The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-03-12
Go1ltinled

rlrrsBURG. FEB. o. 1850
Coatiauedl
THE INVASION on KANSAS AND ACrloN OF THE
GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
Nor did the Saveholding interest stop here
jn its crusade II Injustice and wrong. The
first election of members for the Territorial
Legislature 81 Kansas was fixed for the 30th
Of March. 1855. and the law Of Congress pre-
scribed that ut that election none but Sac
tual residents Of the Territory should be all
lowed toyote Yet, to prevent people Of tue
TERRITORY themselves from exercising the
right to prohibit Slavery, which the act 81
Congress had conferred upon them, the
Slaycholding interest sent armed bands of
men from the ueighborng State Of Missouri,
who entered the Territory on the day Of cleo
ton. took possession Of the polls, excluded
the legal voters. and proceeded themselves to
elect members of the Legislature without the
slightest regard to the qualifications required
bv law. The Judges of election appointed
under authority of the Administration at
Washington, aided and abetted in the perpe-
tration Of the outrages upon the rights Of
the people Of Kansas, and the President Of
the United States removed from office the
Governor whom he had himself appointed,
but who refused % acknowledge the iegisla-
mre which the Slayeholding invaders from
Missouri had thus imposed upon the Terrto-
ry.
That Legislature met ON the 2d Of July,
1880 Its first net was to exclude those mem-
bers, duly elected. who would not consent 90
the enactment Of laws for the admission IF
Slavery into the Territory. Having thus 50
fenced all opposition to IT, behcstS, the Leg
~ 4 a .5 . I.. ont. e Is,t
for the government al Kansas upon the sub
iect Of Slavery. The laws Of Missouri in
regard to it were first extended over the Ter
ritorv Il was then enacted that every per-
son who should raise IN instruction or re-
bcll.on Of negroe, in the Territory; every
person who should entice away q slave with
intent to procure his freedom; every person
who should AID or assist in 50 euticlng away
a slave within the Territory; ana every per-
son who should entiee on carry away q slave
from anv other State or Territory OF the
Union, and bring him within Inc Territory OF
Kansas. with the intent TO effect or procure
his freedom, upon the conviction thereof
should suffer DEATH. 1t was further enacted
that if any person should write, print or pub-
lish any book, paper, argument. opinion, adj
vice or inuendo, calculated 70 produce dis
orderly dangerous or rebelii0us dlsallcct0n
among the slaves IN the Territory, or 10 in
duce them to escape from their masters. he
should be deemed guilty OF FELONY, and Be
punished By Imprisonment AT hard labor for
a term not less than FIVE YEARS: and that II
any free person. IS speaking or writing.
should assert or maintain that persons have
not the right 70 hold slaves ia that Territory ,
OF should introduce or circulate any bo1N,
paper. phamphlct or circular, containing any
such denial of thu right ol persons to hold
slaves IA that Territory he should be deemed
guilty of felony, and be punished by NrEts-
oNMENT al hard abol for term not les thtu
Tigo YkARs. IL WAS still further enacted by
the same Legislature that every free white
male citizen OF the United States, ANA nh ~
itan Of the Territory, who should ple a "a
of enc dollar and take IN oath ~ supper,
the Constitution OF the nIted States. the
act organizing the Territory of Kansas, the
Territorial laws, and the act for the recap
ture OF fugitive slaves, should BE emitted 10
vote at any election ia sad Territory
making citizens Of Missouri. or amy other
State, legal voters In Kansas, upon their rep
reservation at the polls, upon taking the oaths
prescribed. aud upon paymen, Of one dollar.
in direct violation Of the spirit of the act Of
Congress, ana in open disregard u the rights
X
made these cnactments for tins establishment
of Slavery. the Legislature appointed >hcr-
IFS, Judges, and other officers Of the TcrFito-
w for their enforcement, thus demiyiug tho
people Of all power over the enactment of
their own laws, and the choice OF officers for
their execution.
That these despotlc acts, even If they had
been passed by Legislature duly elected BY
the people Of the Territory, would have been
null and void, inasmuch rs they are plainly
in violation Of the Federal Constitution, is
too clear for argument. Congress itself is
expressly forbidden by the Constitution Of
the nlted States, 10 make laws abridging
the freedom Of speech and Of the press; and
it Is absurd to suppose that Territorial Leg
islature, deriving all It's power from Com
gress, should not he subject 10 the same re-
strictions. But these laws were not enacted
by the people OF Kansas. They were impos-
ed upon them by an armed force. Net the
President of the United States, IN a special
message sent to Congress on the 24th OF Jan
uary, 1856, declares that they had been enact
ed by the duly constituted authorities Of the
Territory, and that they are Of binding obi
CATION upon the people thereof. And Oh the
18th Of February, 1856, he issued his Proc
lamation, denouneing any attempt to resist
or subyert these barbarous and void enact
ments, and warning all persons engaged III
such attempts, that they will be opposed, not
only by the local militia, but by any availu-
bic forces belonging 10 the regular army Of
the United States. Thus has the Federal
government solemnly recognized the usurpa-
ton set up in Kansas BY invaders from Mis-
souri,, and pledged all the powers Of the Uni
ted States to its support. American history
furnishes no parallel to the cruelty and tyr
ranny of these acts Of the present Admins.
tration. Tie expulsion Of aliens, and the
penalties inflicted upon citizens for eAercis-
ny freedom Of speech and q the press, an
der the alien and seliton laws, which were
oTcrthrown By the Republican Party Of l193,
were lcnien' and mid Nhea compared with
the outrages perretratel upon Tie people of
Kansas, under color If Law. III the usnrpine