Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-12-06

II
matter of the most earnest socitude. On this oc-
cason of imperative necessity it has been done with
the best results, and my satisfactioO in the attain
ment of such results by such means is greatly en-
HANGED by the consideration that, through the wis
dom and energy Of the present Executive of Kansas
and the prudence frmness and vigilance of the mill
itary officers duty there, tranquility has been
stored without one drop Of blood having been shed
in its accomplishment by the forces of the United
States.
The restoration of comparative tranquility in that
Territory furnishes the means of observing calmly
and apprecating at their just value the which
have occurred there, and the discussions of which
the government Of the Territory have been thesub-
ject
We perceive that controversy concerning its fu-
ture domestic institutions inevitable; that no
human prudence. no form of legislation, no wisdom
the part of Congress could have prevented this.
It is idle to suppose that the particular provisions
of their organic law were the cause of agitation.
Those provisions but the occasion, the pre-
text of an agitation, which was inherent in the
ture of things. Congress legislated upon the SUBJ
ject in such terms as were most consonant with the
principle of popular sovereignty which underles
government. 1t could not have legslated otherwise
without doing violence to another great principle of
institutions, the inprescripbe right of equality
of the several States.
We perceive also that sectional interests and par
ty passions, have been the great impedment to the
salutary operation of the organic principles adopted
and the chief cause of the successive dsturbancesn
Kansas The assumption that, because in the or.
ganizaton of the Territories of Nebraska and Kan
sas Congress abstained from imposing restraints up
on them to which certain other Territories had been
subject therefore disorders occurred in the latter
Territory is emphatically contradicted by the fact
that none have occurred in the former Those dis
orders were not the consequence in Kansas, of the
freedom of sclfgovernment conceded to that Terri
tory by Congress- but OF unjust interference on the
part Of persons not inhabitants OF the Territory
Such interference, wherever it has exhibited ITSELF
by acts of insurrectionary character of obstruc
ton to processes of law, has been repeed or sup
pressed, by all the means which the Constitution and
| the laws place in the hands of the Executive.
In those parts of the United States where, by
son Of the nhamed state of the public mind, false
| rumors and misrepresentation have the greatest
currency it has been assumed that it was the duty
of the Executive not only to suppress Instruction
airy movements in Kansas but also to to the reg
ularity of local elections 1t needs little argument
| to show that the President has such power. All
government in the United States rests substantially
upon popular election. The freedom of elections is
| liable to be impaired by the intrusion of unlawful
votes or the exclusion of lawful ones, by improper
Influences by violence, or by fraud. But the peo-
pie of the United States themselves the a-suff-
cient guardians Of their rights, and to suppose
that they will not remedy in due season, any such
incidents of civil freedom is to suppose them to have
ceased to be capable of self government The Pres
ident of the United States has not power to inter-
pose in elections, to to their freedom, to canvass
their votes to pass upon their legality in the Ter
ritories any more than in the States he had such
| power the government might be republican in form,
| but it would be monarchy in fact; and if he had
undertaken to exercise it in the case of Kansas he
would have been justly subject to the charge of
usurpaton and Of violation OF the dearest rights of
the people of the United States.
Unwise laws, equally with irregularities at cleo
tons, are, in periods of great excitement, the
sional incidents of the freest and best political
institutions But all experience demonstrates that
in a country like ours, where the right of self gov
ernment exists in the competest form, the attempt
to remedy unwse legislation by resort to revolution,
is totally out Of place nasmuch as existing legal
institutions afford more prompt and ef6cacous means
| for the redress of wrong
l confidently trust that now, when the peaceful
condition Of Kansas affords opportunity for calm re-
Election and wise legislation, either the legislative
assembly of the Territory, or Congress, will that
act shall remain on its statutc-book volative of
the provisions OF the Constitution, subversive of
the great objects for which that was ordained and
established and will take all other necessary steps
to to its inhabitants the enjoyment, without
obstruction abridgment, Of all the constitutional
rights privileges, and immunes of citizens Of the
United States, as contemplated by the organic law
of the Territory.
Full information in relation to recent events in this
Territory will be found in the documents commune
War.
refer you to the report of the Secretary of the
Treasury for particular information concerning the
financial condition of the government and the vari
Gus branches of the public service connected with
the Treasury Department.
During the last fiscal year the receipts from Gus
toms weTe for the first time, than sixty.four
million dollars, and from all sources, seventy three
million nine hundred and eighteen thousand one
hundred and forty dollars which, with the bal.
ancc hand up to the LIST of July, 1855, made the
total of the year to amount to ninetytwo
million eight hundred and fifty thousand one hum
dred and seventeen dollars. The expenditures. in
Guiding three million dollars in execution of the
treaty with Mexico, and excluding sums paid
count Of the public debt, amounted to sixty million
one hundred and seventy-two thousand four hum
bred and one dollars and including the latter, to
seventy-two million nine hundred and forty. eight
thousand seven hundred and ninety two dollars the
payment on this account having amounted to twelve
million seven hundred and seventy-six thousand
three hundred and ninety dollars.
Gu the 4th Of March, 1858, the amount of the
public debt sixty-nine million one hundred and
twenty nine thousand nine hundred and :hrtyseven
dollars. There a subsequent increase Of two
million seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars for
the debt of Texas-making total of seventy-one
million eight hundred and seventy-nine thousand
nine hundred and thirty dollars. Of this the
sum of forty-fve million five hundred and twenty
five thousand three hundred and nineteen dollars,
including premium, has been discharged, reducing
the debt to thirty million seven hundred and thirty
seven thousand one hundred and twenty -ninc dol
lars; all which might be paid within year without
embarrassing the public service, but being not yet
due, and only redeemable at the option of the hol-
der, cannot be pressed to payment by the govern
ment
On examining the expenditures of the last five
years, it will be seen that the average deducting
payments account Of the public debt and ten mil
lions Maid bV treaty. Mexico has been hnt ahout