Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-02-20


ReprssssfessFes, Fed. s, = p. ~
The following message was received from the
Governor containing accommodation from GER
| ssis, eisii osicerA IN Kansas, which WAS read as
the Clerks desk:
wAR--aEssaCg rRoa Gov. CHASE
| ~ ne h;eAeraf Asaeaa5f4ofthe .state If OLio
! transmit for the consideration of the 6ener-
| al Assembly communication from certain gen
,iefnen holding official positions in Kansas
The urgency OF the appeal. made By the com
f8unieatinG herewith transmitted. induces me 10
| lay il before the General Assembly without de-
las.
| X Is authenticated by the signatures Of James
/ H. Lane. Chairman Of the Executive Committee
OF Kansas Territory, of Charles Robinson, the
Governor, and George ". Deitzler, the Secreta-
ry, elected By the people under the recently
| adopted state constitution.
Il represents that an overwhelming force of
citizens OF Missouri is organizing upon the bor-
/ dees Of Kansas, with the ayowed purpose OF in
radng the territory, demolishing lis towns, and
! butchsring its free state citizens.
/ II appeals FOR prompt assistance in terms
/ which cannot fail to command your most earn
/ est attention.
The object of the contemplated invasion of
Kansas is TO compel its inhabitants 10 Submit TO
the establishment OF slavery.
/
| ~ remarkable.
| In 1920 the slave power insisted on the adms-
sion of Missouri as slave state, and effected its
| purpose by ENGRAVING the bill for its adns-
| sion perpetual prohibition of slavery in all the
| remainder OF the territory acquired from France,
north of the south line of Missouri, extending
westward TO our frontier.
In 1854 the slave power demanded the repeal
Of the prohibition OF $50, and effected its OBJ
iect by engrafting on the Nebraska Kansas bill,
which provided for the repeal, an express de-
caration that the people OF the territory should
be left .perfcctly free to form and regulate their
own domestic institutions subject only TO the pro.
| visions of the constitution of the United States
/ In 1856 the slave power insists that under this
declaration the people Of the territory have no
power at all to exclude slavery, until under an
enabling act OF Congress, they proceed to
form state constitution, preparatory TO admis-
sion in the Union.
| That this pretention would be advanced was
foreseen and predicted, when the Nebraska
| Kansas bill was under discussion; and il was, in
directly sanctioned by the refusal Of its support
ers TO adopt an amen iment to the BILL expressly
recognizing the right of the people to exclude
slavery.
Whatever construction, however, may have
been intended by the slaveholding supporters oil
the bill, and whatever countenancc TO that CON
structon may be afforded blythe phrazeology OF
the act itself, it is certain that throughout the
free states the conviction is nearly universal that
the people of Kansas, deprived of the protection
of the prohibition of 1920, have and ought to
have, complete right and full power to protect
themselves against the evils OF slavery.
To prevent the people from exercising this
right and power, armed bands, from the neigh
boring state of Missouri, invaded the TERRITORY
at the time appointed for the first election OF
members of the Territorial Legislature, (Alarch,
g., 1852 and, having taken possession of thu
polls, and excluded the legal voters, selected
themselves the persons who were to constitute
the legislature, without regard TO their place OF
residence, whether in Missouri or in Kansas.
The acts OF thi, spurious Legislature were
worthy of its origin Having excluded the few
free State members who held certificates OF cleo
| ton they proceeded to promulgatc in the forms
of law, series of pretended statutes which have
no parallels in the annals oflegisntive usurpation
The governor OF the territory who attempted In
cffectualiy. to restrain their excuses by his eX-
ccutvc veto. was removed from Office by the
President of the United States; and thus full
scope was given TO the utmost extravaganza.
As if diSposing of Il conquered province, they
proceeded to decree the establishment of slavery
and to secure it against popular opposition, by
providing for the appointment OF Shcriifs and
other officers by Commissioners of their own
crca,ion without allowing to the people any
voice whatever in their selection, and by impos.
ing the exercise OF the right to vote ut future
elections of members OF the LEGISLATURE, condi-
| lions with which none but the supporters OF sl&-
very could comply.
1t was impossible for men, not themselves pre-
pared TO be slaves, to admit the validity OF this
spurious legislation. The people of Kansas re-
fused to submit to disranchisement by the usurp
| J,E,, laws "a
the original right inherent in every community
to provide for its own safety and good order
they proceeded, in regular convention, to ap
point II day and prescribe the manner OF clcctng
delegate to Congress, and to provide for hole,
ing convention to frame constitution prppar
aorv to application for admission into the Union
rs State.
On the 9th of October last, the day dcsigna
ted for the election of q delegate to Congress,
Andrew II. Rcedcr was chosen TO that Office; ant
on the Odd ofthc same month State cOnstitU
ton was promulgated by the convention e!cctct
for that purpose. On the 10Th December, this
State constitution ratified by the people, and
on the 18th OF January just passed, an election
was held for State officers and members of tho
State legislature. The Governor and Secretary
whose signatures are affixed TO the appeal here
with transmitted, were chosen 1T this election.
While these things were in progress the terri
tory was again invaded, carly i'll December, by
armed bands from Missouri, ouw called into ac
ton by an extraordinary proclamation iron
| Wilson Shannon, who had been appointed Gov
cgnor of the tcrrirory in place OF his removed pre-
decessor The town OF Lawrence was actual
bc,cagucred, and its destruction hrricly threat
cned The people Of the territory rallied TO lis
defence and for many days, civil war WAS immi-
ncnt length, however the Governor became
sensible ofthc crror he had committed and SIC
cecdcd i'll inducing the invaders to retire.
Their presence had been marked by outrage
rapnc and murder. Their withdrawal was angry
and reluctant. 1t indicated remission of hos
tlitics, not peace.
Hence it is not surprising that the election OF
state Office rsundcr the new constitution on the
18th of January, was made til" occasion OF turth
err hos,ilitcs The territory was again invaded
and an actual rcncoun.cr took place between the
invaders and the settlers. Sometime after Its
termination an emisrant from Kentucky, of the
name OF Brown, who had been engaged init upon
the free state sidc was seized aud inhumany
murdered by the opposite parry.
The communication which transmit, cypress
cs 4 strong apprehension that preparations arc
now making for new invasion with greater
numbers, and more ample provision o.impement>
OF destruction than any which has preceded II.
Information from reliable sources confirms the
opinion that this apprehension is not groudleSS
1t is impossible to contemplate these things
without deep feeling They are legitimate fruits
of the repeal ofthe Missouri prohibition. 1t may
not be possible at present,o re-estahsh that pro
hibiton. Il is perhaps not possible that Con
grcss, as At present constituted, will consent to
The admission OF Kansas into the Union under
her free state constitution. The General Assem-
bly, of Ohio has perhaps, no legislative. power to
redress the wrongs of the people of the territory
but still; something, not unmportant, may be
done. -..
The General Assembly can express the sense
| of the people of Ohio, in resolutions addressed
TO their senators and representatives in Congress.
They can recommend the admission of Kansas as
| = free state; the enactment Ola Suitable law Sc
l.. c.l.- L