Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-03-27

OF any kind, until appointed by the Legislature.
1t was the exercise of Il power which the first
Legislative assembly in every Territory must, OF
necessity. exercise, in order to put the local gov
ernment in motion. We see nothing in this 70
Justify revolution, or a resort 10 force. The law
for the protection of slave property has also been
much misunderstood. The right to pass such a
law is expressly stated BY Governor Reeder in
his inaugural message, in which he SAYS: "a
Territorial Legislature may undoubtedly act up
on the question to limited and partial extent,
and may temporarily prohibit, tolerate, or reg
ulate slavery in the territory. and in an absolute
or modified form, with all the force and effect
Of any other legislative act, binding until re-
pealed by the same power that enacted IT.
kfRere As nothing in the act itself. a. has been
charged, to prevent a free discussion oi the sub
iect Of klavery. Its bearing on society, It's NOR
Atty orexpediency, OF whether it would be pol
ific OF impolitic to make this a slave State, can
be discussed as freely here as in any State in
this Uuion, without infringing any of the pro-
visions of tie law. To deny the right Of a per-
soufo hold slaves under the law in this Terri
tory is made penal; but beyond this, there is no
restriction to the discussion of the slavery ques-
ton, in any aspect in which it is capable OF be-
ing considered. We do not wish TO be under
stood as approving of all the laws passed by
the legislature; on the contrary, we would state
that there are some that we do not approve of.
and which are condemned by public opinion
here. and which will no doubt be repealed or
modified at the meeting of the next Legislature.
But this is nothing more than what frequently
occurs, both in the Legislation of Congress and
of the various State legislatures. The remedy
Tor snch evils is 10 be found in public opinion,
TO which. sooner or later, in a government like
ours, all laws must conform.
II CALL FOR A TERRITORIAL CONVENTION.
few DAVIS after Governor Reeder dissolved
his official relations with the legislature, on
account of the removal Of the seat Of govern
ment, and while that body was still ia ses-
sion, amceting was called by many voters"
to assemble at Lawrence on the 18th or 18th
Of August, 1856, 'to take into consideration
the propriety of calling a Territorial conven-
ton, preliminary to the formation of a State
government, and other subjects Of public in
~teresi." At that meeting, the following pre-
amble and resolutions were adopted with but
one dissenting voice:
Whereas the people of Kansas Territory have
been since its settlement, and now are, without
any lsw-making power: therefore,
Be IL resOiOed, That we, the people of Kan
sas Territory, in mass meeting assembled. ire
spective of party distinctions, influenced by a
common necessity. and greatly DESTROYS Of pro-
noting the common good. do hereby call upon
and request all bona Gde citizens of Kansas
Territory. of whatever political views or predi.
~lectiOns, to consult together in their respective
election districts, aud, in mass convention or
otherwise, elect three delegates for each repre-
sentative of the Legislative assembly. by procla-
nation Of Governor Reeder of date 10th March,
1885; said delegates to assemble in convention
at the town of Topeka, on the 18th day of Sep
teMber. 1855, then and there TO consider and
determine upon all subjects Of public interest
and particularly upon that having reference to
the speedy formation of a State constitution,
with an intention Of an immediate application
to be admitted as a State into the Union Of the
United States of America.
This meeting, so far as your committee
have been able to ascertain, was the first step
in that series of proceedings which resulted
in the adoption Of a constitution and State
government, to De put in operation on the 4th
of the present month, in subyersion Of the
Territorial government established under the
authority of Congress. The right to set up
the State government in defiance Of the con-
stituted authorities Of the Territory, is based
on the assumption "that the people of Kan
sas Territory have been since its settlement,
and now are, without any law-making pow
err in the face of the weIl-kncwn fact that
the Territorial Legislature was then in ses-
sion, in pursuance Of the proclamation Of
Governor Reeder and the organic law Of the
Territory. On the 9TH of September, a Ter
%ritorial delegate convention" assembled at
the Big Springs ito take into con sideration
the present exigencies of political affairs"
at which, among Others, the following reselu.
tions were adopted;
ResOIced. That this convention. in view of its
recent reputation Of the acts of the so-called
Kansas legislative assembly, respond most
heartily to the call made by the peoples con
~vention Of the 18th uit.. for a delegate eonven-
ton Of the people Of Kansas, to be held at To-
peka, onthe 10Th instant. 10 consider the pro.
priety of the formation of State constitution,
and such matters a. may Iegitimately come be-
fore it..
ResOlUea, That we owe no allegiance or obe.
dienee to the tyTanDical enactments of thfs spu-
rious Legislature: that their laws have no valid
ity or binding force upon the people of Kan
sas; and that every freeman among us is at full
liberty. consistently with his obligations as a
citizen and a man. to defy and resist them ifhe
choose so 10 do.
Resolred, That We will endure and submit to
these laws no longer than the best interests of
the Territory require, as the least of two evils,
and will resist them to a bloody issue as soon
as we ascertain that peacable remedies shall
I0il, ana loFcIDle resistance snail 1urniSh any
reasonable prospect of success; and that in the
meantime We recommend to our friends through
out the territory the organization and discipline
of volunteer companies, and the procurement
and preparation of arms.
A C sooIETY.-KANsAs LEAGUE-HoR-
RIFLE OATH.
With q view to a distinct understanding Of
the meaning of so much of this resolution as
relates to the Organization and discipline of
volunteer companies and the procurement
and preparation Of arms" it may be neces-
sary to state that there was at that time ex-
isting in the Territory a secret military or
ganization, which had been formed for polit
ical objects prior to the alleged invasion, at
the election on the Both of March, and which
held its "first grand encampment" at Law
renee, February 9th, 1855. Your committee
have been put in possession ofa small print
ed pamphlet, containing the constitution and
ritual of the grand eneampment and regi-
ments of the Kansas legion Of Kansas Terri
tory. adopted April 4th, 1855" which, du-
ring the recent disturbances in that Territory,
was taken on the person of one George War
rem, who attempted to conceal and DESTROY
the same by thrusting it into his mouth, and
biting and chewing it. Although somewhat
mutilated by the tooth prints" it bears inter-
nal evidence of being a genuine document,
authenticated by the original signatures of
sc. W. Hutchinson, grand general" and 81.
h. Goodwin, grand quartermaster." On the
last page was a charter Of the Kansas legion,
authorizing the said George Warren, from
whose mouth the document was taken. to
form a new regiment, as follows:
Charter Of The Kansas Legion.
UNITED STATES OF AuERICA)
Territory Of KansosS
Know AL men by these presents. that are, the
Grand Eneampment Of the Kansas Legion 81
Kansas Territory. have created, chartered, and
empowered. and by these presents do create
charter. and empower George F.. Warren
To he reglmcnt--NO--. Of the
Kansas Legion: and as such, they are hereby
invested with all and singular the authority ana
privileges with which each and every regiment
is invested, working under a charter from tn,
Grand E%ncampment.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto set on
hands this sixteenth day of August, one thou
sand eight hundred and ffty-fve.
G.. W. HUTCHINSON. Grand General,
Z Gxop1 0,f.oof-