Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-03-26
THE RAFTgMAN's JOURNAL.
rHE KANSAS QUESTION.


In Senate, March II, Mr.. CoLLAMER, from
the Minority of the Committee on Territories,
to whom was referred the Presidents Message
on Affairs in Kansas made a report, from which
we extract the following paragraphs
ssA succinct statement of the course and pro-
gress of the material events in Kansas is this
After the passage of this law, establishing the
Territory of Kansas, large body of settlers
rapidly entered into said Territory with the
view of permanent inhabitancy therein. Most
of these were from the Free States OF the w est
and North, who probably intended by their
votes and influence to establish there Free
State, agreeably to the law which invited them.
Some part of these from the Northern Emil
grant Aid Society, formed in Massachusetts,,
which put forth some exertion in this laudabe
| object by open and public measures, in provid-
ing facilities for transportation to all peaceable
| citizens who desired to become permanent
settlers in said Territory, and providing there
| in hotels, mills, and SO forth for the public ac-
commodation of that new country.
The Governor OF Kansas having, in pursu-
ance of law, divided the Territory into dis
| tricts and procured census thereof, issued his
| proclamation for the election of Legislative
Assembly therein, to take place on the 3Oth
day of March, 1855, and directed how the same
should be conducted and the returns made to
| him, agreeably to the law establishing said
Territory. On the day of election, large bod
|
appeared at the polls in most of the districts
| and bv most violent and tumultuonS carriage
| and demeanor, 0verawed the defenseless IN
| habitants, and by their own votes, elected
| large majority of the members Of both Houses
| of said Assembly. On the returns Of said cleo
| tions being made to the Governor, protests and
| objections being made to him in relation to
part of said districts, and, as to them, he set
| aside such, and such only, as, by the returns,
appeared to be bad. In relation to others,
covering majority of the two Houses, equal
| ly vicious in fact, but apparently good by for
NAL returns, the inhabitants thereof: borne
| down by said violence, and intimdated, scat
| tered and discouraged, and laboring under ap-
| prehensions of personal violence, refrained and
dessted from presenting any protest to the
Governor in relation thereto, and he, then un-
informed in relation thereto, issued certificates
to the members who appeared by said formal
| returns to have been elected.
| In relation to those districts which the Gov
| ernor so set aside, orders were by him issued
| for new elections. In one of these districts
| the same proceedings were repeated by men
| from Missouri, and in others not, ana certln-
| Gates were issued to the persons elected.
| This Legislative Assembly elected assem-
/ bled at Pawnee the I'd day OF July, 1900,
that being the time and place for holding sald
| meeting, as fixed by the Governor by authorl-
| ty of law. On assembling, the said houses
proceeded to set aside and reject those men,
bers so elected on said second election except
| in the districts where the men from Missouri
| had, at said election chosen the same persons
they had elected at the said first election, and
| admitted all of the said first-elected members.
| A Legislative Assembly, SO created by mill
tary force, by a foreign invasion, in violation
| of the organic law was but usurpation. No
| act of its own--no act or neglect of the Gov
srnor, could legalize or sasctify it. It's own
decisions as to its own legality are, like its
laws, but the fruits of its own usurpation,
| which no Governor could legitimate.
They p ssed an Act altering the place of the
temporary seat OF Government to the Shawnee
Mission on the border, and in near proximity
TO Missouri. This Act the Government regard
ed as violation of the organic law establish
ing the Territory. which fixed the temporary
seat of Government and prohibited the Legs-
| lative Assembly from doing anything inconsis-
| tent with said Act. He therefore, and for that
cause, vetoed said bill, but said Assembly re-
passed the same by two-tbird majority, not
| withStanding said veto, and removed to said
Shawnee Mission. They then proceeded to
pass laws, and the Governor in writing, declin-
ed further to recognize them as legitimate
Assembly sitting at that place. They contin-
ued passing laws there from the 10Th day of
July to the 3lst day of August, 1855.
On the 18th day of August last the Cover
nor of said Territory was dismissed from office,
and the duties dcvolved upon the Secretary of
the Territory and how many of the laws pas
sed with his official appreciation does not ap
pcar-the laws as now presented, being with
| out date or authenticated.
| AS by the law of Congress organizing said
Territory it was expressly provided that the
people of the Territory were to be cleft per-
| sc fectly free to form and regulate their domeS
| sc tic institutions in their way and a
mong these institutions Slavery is included,
it was of course implied that that subject
| to be open and free to public and private dis
cussion in all its bearings, rights and relation
| Among these
questions of what the state of the eristing
ia,us, and the notifications that might be re-
quired on that subject. The law had declared
that its sstrue intent and meaning not to
SO legisldte Slavery into the Territory or ex-
&c clude it therefrom.'' This would, of course,
leave to that people the inquiry, What then,
| are the existing rights under the Constitution
Can slaves be holden in the absence of any
law on the suhject2 This question, about which
SO much difference of opinion exists, and which
Congress and the Courts have never settled
was thus turned over to the people there to
discuss and settle for themselves.
This Territorial Legislature so created, by
force from Missouri, utterly refused to permit
discussion on the subject, but assuming that
Slavery already existed there, and that neither
Congress nor the people in the Territory un-
der the authority of Congress, had or could
prohibit it, passed law which, if enforced,
utterly prohibits all discussion of the question.
The 11th and 18th sections of that act are as
follows
SEC. IL. If any person print, write, intro
duce into, publish or circulate, or cause to be
brought into, printed, written, published or
circulated, or shall knowingly aid or assist in
bringing into, printing. publishing circula-
ting within this Territory, any book, magazine,
handbill or circular, containing any statements,
arguments, opinions, sentiments, doctrine, ad-
vice or inuendo, calculated to promote dis
orderly, dangerous or rebellious disaffection