The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-04-29
NO. -497.

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State Congress would be trailscending her powsrs
by receiving the memorial as coming froIna State
VI we received this memorial need not attempt
u t'cut her as a Territory"
Mr.. Kinnard said:
"lIs felt as arden. IN attnehmep Ut to the right Of
petition as any ether nbor he would nut
tender. IN hoIalf Of iis own constituents. lis fair
ana constitutional exercise and hs would not vote
TO deny tho snne privilege 10 any portion Of tie
he claimed t!s authority 70 distinguish between tho
peiitionsf the people of the Territory OF Michigan.
ant the Illegal nncvnstitn'onol demands OF he self.
st led senate and House Of SfRepresenta Of Mich
gun particularly, as in the present case, when
these demands are not only In contempt Of ths au-
thorty Of the Union in dcrdga,ioi u the independ-
ence and vested rights Of the State Of indiana. but
altogether mischisyous and inespedieit." III
1t would reasonably be expected, after
perusal Of the Kansas message, that its au-
thor would be found sustaining these gentle
men in their eiForis to avoid any recognition
Of an authority In Michigan, such ss he now
sas; but the record shows precisely the ocn-
trary. Mr.. Pierce voted against The motion
10 reject; and with him voted large majori
ty of that House. Mr.. Hannegan then NOV
ed to amend o motion to receive and rdkr
the memorial, by declaration that the
House "regard the same IN no other light than
az the voluntary act Of pirate iadividxois,"
SO as TO avoid any recognition Of State or
ganization; and this qualifying clause was
adopted; but it was adopted with the vote Of
! Fraakin Pierce recorded against IL. SUBJ
nit, with these votes on the record, whether
the President is not the last man who should
arraign the people Of Kansas for their peace.
able efforts to secure government
But, to return 10 the history Of the acs
providing for the admission Of Michigan
this act ratified and confirmed the consttu-
tion and State government which the people
Of Michigan had formed for themselves, sfth
only one condition and proviso, to wit: that
the people, through convention Of delegates
elected especially for that purpose, should az
sent to the change of boundaries as specified
in the act; and, whenever such assent was
given, the President Of the United States
was to announce it by proclamation; and
thoreupon, and without any further proceed
ing on the part of Congress, the admission
her Senators and Representatives were cnti-
tied to seats without further delay.
! Under tho provisions Of this act the Leg
islature Of Michigan called n convention Of
delegates and provided for their election
Tho election was held, and the convention
met in pursuance Of the law, every organi-
zcd county being represented. This conven-
tion refused to give its assent to the change
Of boundary, and declined the boon of nd
mission into the Union on the terms proposed.
The official evidence of such "dissent" was
transmitted by the officers Of the convention
to the President and there for the tine be-
ing the matter rested
This convention was held in the month of
September; and its refusal to give any assent
TO the changs Of boundary was unsatisfacto-
~ to portion of the people. There was
party in favor of giving assent 10 the terms
proposed; and that party demanded another
convention, and determined to hold it. This
last convention assembled in the month Of
December not held or elected by virtue of
any act of the territorial or State Legislature
but originating from the people themselves,
| in pursuance Of resolutions adopted in their
| primary assemblies. Two of the oldest coun-
ties in the State, comprising population Of
some twenty-five thousand souls, refused to
recognize the validity of this December COLI
vcntion, claiming that it was held withou:
warrant of law, and in defiance Of the regu-
lar convention, which had previously express
sed the sentiments Of the people. There
was not q poll opened in either of those
counties, although they comprised, in popu-
lation, ono sixth of the entire number; but
this self-constituted convention was held with
out any delegates from these counties, and
that convention gave its assent to tho terms
proposed by Congress, and transmitted to tha
Executive iis proceedings as u compliance
with the act, and as cnlitling the State TO ad-
mission
Now, refer to these two elections tor
delegates because, in some respects, they re-
semblc two elections in the Territory Of Kan
sas that have been the subject of earnest discus
sion in this Hail. The September election.
like the election that chose Mr.. Whitfield, had
the benefits that the forms of legal authority
confer, and il had the additional merit, that
no fraud or violence perverted or disgraccd it.
The December election, like the election that
chose Mr.. Reeder, was the spontaneous act Of
the sovcreigns Themselves, done without tho
interposition or assent Of the constituted au-
thoritcs, but with an avowcd determination
not 70 recognize their acts. Now, il is inn
portant to ascertain which of these elections
was regarded by a Democratic Congress "a
expressing the will Of the citizens Of Michi-
gan, and what rules they adopted as prece-
dents for our action In this case.
First, what did a Democratic President do
with the proceedings Of these two conflicting"
convcnticnsi Did he presume to indorsc one
Of them ma tho valid, legitimate convention
under the law, and denounce the other as an
''ilIccal" aud revolutionary" asscmblagc p
Did he make them tho occasion Of a special
message to Congress, in order to justify one
convention at the expense of the otherl Not
at all General Jackson met these questions
with f.iracss, with manIlncss with dignity
with desire to mctc out substantial justice
TO The citizens of Michigan. He transmits
the proceeding, cf beth conventions to Con
gross and takes occasion 10 inform il that tho
first convention .was elected hy the people of
Michigan pursuant TO an act Of the State
II 4 4 Al =sl< Il T.1.- L,