The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-12-04


gress legislated upon the subject in such terms
as were most consonant with the principle
of popular sovereignty which underlies our
government 1t could not have legislated
otherwise without doing violence to another
great principle Of our institutions, the impre-
IscriptiQle right of equality of the several
States.
We perceive, ALSO that sectional interests
and party passions have been the great i'm
pediment to the salutary operation of the or
ganic princip Piles adopted, and the chef cavse
of the successive disturbances in Kansas. The
assumption that, because in the organization
of the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas,
/ Congress abstained from imposing restraints
upon them to which certain other Territories
had been subject, therefore disorders occurred
in the latter Tearitory, is emphaticaliy con-
tradicted by the fact that none have occurred
in the former Those disorders were not the
consequence, in Kansas, of the freedom of
seif-3ove nment conceded to that Territory
by Congress, hut of unjust interference on the
part of persons not inhabitants OF the Terri
tory. Such interference, wherever it has ex-
hibited itself, by acts of insurrectonary char
acter, or of obstruction to processes Of law,
has been repealed or suppressed, by all the
means which the Constitution and the laws
place in the hands of the Executive
/ In those parts Of the United States where
by reason of the intamed state Of the public
mind false rumors and Misrepresentation
have the greatest currency, it has been aSsum-
ed that it was the duty of the Executive not
only to suppress inSurrectionary movement in
Kansas, but also to see to the regularity of To-
cal elections. 1t needs little argument to
show that the President has no such power
All government in the United States rests
substantially upon popular election. The free
dom of elections is liable to be impaired by
the intrusion of unlawful votes, or the exclu-
sion Of lawful ones, by improper influences,
by violence, or by fraud. But the people of
United States are themselves the all sufficient
guardians OF their own rights, and to suppose
that they will not remedy, in dae season, any
such incidents Of civil freedom is to suppose
them to have ceased to be capable Of self gov
eminent. The President of the United States
has not power to interpOSe in elections, to see
to their freedom, to canvass their votes, or to
pass upon their legality in the Territories any
more than in the States. II he had such pow
er the government might be republican IN
form, but it would be monarchy in fact; and
+ If he had undertaken to exercise it in the case
Of Kansas he would have been Justly subject
to the charge of usurpation, and Of violation
of the dearest rights of people of the United
States.
Unwise laws, equally with Irregularities at
elections, are in periods of great excitement,
the occasional incidents of even the reest and
best political institutions. But all experience
f demonstrates that in a country like ours,
where the right of selEconstitution exists in
the complete form, the attempt to remedy un-
wise legislation by resort to revolution, is to-
tally out of place; inaSmuch as existing legal
institutions afford more prompt and eticaclous
means for the redress of wrong.
| confidently trust that now, when the
peaceful condition Of Kansas affords Opportu-
nifty for calm reflection and wise legislation
either the legislative assembly of the Terrific
ry, or Congress- will see that no act shall re-
main on its statute book violative of the pro-
visions Of the Constitution, or subversive of
the great objects for which that was ordained
and established, and will take all other neces-
sary steps to assure to its inhabitants the en-
ijoyment, without obstruction or abridgement
of all the constitutional rights, privileges and
immunities of citizens Of the United States,
as contemplated by the organic law of the
Territory
Full information in relation to recent
events in this territory will be found in the
documents communicated herewith from the
Departments OF State and War.
| refer you to the report OF the Secretary
of the Treasury for particular information
concerning the financial condition of the gov
eminent, and the various branches of the pub
lie service connected with the Treasury De-
partment
During the last fiscal year the receipts from
customs were for the first time, more than
sixty million dollars, and from all sources
seventy-three millions nine hundred and eigh-
teen thousand one hundred and forty-one
dollars: which with the b3anca on hand nm
to the first of July, 1856, made the total re-
sources of the year to amount to ninety-two
million eight hundred and fifty thousand one
hundred and seventeen dollars. The expen-
ditures, including three million dollars in the
execution Of the treaty with Mexico, and ex
Guiding sums paid on Occount of the public
debt, amounted to sixty million one hundred
and seventy-two thousand four hundred and
one dollars; and, including the latter, to sew
enty-two million nine hundred and forty eight
thousand seven hundred and ninety-two dol
lars, the payment on this account having
amounted to twelve million seven hundred and
seventy six thousand three hundred and nine
ty dollars.
On the 4th of March, 1852, the amount of
the public debt was sixty-nine million one
hundred and twenty nine thousand nine hun
bred and thirty-seven dollars. There was
subsequent increase Of two million seven hun
drcd and fifty thousand dollars for the debt Of
: Texas-making total of seventy one million
. eight hundred and seventy nine thousand
nine hundred and thirty-seyen dollars Of
this the sum of forty five millions five hun
!; dred and twenty-five thousand three hundred
and nineteen dollars, including premium, has
been discharged reducing the debt to thirty
million seven hundred and thirty seven thou
sand one hundred and twenty mine dollars: