True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-08-13
TOOmb's Kansas Bill Dissect ed.
LETTER FROM w. Y. ROBERTS, LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR OF KANSAS.

LEI lIBh fhOM W. Y, NOBEkISI LiEOIENANI
GOVERNOR OF KANSAS.
NATIONAL HOTEL, WAsHINeToN, D. G.
July IL, lS56.-To the Editors of the
Evening Post: Your note asking my
opinion, as Democrat and citizen OF
Kansas, in relation 10 the Senate bill en-
title a bill to authorize the people ofthe
territory Of Kansas to form Constitution
and State Government, &C., which pas
sed the Senate on the Senate on the I'd
instant is at hand
In reply, ! wOnld say that my objec-
tions to the bill are not confined 10 its de-
tails only-.hey may be amended-bul
attached also 10 the principles upon which
it rests.
l. The bill proposes to repeal and
amend certain territorial laws, and leave
others in force, and hence assumes the
position that the Legislative Assembly
was valid authority. and afixes the seal
Of Congressional sanction and appreciation
upon body elected by rule utterly
subversive Of all government; and in so
doing, the Senate has sanctioned and le-
galized, as far as it can. the work Of an
armed mob, in open violation of the laws
and constitution Of the United States. in
violating the great fundamental principal
upon which sests our whole political fab
ric, popular sovereignty, or self govern
ment. -s
1t is not necessary to weary your rea
ders by inserting here the proof of this
proposition, and | ahall only refer them
to the testimony taken by the Kansas In.
vestiga,ing Committee, resorted to the
House of Representatives on the LIST inst
In this report The above allegation is pro.
ven by testimony the most positive and
inconlroverlible.
II. But after thus acknowledging the
validity of the territorial legislature, the
bill proceeds to repeal sundry laws and
parts OF laws enacted by tina. body; by
the very singular process of re.enaciing
certain important provisions of the Con.
stitution in the United States. (See bill
sec. 1877 Is also epacts new election
law-assuming the power of Congress to
legislate for the territory on the most i'm
portant subject of legislation, that of the
elective franchise. whilst it has, in the
opinion of the Senate, in full vitality, To-
cal legislature of its own; thus utterly
abandoning the whole theory of he Dem
ocratic creed in relation To the government
of territories and, as democrat, | must
be allowed to enter my protest against
The abandonment of the faith, particular
ly in an instance when the abandonment
is made necessary by former false hyp'
OtheSis.
III. The bill further provides for the
election and organization Of the conven-
tion "to form a constitution and State
government, and. without submitting the
constitution thus formed TO vote of the
people or future action of Congress, ad-
mls the State into the Union "on an
equal fooing with the original States,
and makes the action Of that convention
a fnality and denies 10 the people the in
valuable privilege of acting in their pri-
mary and individual capacity upon the Or
ganiclaw of the land, "a right inualua.
Bile to them and formidable TO tyrants
only."
| Nv. TO give 10 board of commission.
ers appointed by the President, the pow
er to determine who shall vote for dele.
gates to convention, aud to be sole
Judges of the election and qualifications of
said delegates, and to make the action Of
thrt convention final, in matter so i'm
portant as the formation of constitution
and State government, is to erect a power
dangerous to popular rights, power ir-
responsible TO the !people-a depotism
and is assuming the power of Congress to
do that which is subversive Of The grea,
principles Of that popular government.
V. One effect frefusing 10 submit the
constitution to vote Of the people woulG
be 10 obviate the necessity Of retaining in
the territory large body of men during
the winter in order to vote on the consli
tuition in the spring, as it would be impos
: ible to frame consli ution, publish it and
give the people time to discuss its provis
ions, in order to give an intelligent vott
upon its ratification, before probably, ,ht
LIST of March. am aware tina. ii would b.
exceedingly inconvenient to these people
10 stay in our territory during the winter
without houses, and that houses and pro.
g visions are very expensive things never
, theless as citizen Of Kansas / canno
consent thai they should be allowed Il
finish their work by tie 4ih of Novem
b ber, and return TO their homes, leaving th
D people to enjoy q a government estab
lished against their own will and wishes
and hence, as citizen and friend O
Kansas, must most solemnly prolec
against these feature of the bill.
= vi. The bill further provides that tn
g ratio Of representation and The apporion
ment of delegates shall be determined b.
q the number Of voters, and not the numbe
ofinhabi,ants in the terri oly and the res
pective districts thus giving 10 the m er
1t adventurer, the /" soldier of fortune" upo
y The border, the same representativ
O strength with the regular ci izen perms
nently located with his wife and family {
five or ten minor children. The iniuslic
of this provision is too glaring to nee
l. comment, and its objec. too plain to
= misunderstood.
IS VII. The enumeration Of voters is f,
o ed at time when many Of our citizer
- = have been driven from their homes an