Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-01-29
AFFAIRS IN KANSAS.
MESSAGE OF TILE. PRESIDENT.


T0 he Senate 0Uj H0H>' n Representatives.:
Circumstances have occurred 10 disturb the course
Of governmental organization in thc Territory oi
Kansas, and produce there condition ol Things
which renders il incumbent inc 10 call your attciI-
ton To the subject, and urgently recommend the
adoption b. you of such measures Of legislation m
the grave cxigcncics of case appear t" require.
br:|f cap'<Itiu. ni III" circumstances referred to,
and of their CAUSES will he ssnry u the tuli nm
,ir:,t.n:ng ui Inc recommendations which ii - pro-
posed 10 submit.
The net 20 organize the Territories OF Nebraska
and Kansas was Il manifestation OF the legislative
opinion III Congress two great points ut coisuiu-
tiuna construction: One, that the designation oil
th. boundaries of mcw Territory, aud provision for
lis political organization and administration us Ter
tory ar. which Of right tall within the pow
crs uf the General Government; and the other, that
the inhab of any such Territory, considered as
inchOatc State entitled, i'll the exercise ot
sclfgovcrnInen 10 determine for themselves what
shall be their own domestic institutions, subject only
10 the Constitution and the laws duly enacted by
Congress under H. and 10 the power Of the existing
States to decide according to the provisions and
principles OF the Constitution, at what lime the Terri
tory shall be received State into the unIon.-
Such the grcat political rights which are solemn
Iy declared ana affirmed by that act.
Based upon this theory the OF Congress defined
for each Territory the outlines of republican govern
mcnt, distributing public authority among lawtulIy-
created agents Judicial, anI lc:=Iuve-
10 DC appointed either by The General Government ar
Y
trusted to n Council and House ui Representatives,
duly elected and empowered enact all the local
laws which they might deem essential 10 their prog
prrity, happiness and good government. Acting III
the same spirit Congress also defined the persons who
were in the first instance To be considered as the pco
pie Of each Territory; cnaciins that every free white
male iElIaJaat of the ubuvcthe aye OF twenty
years being an actual resident thereof and pos.
-.sing the qualifications hereafter described should
be- entitled Ia vote at the first election and be eligi
,i,. tn, ,tiip flp Elrri. lItf
qualifications of yo;er> aud holding office at all subse
ucnt elections should be such might be prescribed
by the Legislative Assembly: Provided, however,
tina. the ri.ht Of suffrage and ui holding Office should
be exercised only Ivy citizens of the United States,
and those who should have declared on oath their in
:rmiiun 10 become such, and have taken an oath To
suppor; the Constitution Of the United States and the
provisions Of the act: Aud provided further, that 10
officer. soldier, seaman, MARINE other person III
the army or navy of the United States attached to
troops IN their service, should he auwe,! to vote "r
hold office in either Territory by reason ot being on
service therein
Such Of the public officers of the Territories ~, by
the provisions of the uct 10 be appointed by the
General Government including the Governors, were
appointed and commissioned in due sc;sOn--thc law
having been enacted on the Both of May, lSJi, and
the commission of the Governor ot the Territory ni
Nebraska being dated on the I'd day ui August, lSJl,
and of the Territory Of Kansas Oh the 23th day oi
June, lSJl.
Among the duties imposed by the net on the Gov
ernor was that Of directing and experimenting the
political organization ut the respective lcrrlturIes.-
The Governor of X insas was required To cause CEN
slls or enumeration Of the inhabitants and qualified
voters of the several counties AMI districts Of the Ter
rirury be taken by such persons and in such mode
lie might designate nd appoint; to appoint anu ui-
ct the time and places of holding the first elections,
aud the nanucr Of conducting them, both H5 To the
persons To >uprrintend such elections aud the returns
thereof: to declare the number of the members o the
Council and House Of Representatives for each county
district to declare what persons nIght npptar 10
be duly elected; and 10 appoint the time anu place ol
the Iirst meeting of the Legislative Assembly In
substance, the same duties were devulved Oh the
Governor of Nebraska.
While, by this act the principle Of constitution for
cac of the Territories was one and the same, and the
details of organic legislation regarding both were rs
nearly could be identical, and while the Territory
of Nebraska was TRANQUILITY and successfully orSanl-
Z-d in the due 1t law, and lis first Legislative
Assembly met nn the 10th of January lSJJ the or
ganl1aun of Kansas was long delayed, and has been
attended with serious difficulties and cmbarrassmen,s,
partly the consequence of local ma! administration,
and partly o the unstifabe Interference Of the i'll
hah,antS of some "t the States foreign by residence,
interests, and rights to rh" Territory.
The Governor of the Territory nt Kansas, commits
stoned. rs before stated, on the a9th Of June, 1851,
dd not reach the designated seat uf his government
until the 9TH Of the ensuing October aud even then
failed to make the first step in its legal organization
that of ordering the ceiiSus or enumeration "i is
the members nf the Legislative Assembly did not take
place until the 'hh uf March, 1855, nor its meeting
until the second ofIuly 1876; that, fur year after
the Territory constituted by the act Of Congress,
and the officers to be- appointed by the Federal IN.
ecutive had been commissioned. it was without
complete government, without any legislative au-
thorry without local law, and of course without the
ordinary guarantees of peaco and public order.
In other respects the Governor, instead "i e1erc'
sing constant vigilance and putting forth all his en
100 yTutO nj tendencies
alt which are prone exist in all inpcriecty-or,
yanIzci and newly y-asSociated communities aiiowed
his attention 10 br diverted from official obligation by
other objects and hmsclfac m example "i 'ie WON,
lion of law III the performance Of ac:: whicii rendered
il Inv duty in the sequel, tn remove nn from tle ul
irr uf chief Executive magistrate "t the Territory.
Before the req uSite preparation WAS accomplished
fur election of Territorial Legislature MI election of
DcI.1a, to Congress hpd been held in the Territory
on the 18th day of November 1871, and the Delegate
nnk his sent in the House of Representatives. with
out challenge. If arrangements had been perfected
hv tha Governor So that the election for members OF
the Legislative Assembly might be held in the seve-
raj pr.ciucis at the same time Tor Delegate To
Congress- any question: apperanlng to the guallhra-
ton of the persons "ong as people o the Territory
would have passed necessarily and at once under the
supervision of Congress the judge ut the validity
of the returA Of the Delegate, and would have been
determined before conflicting passions had become
intlamei by time and before opportunity cnnd have
been afforded for systematic interference oi the P'o-
pie of individual States.
This interference in so far as concerns its primary
carses aDd its immediate commencement was one ot
the incidents of that perncious agitation on me so
lac, of the condion of the co0rtd persons hclu to
service in some of the States which has 70 long ds