Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-04-19
SPEECH OF WILLIAM II. SEWARD
ron THE
IMMEDIATE ADMISSION OF KANSAS INTO
THE UNION.
Senate Ofthe United states, April o, 1855.

Senate ofthe United states, April o, 1855.
MR. President To obtain empire is easy
and common To govern it well is difficult aud
rare indeed. | salute the Congress Of the
United States in the exercise of its most i'm
poriant function, that Of extending the federal
constitution over added domains, and salute
especially the Senate in the most august of all
its manifold character, itself Congress Of thir-
iy-one free. equal, sovereign states, assembled
to decide whether the majestic and frater-
nal circle shall he opened to receive yet anolh-
er free, equal and sovereign state.
The constitution prescribes only two qualh-
cations for new states, namely--a substantial
civil community, and a republican government.
Kanzas has both of these
The circumstances Of Kanzas, and her re-
lations towards the Union, are peculiar, anom-
alous and deeply interesting The United
States acquired the provincesof Louisiana,
(Which included the present territory of Kan
zas,) from France, in 1903, by treaty, in
which they agreed that its inhabitants should
be incorporated into the federal Union, and ad-
mitted as soon as possible, according TO the
| principles of the constitution to the enjoyment
OF all the rights, advantages and. immunities
of citizens Of the United States Nevertheless,
kanzas was in 1920 assigned as a home for an
indefinite period 10 several savage lndisn tribes,
and closed against immigration and all other
than aboriginal civilization, but not without
coniemporsneous pledge TO the American peo-
pie and to mankind, that neither slavery nor in
voluntary serviiude should be tolerated therein
In
val of the Indian tribes, aud organized and
opened Kanzas to civilization. but by the same
act rescinded the pledge of pei peiual dedication
to freedom, aod substituted for il another, which
declared that the [futurel people Of Kanzas
should be left perfectly free 10 establish or TO
exclude slavery, as they should decide through
the action Of the republican government which
Congress modelled and authorized them TO es-
iabllsh, under the protection Of the United
States. Notwithstanding this latter pledge,
when the newly associated people Of Kanzas,
in 1855, were proceeding with the machinery
Of popular elections, in the manner prescribed
by Congress, 10 choose legislative bodies for
the purpose of organizing that republican gov
ernment, armed bands of invaders from the
state of Missouri entered the territory, seized
the polls, overpowered or drove away the in.
habilanls, usurp,d the elective franchise, de-
posted false and spurious ballots without re-
gard to regularity Of qualification or of num-
bers, procured official certificates OF the result
by fraud and force, and thus created and con-
stituted legislative bodies to act for and in The
name of the people Of the territory. These
legislative bodies afterwards assembled, as
-. l.. 4 a
a code Of municipal laws, created public Offices
and filled them with officers appointed for con
siderable periods by themselves, and thus es.
tablished complete and effective foreign iyran-
ny over The people Of the territory These
hgh-handed transactions were consummated
with the expressed purpose of establishing AZ
rican slavery, as a permanent instilution with
in the territory by force, in violation Of tho
natural rights of the people solemnly guaran-
tied to them by the Congress Of the United
States. The president Of the United States
has heen an accessory 10 these political tran
sacions, with full completely in regard to the
purpose for which they were committed. lie
, has adopted the usurpaiion, and made il his
own, and he is now maintaining it with The
military arm of the republic. Thus Kanzas
; has been revoluiionized, and she now lies sub
jueated and PROSTATE at the foot Of the presi-
dent of the United States, while he, through
the agency of fdreign tyranny established
within her borders, is forcibly introducing and
establishing slavery there, in contempt and de-
fancs of the organic law. These extraordi-
nary transactions have been attended by civil
eommolion, IN which property, life and liberty
have been exposed TO violence, and these com
nollons sun continue to threaten not only the
Territory ITSELF, but also the adjacent states, with
the calamilles and dsgraces OF civil war.
am fully aware OF The gravity of the char
ges against the president Of the United States
which this statement of the conditlon and rea'
lions OF hanzas imports. shall proceed, with
out fear and without reserve, TO make them
good. The maxim, that sacred veil must be
drawn over the beginning Of all governments
does not hold under our system. shall first
call the accuser into the presence Of the Sen