The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1856-02-07
From The Washington Union, Jan. 25th.
Special Message from the President
TO the Senate and
House of Representatives

House of Representatives
Circumstances have occurred to dis.
turb the course of governmental organi-
zaton in the Territory OF Kansas, aud
produce there a condition OF things
which renders it incumbent on me TO
call your attention to the Subject, and
urgently to recommend the adoption by
you of such measures of legislation as
the grave exigencies Of the case ap.
pear TO require.
A brief exposition of the circumstan-
eesreferred to, and Of their causes, will
be necessary to the full understanding
OF the recommendations which it is pro-
posed 70 submit.
The act to organize the Territories of
Nebraska and Kansas was q manifesto.
ton OF the leg glslattpe opinion of Com
Erc$s on iwo great points of coustitu-
uouai construction: one, ihat The desig-
NhtiIu VI IN" hOuudn-IrS ut Il new Ter
rt"ry, ard provision Tor It's political Or-
;raniZauon auL administration AS a Ter
riiory, are measures which OF right fail
Within the powers of the General Gov.
ernment; aud the other, that the inhabi-
tants of any such Territory considered
as an inchoate State are entitled in the
exercise of seli-government, to deter
mine for themselves villa. shall be their
own domestic institutions, subject only
10 the Constitution aud the lIws duly
enacted by Congress under il, and To the
power OF the existing States To decide
according To- the provisions and princi
Piles of the Constitution at what time
the Territory shall he received as a
State into the Union. Such are the
great political rights which are solemuIy
declEred and atfirmed by thai act.
Based upon this theory, the act of
Congress defined for each Territory the
outlines OF republican government, dis
trioutins public authority among lawful
~ created aGGuts---execntipa. Judicial.
and iegislative---io be APPOINTED eithey
hey tue General Goveriiment or by the
fTerrhory. The Legislative functions
I~er6 intrusted to Il council and a house of
representatives duly elected aud rmpnw-
fere TO enact all the local laws which,
they might deem essential To their pros.
perIty, happiness, and good government.
IAs!lng III the same spirit, Congress also
t."hhed the persons who were in the
first instance to be considered as the
people Of each Territory; enacting that
every free white male inbabitant of the
.sanie above the age of twenty-one years,
being an actual resident thereof, aud pos.
lsessing the qualifications hereafter deg.
.eribed, should be entitled to vote at the
first election, and be eligible to any office
within the Territory; but that the qual;-
hcations Of voters aud holding office at
all subsequent elections should be such
as might be prescribed by the iegisla.
tive assembly: Provided, however, that
the right OF suffrage and of holding office
should be exercised only by citizens of
the United States, aud those who should
have declared All oath their intention to
become such, and have taken a,r oath to
support the Constitution of the Uuited
States and the provisions Of the act.
And provided further, that no officer,
soldier, seaman, or inarine, or other per.
son ~ the army or navy OF the United
states, or attached to troops in their
service, should be allowed to vote or
hoid ONCE IN either Territory by reason
OF being on service therein.
Such of the public officers of the Ter
ritories as, by the provisions Of Tie act,
We're to be appointed by The General
Government, including the Governors,
were appointed and commissioned in
due season; the law having heep enact.
ed on tile 30th oi May, 1854 and the
conmlssion of the Governor of the Ter
riiory OF Nebraska being dated ON the
"a day of August, 1864, aud ofStbe
Ierriiory of Kansas ON the 29lh day of
sJune,s 1854.
iAtsielg tue duties imposed blythe act on
the governors was that Of difectinq and
tsnperintending the political organization
kntte respective Territories. n he, Coy
ey11sor OF Nanras was required Il, cause
81 census. s.orenumerntion Os the ,ii,l,abi.
Ettnts ana qualifieds&otrrs of the several
st'ognties aud distrib,s OF the. Territory
10 ne taken by suelr persons aud ii, sueI,
hhouesas he migl designate eifd appuitit ;
70 appoint and direct the time aud places
oi5noiling the first eleeiions, and The
kinah'rf oi conducting them, botl, as to
ftnf PERSONS To supefintend such eIec.
~ Aud the returnA tiIereof; 10 declare
u ilmber Of the members of ,hc c,n,n-
gtfSand house Of representatives for each
Ecounty or district; TO declare what r,pr.
sons might appear to be duly elecied !.
ame to appoint the, tine aud place oi.
the first meeting of the Legislative as
setnbly. In subsistence, the same duties
were devolyed on the Governor of Ne.
braska. 5. -. So'
While, by this act, the principle of the
constitution for each OF tie Territories
was one and the same, and the details of
tpe organic legislation regarding both
were MS nearly as could be Ideniicsl, and
While the territory Of Nebraeka was
!ranauiiiy and successfully organized
~ the due course OF law, aud it's first
i.fgislatiye assembly met ON the idih OF
January, 855, the organization of Kansas
was long delayed, and has been attended
with sfrious difficulties aud einbarrass.
meats, partly the consequences OF local
mtallI.adlnilnistration, tlI and parlly Of lie
FafJustiiIabie interference of tile ipI,abi-
|, tanss oi sothe OF the States foreign by
residence, =, interests aud rights to the
Territefy.
s. fhe ssSyernor of tile Territory of
on.tI.e 2glh Of Iune 1854, did no, r,asl, ~