The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-23
Political.
Message of Governor Chase.


Message of Governor Chase
To the General AssensJiy Of tile State of
Ohio:
| transmit for the consideration of the
General Assembly a communication
from certain gentlemen holding official
positions in Kansas.
The urgency of the appeal made by
the communication herewith transmitted
induces me to lay it before the General
Assembly without delay.
1t is authenticated by the signatures
of James II. Lane, Chairman of the Ex-
ecutive Committee of Kansas Territory,
of Charles Robinson, the Governor elec-
ted by the people under the recently
adopted State Constitution, and George
w. Deitzler, Secretary.
1t represents that an overwhelming
force of citizens of Missouri is organic
ing upon the borders of Kansas, with
the avowed purpose of invading the
Territory, demolishing its towns and
butchering its free State citizens.
1t appeals for prompt assistance in
terms as cannot fail to command your
earnest attention.
The object of the contemplated inva-
sion of Kansas is to compel its inhabit-
ants to submit to the establishment Of
slavery.
The progress of slaveholding aggres
sion is very remarkable.
In 1920 the slave power insisted on
the admission of Missouri as slave
State. and effected its purpose by en-
grating on the bill for its admission a
perpetual prohibition of slavery in all
the remainder Of the territory acquired
from France, north of the foutn iine OF
Missouri, extending westward to our
frontier
In 1854. the slave power demanded
the repeal of tle prohibition of 1920,
and effected its object by engrafting on
the Kansas-Nebraska bill, which provi-
ded for the repeal, an express declaration
that the people of the Territory should
be left perfectly free to form and regu-
late their own domestic institutions, sub
ject only to the provisions of the Consti-
tuition 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 admission
into the Union.
That this pretension would be advanc-
ed was fereseen and predicted, when the
Nebraska-Kansas bill was under discus
sion; and it was, indeed, indirectly
sanctioned by the refusal of its support
ers to adopt an amendment to the bill,
expressly recognizing tie right of the
people to exclude slavery.
Whatever construction, however, may
have been intended by the slaveholding
supporters of the bill, and whatever con-
struction may be afforded by the phrase
ology 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 1890, 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 neighboring State of Missouri, inva-
ded the Territory at the time appointed
for the first election of members for the
Territorial Legislature. March 30th,
1855. and, having taken possession of
the polls, and excluded the legal voters,
selected themselves the persons who were
to constitute the Legislature, without re-
gard TO their place of residence, wheth-
er In Missouri or in Kansas.
The acts of this spurious Legislature
were worthy of its origin. Having ex-
cluded the few free State members who
held certificates of election. they pro-
ceeded to promulgate, in the forms ol
law, series of pretended statutes which
have no parallel in the annals of legisla,
tive usurpation. The Governor of the
Territory who attempted, Intellectually.
to restrain their excesses by his exeeu-
tive veto, was removed from Office by the
President of the United States. and thus
full scope was given to their utmost ex-
trsyagance.
As if disposing of conquered prov
inee, they proceeded to decree the estab-
hshplent of slavery, and to secure il
against popular opposition. by providing
for the appointment of Sheriffs and other
officers. by Commissioners of their own
creation, without allowing the people
any voice whatever in their selection
and by imposing on the exercise of the
right to vote at future elections of men,
bers OF the Legislature, conditions with
which none but the supporters of slavery
could comply.
1t was impossible for men, not them
selves prepared to be slaves. to admit the