constitution re-
lating to the "redress of grievances, !"
peaceably assemble and sign petition
and accompanying it with written Con-
stitution as a part of their petition, for
authority to form State government;
"prOvided, atsoays, that such measures be
commenced and prosecuted IN peaceable
manner, IN STRICT sUBoRDINATIoN TO THE
EX1sT1NG TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT, and
te entire subserviency to the po'eer Of Con-
gress to adapt. reject, or disregard them, at
their pleasure" The fertile genins of the
author of the minority report discovered
that plausible excuse for the revolution
lists in Kansas could be deprived from one
portion of this opinion of Attorney Gen
eral Butler by making them assume the
loyal devotion of humble petitioners for
the redress Of grievances, while conceal
ing the fact that the whole movement has
been prosecuted thus far in open defiance
of the authority of Congress, for the
avowed purpose Of subverting the exist
ing territorial government. Whether the
daring and defiant reyolutouists of Kan
sas will consent to be thus transformed by
the single stroke of the pen into humble
and suppliant petitioners remains to be
seen. They WILL doubtless, be amused,
as we'll as surprised, when they shall learn
from the minority report that they assem-
bled only for the purpose of petitioning
for the redress of grievances, and that all
their proceedings were conditional upon
"the acceptance and ratification thereof
by Congress" Let lis look into their
proceedings, and see whether this is fair
or veritable statement of their scope and
design. Their first meeting was held at
Lawrence on the l4th of August, at which
a preamble and resolution was adopted
calling a. convention at Topeka on. the
9th of September, The preamble was
in these words:
Whereas the people of Kansas Ter
ritory have been since its settlement, and
now are, without any law-making pow
|er, &c.
II