Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-03-26
THE KANSAS QUESTION

I
on Affairs in Kansas, made report, from which
we extract the following paragraphs:
| esA suceinct statement of the course and pro-
gress of the material events in Kansas is this !:
| After the passage of this law, establishing the
Territory of Kansas, large body of settlers
rapidly enteie ed into said Territory with the
| view OF permanent inhabitancy therein. Most
of these were from the Free States of the West
and North, who probably intended by their
votes and influence to establish there a Free
I State, agreeably to the law which invited them.
| Some part of these from the Northern Emil
| grant Aid Society, formed in Massachusetts,,
which put forth some exertion in this laudable
object by open and public measures, IN provid-
ing facilities for transportation to all peaceable
citizens who desired to become permanent
settlers in said Territory, and providing there
in hotels, mills, and so forth for the public ac-
commodation of that new country.
The Governor OF Kansas having, in pursu-
ance of law, divided the Territory into dis
triets and procured census thereof issued his
proclamation for the election of Legislative
| Assembly therein, TO take place on the 30th
day of March, 1856, and directed how the same
| should be conducted and the returns made to
him, agreeably to the law establishing said
| Territory. On the day of election, large bod
| les of armed men from the State of Missouri
| appeared at the polls in most of the.districts
| and by most violent and tunlultuous carriage
and demeanor, overawed the defenseless in
/ hGbitants, and by their own votes elected
| large majority of the members of both Houses
Of said Assembly. On the returns Of said cleo
| tions being made TO the Governor, protests and
objections being made to him in relation to
part Of said Districts and, as to them, he set
aside such, and such only, as, by the returns,
| appeared to be bad. In relation to others,
covering a majority of the two Houses. equal
ly vicious in fact, but apparently good by for
| NAL returns, the inhabitants thereof. borne
down by said violence, and intimidated, scat
| tered and discouraged, and laboring under ap-
prehensions of personal violence, refrained and
desisted from presenting any protest to the
Governor in relation thereto, and he, then ur-
informed III relation thereto, issued certificates
to the members who appeared by said formal
returns to have been elected.
In relation to those districts which the Gov
crnor SO set aside, orders were by him issued
for new elections. In one OF these districts
the same proceedings were repeated by men
from Missouri, and in others not, and certifi-
Gates were issued to the persons elected.
This Legislative Assembly SO elected assem-
bled at Pawnee on the I'd day of July, 1855,
that being the time and place for holding said
meeting, as fixed by the Governor by authori-
ty of law. On assembling, the said houses
proceeded to set aside and reject those men,
berS so elected on said second election, except
in the districts where the men from Missouri
had, at said election, chosen the same persons
they had elected at the said first election, and
admitted all of the said frst-elected members.
Legislative Assembly, so created by mill
tary force, by foreign invasion, in violation
of the organic law, was but a usurpation. No
act OF its own-no act or neglect of the Gov
ernor, could legslzc or saEctify ii. Its own
decisions as to its own legality are, like its
laws, but the fruits of its own usurpation,
which no Governor could legitimate.
They passed an Act altering the place of the
temporary seat of Government to the Shawnee
Mission on the border, and in near proximity
to Missouri. This Act the Government regard
ed as violation of the organic law establish
ing the Territory. which fixed the temporary
seat of Government and prohibited the Legis-
lative Assembly from doing anything inconsis-
tent with said Act He therefore, and for that
cause, vetoed said bill, but SAID Assembly re-
passed the same by two-thiTd majority, not
withstandng said veto, and removed to said
Shawnee Mission. They then proceeded to
pass laws, and the Governor in writing, declin- |
ed further TO recognizes them as a legitimate
Assembly sitting at that place They contin-
ued passing laws there from the 10th day of
July to the 31st day of August, 1855.
On the 18th day of August last the Cover
nor of said Territory was dismissed from office, |
and the duties devolyed upon the Secretary of |
the Territory and how many of the laws pas |
sed With his official appreciation does not APP
pear-the laws, as now presented, being with |
out date or authenticated.
As by the law of Congress organizing said |
Territory it was expressly provided that the |
people of the Territory were TO be sslcft per- !
g fectly free to form and regulate their domes-
" tic institutions in their own way,'' and a. |
monS these institutions Slavery is incIuded |
1t was of course implied that that subject was +
to be open and free to public and private dis /
cusSion in all its bearings, rights and relation
SHIPS Among these must, of course, be the |
questions of what was the state of the erfstins |
La,es, and the notifications that might be re- |
qulred on that subject. The law had declared |
that its sstrue intent and meaning was not to |
'e legisldte Slavery into the Territory or ex |
GO clude it therefrom." This would, of course,
leave to that people the inquiry, What then, |
are the existing rights under the Constitution ? /
Can slaves be holden in the absence of apv
law on the subject? This question, about which /
so much difference OF opinion exists, and which /
Congress and the Courts have never settled.
was thus turned over to the people there To |
discuss and settle for themselves.
This Territorial Legislature, so created, by
force from Missouri, utterly refused to permit |
discussion on the subject, but assuming that
Slavery already existed there. and that neither /
Congress nor the people in the Territory un-
der the authority of Congress. had or could
prohibit it, passed law which. il enforced
utterly prohibits all discussion OF the question.
The llth and 18th sections OF that act are as
See. II. If any person print, write intro
duce into, publish or circulate, or cause to be
brought into, printed, written, published or
circulated, or shall knowingly aid or assist in
bringing into, printing, publishing or circula-
ting within this Territory, any book, magazine /
handbil or circular containing any Statements
opinions, sentiments doctrine. ad
vice or inuendo, calculated to promote q dis
orderly, dangerous or rebellous disaffection
among the slaves in this Territory or to in
duce such slaves to escape from the service of
their masters, or to resist their authority, he
shall be guilty OF felony and he nunisbed