Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-30
AFFAIRS IN KANSAS.
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.
WASHINGTON. JAN. "a. 1856

TO fhe Sfadif ana hohst OF htpFestHfdfirfs
Circumstances have occurred 20 disturb thu
course Of governmental organization in the Ter
ritory Of Kansas. and produce there condition
Of things which renders il incumbent I,
call your attention to the subject. and Urgent,
recommend the adoption by you Of such meas
ures Of legislation as the grave exigences of III,
case appear to require.
A brief exposition Of the circumstances refer
red to and Of their causes, will be necessary Il
the full understanding Of The recommendation.
which it is proposed TO submit.
The act to organize the Territories Of Ne
braska and Kansas manifestion Of the leg
islative opinion of Congress on two great points
of constitutional construction: One. that the
designation of the boundaries of new Territory
and provision for III political organization and
administration as Territory are measures which
of right fail within the powers Of the General
Government. and the o.her, that the inha bitants
of any such Territory, considered as an inchoate
State. are entitled. in the exercise of self gov
eminent. 10 determine for themselves what shall
he their own domestic institutions. subject only
to the Constitution and the Laws duly enacted by
Congress under it. aud TO the power of existing
States to decide according 10 the provisions and
principles of the Constitution, at what time the
Territory shall be received State into tho
Union. Such are the great political rights which
are solemuly declared and affirmed by that net
Based upon this theory. the act of Congress
defined for each Territory the outline of repub
lican government, disturbing public authority
among lawfully created agents--executive, judi
cin and egisiative--to be appointed either Ivy
che General Government or by the Territory.
The Legislative functions were entrusted To IA
Council and a House Of Representatives, duly =.
lected and empowered to enact all the local laws
which they might deem essential TO their pros
perity, happiness aud good government Acting
in the same spirit, Congress also defined the per
sans who we're in the first instance to be oonsid-
cred as the people of each Territory; enactng
that every free white male inhabitant of the same
above the age of twenty one years, being mn nc
tual resident thereof and possessing the qualii
cations hereafter described, should be entitled 10
vote at the first election, aud be. eligible TO any
office within the Territory, but that the quaf
cations of voters and holding office at all subsc
ouent elections should be such as might be pre-.
scribed by the Legislative Assembly: Provided,
however. that the right of suffrage aud Of h I'D.
ing office should be ;e1ercised on by citizens
Of the United States, and those who should have
declared on oath their intention TO become such
and have taken oath TO support the Cons,i
tuition of the United States aud the provisions of
the act And provided, further that no officer.
soldier seaman. or marine, or other person in the
army navy Of the United States, or attached
to troops in their service, should be allowed IL
vote or hold office in either Territory by reason
of being on service therein.
Such of the public officers of the Territories
as, by provisions Of the net were 10 be appointed
by the General Government, including the Gov.
ernors, were appointed and commissioned in due
season-the law having been enacted ON the Both
of may 1854, and the commission of the Cover
nor Of the Territory of Nebraska being dated on
the I'd day Of August, 1854, and Of the Terrific
ry Of Kansas on the Goth day of June, 1854.
Among the duties imposed by the act on the
Governor was that of directing and superincn
ding the political organization OF the respective
Territories The Governor of Kansas was re-
qplred to cause census or enumeration of the
inhabitants and qualified voters of the several
counties and districts of the Territory to be TIA
ken by such persons and il such mode ms he might
designate and appoint; to appoin, and direct the
time aud places of holding the first elections and
the manner OF conducting them, both as to the
persons to superintcnd such elections and the re.
turns thereof to declare the number of the mem
benz OF the Council and House OF Repre- sentatves
for each county or district. 10 declare what per-
sons might appear to be duly elected; and to APP
point the time and place of the FIRST meeting of
the Legislative Assembly. In substance, the same
duties were devoved on the Governor of Nebtas
ka.
While,by this act,the principle of the constitu-
ton for each of the Territories was one and the
same, and the details of organic legislation re-
garding both were as nearly as could be identical
and while the Territory Of Nebraska tranquil
ly and successfully organized in the due course
Of law. and its first Legislative Assembly met on
the 10th OF January, 1855, the organization of
Kansas was long delayed, and has been attended
with serious difficulties and embarrassments, part
ly the consequence of NAL administration, aud
partly of the unjustifable Interference of the in
habifapfe A 6 Stat. f., h,,,
denee. interests and rights to the Territory.
The Governor of the Territory of Kansas. com
mlssioned, as before stated, on the Goth of June,
1854, did not reach the designated seat of his
government until the 9TH of the ensuing October:
and even then failed to make the first step in its
legal organization that Of ordering the census or
enumeration OF its inhabitants SO late n
day shat the election of the members Of the Leg
isletife Assembly did not take place until the
Both Of March, 1855; SO that, for year after the
Territory constituted by the act of Congress,
and the officers to be appointed by the Federal
Executive had been commissioned,it was without
a complete government, without any iegisla
tive authority, without local law, and of course
without the ordinary guarantees of peace and
public order.
In the other respects the Governor, instead OF
exercising constant vigilance and putting fortl
all his energies TO prevent or counterect the ten
denotes 10 iiiegaliy winch are prone To exist u
all imperfecty organized and newly associated
communities allowed his attention to be diverted
from official obligation by other objects
and himself set an example of violation of law il
the performance of acts which rendered it my
duty. in the sequel, to remove him from the of
flee of chief executive magistrate of the Terrific
ry.
Before the requisite preparation was accom-.
plished for election of Territorial Legislature
an election of Delegate to Congress had beer
held in the Territory the 29th day of Novem
Der, 1854. and the Delegate took his seat in III,
House of Representatives without challenge.
arrangements had been perfected by the Cover
nor so that the election for members of the Leg
islafiye Assembly mi.,l,t he held In the sexeru