Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-12-17
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Felloso citizens Of he Senate
and House OF Representatives.
ICoNcLUDED.

CoNcLUDED.
II affords me unmingled satisfaction
thus TO announce the peaceful condition
of things iu Kansas. especially consider
ing the means to which. it was necessary
10 have recourse Tor the attainment o
the end. namely, the employment of 4
part Of the military force Of the United
States. The withdrawal of that force
from the proper duty of defending the
country against foreign foes or the sava-
ges of the frontier, to employ it for the
suppression of domestic insurrection, is,
when the exigency occurs, matter oi
the most earnest solicitude. On this ec-
casion of imperative necessity it has been
done with the best results, and my salts
faction in the attainment of such results
by such means is greatly enhanced by
the consideration, that, through the wis
dom and energy of the present Executive
of Kansas, and the prudence, frmness
and vigilance of the military officers on
duty there, tranquility has been restored
without one drop of blood having been
shed in its accomplishment by the forces
of the United States.
The restoration of the comparative
tranquility in that Territory furnishes the
means of observing calmly, and apppre-
ciating at their just value, the events
which have occurred there, and the dis
cussions Of which the Government Of the
Territory has been the subject.
We perceive that controversy concern
ing lis future domestic institutions was
inevitable: that no human prudence, nc
form of legislation, no wisdom on the
part of Congress could have prevented
this.
1t is idle to suppose that the particular
provisions were the cause of agitation.
The provisions were but the occasion, or
the pretext of an agitation, which was
inherent in the nature of things. Con-
gress legislated upon the subject in such
terms as were most consunant with the
principle of popular sovereignty, which
underlies our Government. II could not
have legislated otherwise without doing
violence to another great principle of our
institutions, the inprescriptible right Of
equality of the several States.
We perceive, also, that sectional inter-
ests and party passions, have been the
great impediment 10 the salutary opera
ton of 9he organic principles adopted,
and the chief cause of the successive dis
turbances in Kansas. The assumption
that because in the organization of the
Territories of Nebraska and Kansas,
Congress abstaiBed from imposing re-
straints upon them 10 which certain other
Territories had been snbject. therefore
disorders occurred In the latter Territory,
is .emphatically contradicted by the fact
that none have occurred in the former.
Those disorders were not the conse-
quence. in Kansas, of the freedom of
self-government conceded to that Terri
tory by Congress, but of unjust inierfer-
ence on the part of persons not inhabn-
ants of the Territory. Such interference,
wherever it has exhibited itself, by acts
of insurrectionary character, or Of OBJ
struction to processes of law, has been
repelled or suppressed, by all the means
which the Constitution and the laws
place in the hands of the Executive.
For those parts OF the United States
where, by reason of the in6amed state
of the public mind, false rumors and
misrepresentation have the greatest cur
rency, it has been assumed that it was
the duty of the Executive not only to
suppress insurrectionary movements in
Kansas, but also 10 see to the regularity
of local elections. 1t needs little argu-
menl to show that the President has no
such power. All government in the
United States rests substantially upon
popular election. The freedom of elec.
lions is liable to be impaired by the in
trusion of unlawful votes, or the exclu-
sion of lawful ones, by improper infiu-
ences, by violence or By fraud. But the
people Of the United States are them
selves the all-sufhcient guardians of their
own rights, and to suppose that they viii
not remedy, in due season, any such in
cidents of civil freedom, is 10 suppose
them to have ceased to be capable OF
self-government. The President of the
United States has not power to interpose
in elections, to see to their freedom, to
canvass their votes, or to pass upon their
legality in the Territories any more than
in the States. If he had such power the
government might be republican in foIm,
but it would be a monarchy in fact; and
If be had undertaken to exercise ii in the
case of Kansas, he would have been
justly subject 10 the charge of usurpa-
ton, and Of violation of the dearest rights
of the people of the United States.
UnWise laws. equally with irregular
tiles at elections, are, in periods of great
excitement, the occasional accidents OF
even the freest and best political institu
tons. But all experience demonstrates
that in a country like ouIs, where the
right OF self constitution exists in the
completest form. the attempt to remedy
unwise legislation by resort to revolu.
ton, is totally out of place; inasmuch as
existing legal institutions afford more
prompt and eficacious means for the le
dress of wrong.
/ confidently trust that now. when the
peaceful condition of Kansas affords op-
portuniiy for calm reflection and wise
Legislation, either the legislative assem-.
bly, ofsithe Territory, orr Congress, viii
see that no act shall rem iin on its statute
book violaiive of the provisions of the
Constitution, or subversive of the great
objectsfor which that was ordained and
established, and sill take all olber ne.
cessary steps to assure to its inhabitants
the enjoyment, without obstruction or
abridgement, Of all the constitutional
rights, priyilegesiand imrnunities of citi-
gems of the United States, as contempla-
ted by the organic law~of theTerritory.
sFail informstion IN relation to recent
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