The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-27


to a State organization, obtained from one to
two thousand signers.
August Is, a mass meeting of citizens of all
parties, held at Lawrence, in pursuance OF q
public call, adopted the following resolution:
Whereas the People of Kansas Territory
have been, since its settlement, and now are,
without any law making power; therefore, be it
Resoloed, That we, the People of Kansas,
in mass meeting assembled, irrespective OF
party distinctions, influenced by common ne
cessity, and greatly DESTROYS of promoting the
common good, do hereby call upon and re-
quest all bona tide citizens of Kansas Terri
tory, of whatever political views or predilec-
tions, to consult together in their respective
election districts, and, in mass Convention or
otherwise, elect three Delegates for each Rep
resentative to which such district is entitled
in the House of Representatives of the Legis
lative Assembly, by proclamation of Governor
Reeder, of date 10th of March, 1856; said
Delegates to assemble in Convention at the
town of Topeka, on the 18th day of Septem-
Der, 1856, then and there to consider and de-
termine upon all subjects of public interest,
and particularly upon that having reference to
the speedy formation of State Constitution,
with an intention of an immediate application
to be admitted as State into the Union of the
United States of America.
Only one dissenting vote-that of an Adolf
tionist-was given.
The mex. action was at a party Convention
| held at Big Springs on the 5th and 9th of Sep
TENDER. A committee on State organization
was appointed, and made the following report !:
"Your committee, after considering the pro-
priety of taking preliminary steps to framing
a Constitution, and applying for admission as
State into the Union, beg leave to report that,
under the present circumstances, they deem
the movement untimely and inexpedent."
The following was offered as a substitute for
the report:
Resolced, That this Convention, in view of
its recent Reputation of the acts of the so-caed
Kansas Legislative Assembly, respond most
heartily to the call made by the Peoples Con-
vention of the 18th ult., for Delegate Con-
vention of the People of Kansas Territory, to
be held at Topeka, on the 18th instant, to con-
slider the propriety of the formation of State
Constitution, and such other matters as may
legitimately come before it."
This substitute was agreed to.
Thus it appears that this party Convention
simply approved of the action of the Citizens
Convention at Lawrence, and let the matter
rest.
A Delegate Convention, irrespective of par
ty, was held at Topeka, September 18th and
10th, agreeably to the call of the Mass Conven-
ton of the 18th of August, and the following
preamble and resolution were unanimously
adopted:
Whereas the Constitution of the United
States guarantees to the people of this Repub-
lic the right of assembling together in peace
able manner, for their common good, to es-
tablsh justice, insure domestic tranquility, pro-
vide for the common defence, promote the gen.
eral welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty
to themselves and their posterity > and where
as the citizens of Kansas Territory were pre-
vented from electing members of Legislative
Assembly, in pursuance of proclamation of
Governor Reeder, on the 30th of March last,
by invading forces from foreign States coming
into the Territory, and forcing upon the people
Legislature of non residents and others, inim-
ical to the interests of the people of Kansas
Territory, defeating the object of the organic
act, in consequence of which the Territorial
Government became perfect failure, and the
people were left without any legal Government,
until their patience has become exhausted, and
endurance ceases to be a virtue;' and they
are compelled to resort to the only remedy left,
that of forming Government for themselves !;
therefore,
"Resolred, by the People Of Kansas Terri
tory IN Delegate Convention assembled, That
an election shall be held in the several election
precincts of this Territory on the I'd Tuesday
of October next, under the regulations and re-
strictions hereinafter imposed, for members of
Convention to form Constitution, adopt
bill of rights for the people of Kansas, and take
all needful measures for organizing a State
Government, preparatory to the admission of
Kansas into the Union as State"
At this Convention, a Territorial Executive
Committee was appointed, and that committee,
in accordance with the instructions of the Con-
vention, issued proclamation, commencing
as follows
To the legal poters of Kansas:
"Whereas the Territorial Government, as
now constituted for Kansas, has proved fail
ure-squatter sovereignty under its workings
miserable delusion-in proof of which, it is
only necessary to refer to our past history and
our present deplorable condition-our ballot
boxes have been taken possession of by bands
of armed men from foreign States-our people
forcibly driven Neutrality-suspicious. attempted
to be foisted upon us as members of a so-called
Legislature unacquainted with our wants. and
hostile to our best interests-some of them
never residents of our Territory-misnamed
laos passed, and now attempted to be enforced
by the aid of citizens of foreign States, of the
most oppressive, tyrannical, and insulting char
acter-the right of suffrage taken from US
debarred from the privilege of a voice in the
election of even the most insignificant officers
the right of free speech stihed-the muzzling of
the press attempted; and whereas longer forbear-
ance with such oppression has ceased to be a
virtue and whereas the people of this country
have heretofore exercised the right of changing
their form of Government when it became OPP
pressive, and have at all times conceded this
right to the People in this and all other Gov
ornmonta. and whareaS a TerritOrial form of
Government is unknown to the Constitution,
and is the mere creature of necessity, awaiting
the action of the People; and whereas the de-
basing character of the slavery which now in
wolves US impels US to action, and leaves as the
only legal and peaceful alternative, the imme-
date establishment of a State Government
and whereas the organic act fails in pointing
out the course to be adopted in an emergency
like ours therefore you are requested to meet
at your several precincts in said Territory
hereafter mentioned, on the second Tuesday
of October next, it being the 9th day of said
month, and then and there cast your ballots
for members of a Convention, to meet at To-
peka on the fourth Tuesday of October next,
to form Constitution, adopt bill of rights
for the People of Kansas, and take all needful
measures for organizing a State Government,
preparatory to the admission of Kansas into
the Union as State"
On the fourth Tuesday of October, the Con-
stitutional Convention assembled at Topeka,
and drafted Constitution, which was submit
ted TO the People on the 18th of December,
and by them approved by very large major
lty-men of all parties voting.
Such, in brief, is the history of the cousti.
tutonal movement in Kansas and if this is a
party movement, it Is difficult to see in what
way Constitution can be framed and adopted