The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-04-30
HOW VIZ DIFFER.

Concluded
HOW WE DlrFER.
Wherein, then, do Idiaer from them2 Sim
ply thus. ! propose to apply the remedy
now, bv admitting the new State with its
IPresent population and present Constitution.
Nv opponents insist on postponing the meas
IRE until the Territory shall be conceded by
the usurping authorities 10 contain $500
inhabitants, and the people TO organize a
new State, under n new Constitution. In
other words propose to allow the people Of
Kansas to apply the Constitutional remedy
at once The President proposes to post
none it indefinitely, and to commit the entire
application Of it to the hands Of the Nilsson
/ ri borderers lie confesses the inadcQuacv
of that course by asking appropriations Of
money TO enable him to maintain and pre-
serve order within the Territory until the
indefinite period when the constitutional
remedy shall he applied. There is no sufi-
cient reason for the delay which the Presi-
dent advises He admits the rightfulness
and necessity OF the remedy. Ii Is as right
full and necessary now, rs 1t ever will be-
1t is demanded by the condition and crcum-
stances Of the people Of Kansas now. You
cannot Justly postpone any more than you
can Justly deny that right. To postpone
would be denial. The President would
need no grant Of money, or of armed men,
to enforce the obedience to law, when YOU
shall have redressed the wrongs Of which the
people complain. Even under Governments
less free than our own, there is no need Of
power where justice holds the helm. When
Justice is impartially administered, the obe-
dience of the subject or citizen will be vol
untary, cheerful, and practically unlimited.
Freedom Justly due cannot be conceded too
soon True freedom exists, the utmost
bounds Of civil liberty are obtained, only
where complaints are freely heard, deeply
considered, and speedily redressed SO
only can you restore to Kansas the per-
feet freedom which You pledge, and she has
lost.
The Constitution does not prescribe 49,
700, or any other number Of people, ms ne
cessary to constitute State. Besides, I'M
der the present ratio of increase Kansas,
whose population now is 10000, will number
100, 900 in a few months. The point made
concerning numbers is, therefore, practically
unimportant and frivolous. The President
objects that the past proceedings by which
the new State of Kansas was organized,
were irregular in three respects. First, That
they were instituted, conducted, and COM
pleted without a previous permission by
Congress, or by the local authorities within
the Territory. Secondly, That they were
instituted, conducted, and completed, hy n
party, aud not by the whole people OF Kan
| sas and Thirdly, That the new State holds
an attitude of defiance and INSTRUMENTATION
towards the Territorial authorities and the
Federal Union. | reply, first, that if the
proceedings in question were irregular and
partsanlike and factious, the cxlgencles Of
| the case would ut least excuse the faults, and
| Congr ess has unlimited discretion to waive
them. Secondly, the proceedings We're not
thus irregular. partisnnlike and factous,
| because no act of Congress forbade Thorn
no act Of the Territorial Legislature for
babe them-nor had the Territorial Legisia-
/ turc power either to authorize or prohibit
them. The proceedings were, indeed, insti-
tuted by party fayoring them. But they
were prosecuted and consummated in the
customary forms Of popular elections, which
were open to all the inhabitants Of the Ter
ritory qualified 10 vote by the organic law,
and 10 no others and they have IN no case
come in conflict, nor does the new State now
act or assume TO engage IN conflict with
either the Territorial authorities or the Gov
eminent of the Union. Thirdly There eau
be no irrecularity where there is no law pre-
scrlbnc what shall be regular. Congress
for the organization or admission Of new
States. precedents III such eases being
without foundation ia law, are without an
thorty. This IS country whose Govern
menr is regulated, not by presidents, but by
Constitutions. But if precedents were ne
cessary, they are found in the cases of Texas
, and California, each of which was organized
and admitted, ubject to the same alleged ir-
Irregularities.
The majority of the Committee on Terri
tories. in behalf of the President, interpose
one further objection, by tracing this new
State organization TO The influence Of Sc
cret, armed political society. Secrecy and
combination with extra judicial oaths and
armed power. were the englnery of the Mis-
souri, borderers in efiecting the subjugation
. Of tho people of Kansas, as that machinery
is always employed in the commission of po-
itical crimes. How far it was lawful or
morally right for the people of Kansas TO
employ the same agencies for the defence OF
their lives and liberties, may be a question
for casuists, but certainly Is not one for me.
can freely confess, however, my deep re-
gret that secret societies for any purpose
whatsoever have obtained place among po-
litical organizations within the Republic
and it is my hope that the experience which
we have now so distinctly had, that they can
be but too easily adapted to unlawful, scdi-
, tious, and dangerous enterprises, while they
bring down suspicion and censure on high
and noble causes when identified with them,
may be sufficient TO induce "a general discoun-
tcnance Of them
VIII the Senate hesitate for an hour be-
tween the alternative before them The pas
sions Of the American people find hcalthful
, exercise in peaceful colonization, and the
construction OF railroads. and the building
up and multiplying of republican institp-
tons. The Territory of Kansas lies across
the path through which railroads must BE-
built, and along which such institutions must