The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-02-28
WHOLE NUMBER 556.


| General Assembly q communication from
certain gentlemen holding Official positions
in Kansas.
The urgency Of the appeal, made BY the
communication herewith transmitted. In
duces me to lay it before the General Az.
sembly without delay.
1t is authenticated by the signatures Of
JAMES H. LANE, Chairman of the Executive
Committee Of Kansas Territy, Of CHARLRs
ROBINSON, the Governor, and GEoReE w.
DEITzLER, the Secretary, elected BY the
I People under the recently adopted State
Convention.
1t represents that an overwhelming fsrss
of citizens of Missouri is organizing spon tho
borders ofKansas, with the avowed purpose
of invading the Territory, demolishing its
towns, and butchering the Free State citi-
zens.
1t appeals for prompt assistance In terms
which cannot fail to command your most
earnest attention.
The object Of the contemplated invssioh
Of Kansas is to compel its inhabitants to sub
nit to the establishment of Slavery.
The progress of Slaveholding aggression
is very remarkable.
In 1870 the slave power insisted on the
admission of Missouri as Slave State, and
effected its purpose by engraftingon the bill
for its admission perpetual prohibition Of
Slavery in all the remainder of the territory
acquired from France, north Of the South
line of Missouri. extending westward to our
frontier.
In 1854, the slave power demanded the
repeal of the Prohibition of 1920, and effect.
ed its object by engraiting on the Nebraska
Kansas bill which provided for the repeal,
an express declaration that the people of the
Territory should be left "perfectly free to
form and regulate their own domestic insti-
tutions, subject only to the provisions, Of the
Constitution of the United Stated"
In 1866, the, slave power insists that un.
der this declaration the people Of the Terri
tory have no power at all to exclude Slave
ry, until, under an enabling act of Congress,
they proceed to form State Constitution,
preparatory 10 admission into the Union.
That this pretension would be advanced
was foreseen and predicted, when the Me-
braska Kansas Bill was under discussion;
and it was, indeed, indirectly sanctioned by
the refusal of its supporters to adopt an -
mendment to the bill, expressly recognising
the right of the people to exclude Slavery.
Whatever construction, however, may
have been intended by the Slaveholding sup
porters OF the bill, and whatever countenacs
to that construction may be afforded by the
phraseology Of the act itself, it is certain
that, throughout the Free States, the con-
viction is nearly universal, that the People
of Kansas, deprived of the protection of the
prohibition of 1899, have, and ought to have.
complete right and full power to protect
themselves against the evil OF slavery.
To prevent the people from exercising this
right and power, armed bands, from the
neghboring State of Missouri, invaded the
Territory at the time appointed for the first
election of members of the Territorial Leg
isature, (March 30, 1859 and. having taken
possession of the polls, and excluded the le-
gal voters, elected themselves the persons
who were to constitute the Legislature,
without regard to their place of residence.
whether in Missouri or in Kansas.
The acts Of this spurious Legisture were
worthy OF its origin. Having excluded the
few Free State members who held certif.
Gates of election, they proceeded to Promul-
gate, in the forms of law, series OF preten-
ded Statutes which have no parallels in the
annals Of Legislative usurpatien. The Gov.
ernor of the Territory who attempted. insf-
fectually, to restruin their excesses BY his
| Executive veto, was removed from Office By
the President Of the United States, and thus
| full scope was given to their utmost extrav-
! agance.
AS if disposing of conquered province,
they proceeded to decree the establishments
OF Slavery, and to secure it against popular
opposition, by providing for the appointment
Of Sherifrs and other officers, by Commis-
sions of their own creation; without allow
| ing to the People any voice whatever in their
election, aud by imposing on the exercise ois
the right to vote al. future elections Of msm-
bers OF the Legislature, conditions which
none but the supporters of Slavery could
comply.
It was impossible for men, not themselves
prepared to be slaves. to admit the validity
of this spurious Legislation. The people Of
Kansas refused to submit to disfraRchise BY
the usurpers. Left without valid laws, and
RENTED to the originalright. inhersntineY.
cry community, to provide for iss own SAFETY
and good order, they proceeded in regular
convention. to appoint dayand prescribe
1.-THE manner Of elesting delegate e Con-
grees, and 10 provide for holding c0nyens I
| ton to frame constitution, preParatoFj1 e
application for admission insvihe Union -
"a State.
ON the 9Th Of October last, the dny desig
mated for the election of delegate 70 Coa-
gress, ANDREW H. REEDER was chosen f.
that oifice; and Oh the Esd ofshe same month
State constitution was promulgated By ths