Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-02-16
SPECIAL MESSAGE OF GOV. CHASE.

SPECIAL MESSAGE OF GOV. CHASE
To he General 1sseDJ'y IF tie state IF Olo
| transmit for the consideration of the General
Assembly communication from certain gentle
men holding official positions in Kansas.
! The urgency of this appeal, made by the COM
muncatiun herewith transmitted, induces me to ]
lay 1t before the General Assembly without delay. /
1t is authenticated by the signatures of James
II. Lane, Chairman of the Executive Committee of
Kansas Territory, of Charles Robinson, the Gov
ernor, and George w. Dcitzler the Secretary elect
cd by the People under the recently adopted State
Constitution.
ltrerresents that an overwhelming force Of CIT
izens OF Missouri are organizing upon the borders
of Kansas, with the ayowed purpose of invading
the Territory, ,dcmclishiug towns and butchcring
1t appeals for prompt assistance in terms which
cannot fail 10 command your most earnest atten-
ton.
Tie object Of the contemplated invasion Of.
Kansas Is to compel its inhabitants to submit to
| the establishment Of slavery.
The progress Of slaveholding aggression is very
remarkable
In 1920 the slave power insisted on the odmis
sion OF Missouri as Slave State, and effected its
purpose by cngraiUng the bill tor its admission
Il perpetual prohibition Of slavery in all the re-
mainder Of the territory acquired from France
north Of the south line of Missouri, extending west
ward to our frontier.
! In 1854, the slave power demanded the reneal of
the Prohibition Of 1870, and effected its object by
engratting on the Nebraska Kansas bill which pro-
vlded for The repeal, an express declaration that
the people Of the Territory should be left perfect
y free to form and regulate their own domestic
institutions, subject only to the provisions Of the
Constitution Of the United States"
In 1876, the slave power insists that under this
declaration the people of the Territory have no
mower TO exclude SlnyprV uutl uu1pr N pnolliur
act OF Congress, they proceed to form State Con-
sttutlon, preparatory to admission into the Union.
That this pretcnsion would be advanced was
loreseon and predicted, when the Nebraska Kansas
Bill was under discussion and it was. indeed, in
directly sanctionedby the rulusal Of its support
ers to adopt an amendment to the bill, expressly
} recognising the right of the people to exclude
, slavery.
, Whatever construction, however, may have Leen
, intended by the slayeholding supporters Of the
bill, and whatever countenance that construction
/ may De Afforded by the phrGseology Of the act
ITSELF it is certain that, throughout the Free States
the conviction is nearly universal that the people
OF Kansas, deprived Of the protection Of the pro-
f hibition of 1920, have, and ought to have, COM
, p!ete right and full power to protect themselves
against the evils Of Slavery.
TO prevent the people from exercising this right
, and power, armed bands from the neighboring
, State of Missouri, invaded the Territory az the
time appointed for the first election of members of
VI lIO hdFCn Op, lCJO,
, and having taken possession Of the polls, and ex
cluded the legal voters selected the persons who
were to constitute the Legislature, without regard
to their place Of residence, whether in Missouri
= Kansas.
The acts of this spurious Legislature we're wor-
n thy of its origin. Having excluded the few Free
State members who held certificates of election they
f proceeded to promulgute i'll the forms of law, Il
series Of pretended Statutes which have no par
aIles in the annals of legislative usurpation. The
Governor Of the Territory, who attempted inehect-
ually, to restrain their excesses by his executive
t Veto was removed from office 10y the President Of
T. the United States and thus full scope given to
1 their utmost extravaganza.
q As if disposing Of conquered province, they
proceeded to decree the establishment of Slavery
d and to secure it against popular opposition, by
providing for the appointment of Sherifs and other
v officers, by Commissioners of their own creation
without allowing to the people any voice whatever
J. in their selection, and by imposing the exercise
Of the right to vote at future elections of members
Of the Legislature conditions with which none but
If supporters of Slavery could comply.
n 1t was impossible for men, not themselves pre-
h pared to be slaves, to admit the validity CT this
d spurious legislation. The people of Kansas re-
fuse to submit to disfranchsment by the usurpers
Left without valid Laws and RENTED to the orig
q inal right, inherent In every community, to pro
- vide for its own safety and good order they pro
ceeded in regular convention, to appoint day and
4 prescribe the manner Of electing delegate tC
q Congress, and to provide for holding convention
: to frame constitution, preparatory TO application
- for admission into the Union as State.
/. On the 9th of October last, the day designated
d for the election of delegate to Congress, Andrew
ID II. Reeder chosen to that Office and on the
23d Of the same month Il State Constitution was
lpromul gated by the convention elected for the pur
u pose. On the 18th December this constitution was
-. ratified by the people, and on the 10Th of Jauary
- ust past, and election was held for State officers
'0 and members of the State Legislature. The Gov
ernor and Secretary, whose signature are affixed
'u to the appeal herewith transmitted were chosen
~ this election
- Willie these things were in progress the Terrific
ry was again invaded, early in December by armeC
30 bands from Missouri, now called into action 10y al
~ extraordinary proclamation from Wilson Shannon
~ who had been appointed Governor of the Territor
n in place of his removed predecessor The town o
of Lawrence was actually beleaguered, and its des
u tructiun fercely threatened. The people Of tn
" Territory rallied to its Defence and for many days
. civil war was imminent. At length, however, tn
Governor became sensible of the he ha
A committed, and succeeded in inducing the il
on yaders to retire.
of Their presence had been markell by ou
o. rage, rapine and murder. Their withdrawal wa
ng angry and reluctant. 1t indicated a remission
hostilites not peace.
ed Hence it is not surprising that the election
State officers under the new new Constitution, o
tho 10Th of January was made the occasion
further hOstilities. The Territory again il
vaded, and an actual rencounter took place betwee
the invaders and the settlers. Some time afte
its termination, a respected citizen, an emgran
from Kentucky, of the name of Brown, who la
been engaged in it upon the Free State side, wa
seized and inhumanly murdered by the opposit
party.
er The communication which transmit, expresse
W. strong apprehension that preparations aremakip
nd of implements Of destruction for new invasion
more destructive than any which has preceded it. II