Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-07-24
Toombs's Kansas Bill Dissected.
Letter from w. Y Roberts, Lieutenant
Governor OF Kansas.
NATIONAL HOTEL, WASHINGTON, d. C.>

Letter from w. Y Roberts, Lieutenant
Governor OF Kansas.
NATIONAL Hotel, WASHINGTON. D. c.
July II. 1856.
To tie Editor Of the Eusning Post:
Your note asking my opin on, as Dem
ocrat and as a citizen and irisnd of Kansas.
i'm relation to the Senate bill entitled ga
bull to authorize the people OF the territory
of Kansas to form institution and Stat.
government, &C." which passed the Senate
ON the I'd inst, is to hand.
In reply. would say that my objections
to the bill are not confn.d to its details
only-,hey mly be amsnjed--ut attach
also To the principles uoon which it rest.
|. The bill proposes % repeal and amend
certain territoria, laws, and t. leave Others
in force, and hence assumes the position
thai the Legislative Assembly was a valid
authority, aud affixes the seal of Congress
siona sanction and apprub ltion upon body
elec,ed by rule utterly su5versive of that
government; AMI in 50 doing the Senate
has Sane ioned and legalized, as far as it
II,
violation Of The laws and constitution OF the
United States, in vi, la'iny IN. great fun Ia
mental principle Upon which rests our whole
political fabric. popular sovereignty, OF selt-
government.
Ii is not Necessary to weary your readers
BY ins-r ing here the proc; OF this position,
and shall only refer thfm TO the :estim 10Y
taken by the Kansas Insestiga ing Com
init ee. reported to tbs House of Rep essen.
tatves ON the ;st inst. In tnis report the
above allegation is proven by testimony the
most positive and inc 'ntrovertibe.
III. But my obje, tions 10 the bill do not
sop here: a'ter thus acknowledging the
validity OF the territorial legislature, the
bill proceeds to repeal sundIy laws and parts
of l.ws enacted by that ooiy. by the very
singular process OF r:.enactIng rertain i'm
poriant provisions OF the Constitution OF the
United States. (See bill sec. lS) IL also
enacts a new elective law-a>sum' the
power OF Congress to legislate for the terri
tory On the most important subject of legiS-
latIon. that oi the elective franchis', whilst
it has, in the opinion uf the Senate, in full
vitality, local legislature o: its oMBJ thus
utterly absnsonrus the Whole theory of the
DemvcIatc creed IN relation 10 the govern
ment of the territories; and as q Democrat,
/ must be allo we'd to enter my protest
sgainst this abandonment the faith, par
ticularly in an instance when that abandon-
ment is made necessary by assuming for
uer ialse hypothesis.
III. The bill iur;her provides for the
election and organization of a convention
to form constitution and State govern
ment," and without submitting the constitu-
ton thus formed to a vote of the people or
future action of Congress, admits e State
into the Union ''on an equ.l footing with
the original States,' lnd makes the action
OF thot convention a iHaiity, and denies t,I
the people the Invd.uabe pfiyie, e acting
in their primary pnj individual ca 2acity upon
the organic law o; the Land. 81 right iauIt-
zabte to them and formidable only TO fotgran.s."
~. To give 10. Boartof Commissioners,
appointed by the President, the power to de-
t,rmlne wno shall vote tor delegates TO al
convention, and t. be rne sole lud re- of tn
elecuon and qualifications Of said delegates,
and to make the action oi that convr nton
tina in mdlter 80 importdn, as the !orml-
tIon vi d constitution and State government.
is to erect Il power dangerous to popular
right, II power irresponsible to the people-I
a desputism; and 10 assuming the power Of
Congress to do that Tor which there is no
warrant in the constitution, an which is |
suuversIse uf the great prime pies of popular
gusernm.n-
V. One effect of refusing to submit the
constitution or vote OF the people would
be to onviale tue necessity of retaining in
the Il, rri'ury large body OF men du ing
:ne wi ter, In order to vo,e ON the cOnstitu-
ii III IN The spring as It won!d be impossible !
to ir line a Constitution, pub ish it and give |
the people time 10 discuss its provisions, in
orae to give all intelligent vote upon its
ra idcatluh, before, prob bly,, the lst oi
M.r.h. | ain aware that il would be ex-
ceedl"gy inconven ent to these people 10
stay In our T,rri;ory during the winter
rtihout IouSes, anG that houses and pruvi-
sions are vsry expensive things; neverthe-
sent that they should be allowed to finish
thelr work by tne 4th OF N .vember and re-
turn TO their homes, leaving the people To
enjoy(D g9v, rhment established against
tneIr ON Will AMI wishes; dn hence, as
ci!.zen and friend of Klnz IL, must sJlemnly |
protest against this feature Of the bill.
vi. Tue bill further provj-s that the
ratio OF representation and the appOrtIon-
ment o! del gate, shall be determined by
The number ot voters, and not the number
oi inhabItants in the territory al respective
districts, thus giving To the mere adventurer
the ''so!dirrs of FORUM" upUn the border,
the same representative strength With the
regular citizens permanently located with
his vile aud family of five r ten minor chit
dren. The injustice OF this pro, iS!oa ID TOO
glarInS TO need comment, ami its object too
plain To be misunderstood.
Vii. The enumeration of voters is fixed
at time when many of our citizens have
been driven irom their homes and tom the
territory, and hen au armed mob, unre-
buSed by government, has blocked all the
avenues vi the country, not only prevent
ins the return OF the few who mi yht be ab'e,
anG who might feel an inclinati m To retu. u
from So DUNG, but robbing and driving back
al emi 4rants from the Free States who are
seeking homes in the territory. Thus for
cling upon the people a Tin .lity at most
lnausp cious time, and prop sing to estab-
lIsh the institutions OF a State when the
country is under the ernment of an arm
ed and irresponsible mob. What mncke y
of popular righ:s! And what fraud upon
d peopie who were induced to emisrate to
the Territory under pledge from ;he gov
ernment that they could be left '.Pertsctiyi
free to esta6Lisi their opa Institutions"
VIII. In autItIon To this, the bill, as far
as it intended "to authorize the people OF
the Territory Of Kansas To form Constitu-
ton and State Government" is gratuitous
We have asked for no such au;hori whei