The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1856-02-07
From The Washington Onion, Jan. 25th
Special Message from the President.
10 the Senate and
House of REPRESENTATIVES,

10 the Senate and
House of Representatives
Circumstances have occurred TO dis
turb the course OF governmental organi-
zatlon in the Territory OF Kansas, aud
produce there Il condition OF things
which renders it incumbent on me TO
chli your attention TO the subject, and
urgentiy to recommend the adoption by
you OF such measures of legislation as
the grave exigencies of the case ap.
pear to require.
A brief exposition of the circumstan-
ees referred TO, and Of their causes, will
be necessary to the full understanding
of the Recommendations which il is pro.
posed TO submit.
The act to organize the Territories of
Nebraska and Kansas was manifesto.
ton OF the Legislative opinion of Con-
HrcSs on two great points oi constitu-
uonal construction: one, lhat the desig-
Hhti1u Ut i'i" hUGudnglrs OF Il new Ter
r't"ry, nrd provision for It's political or
SAAiZaton aud administration as Il Ter
rhory, are measures which of right fall
"itliin the powers of the General Gov.
ernment; aud the other, that the inhabi-
tants of any such Territory considered
as an inchoate State are entitled in the
exercise of sel.government, to deter
mine tor themselves villa. shall be their
own domestic institutions, subject only
10 the Constitution aud the laws duly
enacted by Congress under il, and To tle
power OF The existing States To decide
according to tue provisions aud princi
plies of the Constitution at what time
the territory shall he received as 1,
state into the Union. Such are the
great political rights which are soemnly
declared and afiirncd by llia, act.
BASED upon this theory, the act of
Congress dcfincd for each Territory the
outlines of republican government, dis
tributlng public authority among lawful.
" created. .aGcDts--eSeGntiVa- inlicial.
and -iegisiative--io Ie appointed eilhey
lkS the General Government or by the
Territory. The Legislative functions
@t,ro intrusted to Il council and house of
representatives duly elected aud rmpow-
rcred TO enact all the local laws which,
they might deem essential to their pros.
peritYs Happiness, and good government.
hAcling III tli>' same spirit, Congress also
leaned the persons who were in tue
first instance to be considered as the
people of each Territory; enacting that
every free white male iBl,abitant of the
,saife above the ageof twenty-one years,
being an actual resident tkereo aud nos.
sessing The qualifications hereafter des.
eribed, should be entitled to vote at the
first election, aud be eligible to any office
within the Territory; but hat the qual;-
hcations of voters aud holding office al
all subsequent elections should be such
as might be prescribed by the iegisla.
tive assembly: Provided however, that
therigbt of suffrage and ofhoIding, office
Should be exercised only by citizens of
the United States, and those who should
have declared All oath their intention to
become such, and have taken AN oath to
support the Constitution of the United
States and the provisions of the act
And provided further, that no officer,
soldier, seaman, or marine, or otlie per.
eon ip the army or navy of the United
States, or attached to troops i'm their
service, should be allowed to vote or
hold Office IN either Territory by reason
OF being on service therein.
Such of the public officers of the Ter.
rItorias as, by the provisions OF the act,
wsro 30 he appointed by the General
Government, Including the Governors,
were appointed and commissioned in
due season; the law having been enact
ed on the 30th OF May, 1864, and the
commission OF the Governor of the Ter
rl,ory OF Nebraska being datedon the
"a day OF August, 1864, aud of the
Territory of Kansas on tile 29lb day of
June,sl864.
Among the duties imposed by the act on
the governors was that Of directing and
tsuperintending the political organization
tide respective Territories. 1The. Gov
tSps1for or Nanras was required To cause
~ census Uf tile inhabi.
bta'its and qualified Voters of the several
kcounties aud dissriets OF the TerrItory
10 'be taken by suclI persons and IN sucii
MODE as he efBigltdpsgDase riid appuiit
10 appoint and direct tIIp time and p.aces
OF holding the fret elections, and Tie
manner OF conducting them, both as TO
tnes PERSONS u superintend such eIcc-
IONS aud tue returiIatliersof !; 10 declare
tue nlm ber oi fiie members OF The conn.
tand house of representatives for each
fcounty or district; to declare wl,.t n.ar..
sons inigiit- appear TO be duly elected /:
aud tU appoint The na.e aud place III
The first meeting of the Legislative as
selnbly. In subsistence, tue same duti.s
wcre devolved on the Governor OF Ne.
brsNka.
I While, by this act, the principle of tho
constitution for each Of tile Territories
was one and the same, and the details of
slie organic legislation regarding both
were as nearly as could be identIcal, aud
while she territory Of Nebraska was
ltrapquilly and successfully organized
~ tile due course Of law, aud It's frat
legislative asseni5ly met on the 18th Of
tsnusry, ] 865,theorganiza,on Of Kansas
wasloHg delayed, andbas been attended
with serious difficulties aud einbarrass.
nlents, partly the consequence or local
wai.adn,illstration, and partly ot, The
adJustiiiable interference Of tile inslabi-
: tants OF sDiEe OF the States foreign by'
rrsidence, INTERESTS aud rights TO the
Territory.
Pie Governor Of tile rerrilory Of
Kansas, E,.cominissloned a. before stated.
tp onstlie 29sh Of dtne 54, did noi reacll