Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-29

tp of the Union, and having under consideration the
Presidents annual message.
Mr. GROW said:
Mr. SPEAKER Rumors of prospect of ci-
I'll war in the Territory of Kansas have reach.
od rs and filed the public mind with gloomy
onnrehension. The President in his annual
message informed US, that " in the Territory of
Kansas there had been acts prejudicial to good
order" but neglected to tell what those az Is
were ; and at later day he informed this
House by special message that there had been
acts plaialv against taao, which now threaten
the peace not only of the Territory of Kansas,
Init of the Union" 1t becomes the imperative
duty of Congress, then, to inquire into the eau
So, of this state Of things, and devise if posi-
Bile some means by which to avert so dire ca
lamty.
Congress being the supreme legislative pow
cr for the Territories, giving them their organ
ic law, executive and judicial officers, and pre-
arbing the mode and manner Of the exercise
of all their legislative functions, it is our first
dnty to see that the inhabitants thereof are
secure in the enjoyment of all the rights and
nryileges guaranteed to American Freemen
everywhere under the protection of the Re-
public
The acts which the President regarded as
threatening the peace not only of the Territory
Of Kansas but of the Union, are summed up
in paragraph of the message =
Persons conessedy not constituting the body polite
Or the Inhabitants but merely party of the nhab
tnt, and without law, have undertaken to summon
convention for the purpose of Transforming the Territory
into state and have formed constitution adopted it,
and under it elected Governor and other officers and
representative to Congress ;;
aIEof which he pronounces illegal and of rerO-
htioagrg character. Sir, the deing of any or
al the acts in this enumeration would be no
violation Of just law or constitutional right :;
for the people, or any part of them, Of a State
or Territory have a perfect right peaceably to
assemble, at any time, and deposit their votes
for any person they may please, with such de-
s.naton of Office as they choose to af1ix and
unless they, or the person so chosen, commit
some overt act against the Government under
which they live, they have violated no law and
are amenable for no offense, ahy more than
they would be to assemble and discuss their
grievances, and petition for their redress. In
Rhode Island where there was no question as
10 the regularity Of the existing government
for had existed for almost two centuries-a call
for a convention to form a new constitution was
issued by persons confcsscdly not constituting the
5dv poLIfic, and lclthOut lac, for the purpose
Of transforming charter government into
State. They formed a constitution, adopted
IT, and under it elected Governor and other
ofcers, and Representative to Congress-
The members of the Legislature met, Swore to
support the new constitution, and the oath of
Office was administered to the Governor, and
bis message transmitted to the Legislature
None of these acts were considered as ille-
ga, by The constituted authorities of Rhode
Island aud no arrests were made till Dorr
called out military force to uphold his govern
ment
The people of Kansas have thus far done on
NJ |! what was done in Rhode Island previous to
appeal to arms Are ACES that are harm
MI less when performed in State illegal and trea-
M aabe when performed under like circum-
stances in Territory 1t was not thought
0by the country in the case of the admission
d Michigan into the Union, where a conven-
aan Of the people, called ,eithOnt Aaac, accepted
certain conditions of Congress which had just
0sel rejected by convention Of delegates as
%rOled uhder authority of all act of the LIE
gsaare But, sir, the undoubted right of the
Me- i.oPe Of Territory to call State conven-
,A' without any act of the Territorial Legis-
+'aFe Or of Congress, for the purpose of trans
olnS Territory into a State and to elect
~ Iae officers necessary to administer such
sae government, has been settled not only by
practice Of the Government, but by the
T1on OF one Of its ablest legal officers and
|~su'utonal advisers of the President. Du-
~S uenerai Jackson'S administration the Go
laAo' Of the Territory Of Arkansas addressed
,A letter soliciting instructions for his guild
..ss I 10 case the people of said Territory should
W, NelesateS to a convention without law
1e Legislature, and organize and put in
YSlsoOn State government without authori-
congress The Governor informed the
NIqent that, unless otherwise instructed, he
S ~'lH ieel bound to consider and treat all
~ Proceedings as unlawful" The Presi-
~ lor General Jackson, it seems, had not
.. spel the " great principles of popular SOW
ea'! established by the compromise mea-
G,., G% 1900 replied, through his Attorney
y ia, Ial b. +. Butler, on the 2lSt of Scptem-
w. 1885, that
haa 'ot IN the power Of the General Assembly of Ar
b, pas any Law for the purpose Of electing members
sst 'e.Aon TO form consultation and State govern
sgte @ & 20 90 any other act directly indirectly to
ire a new government. Every such law, even tho
sl9 9royed by the Governor of the Territory would
q ,ry -. people of Territory have an undonbt-
hi s,' gu at any time to call convention, frame
as,s. Op' State constitution, and elect all
h., :. necessary to its action as an indepen-
thOnnh L. IL
& ss,a a'y conld perform any official act as State
sa ssrSa.I until the action of Congress. though
e sfc,. SIa enacted laws and voted for President
r5., sue was admitted as State into the
'- hut the State must be formed before