Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-03-26

ritory and the Fugitive Slave law and that
any person offering to vote shall be presumed
Ito be entitled to vote until the contrary is
shown and if any one, when required, shall
refuse to take the oath to sustain the Fugitive
! Slave law, he shall not be permitted to vote. y
/ Although they passed law that ssnone but an
| inhabitant, who had paid a tax, should vote,'
yet they required no time of residence necessa-
| ry, and provided for the ssimmediate'' payment
OF poll-tax, providing in effect, that on the
eve of an election the people OF a neighboring
| State could come in in unlimited numbers, and
| by taking up residence of day an hour,
! pay poll-tax, and thus become legal voters,
and then. after voting, return to their own
State. They thus, in practical effect, proyi-
ded for the people of Missouri to control cleo
| tions at their pleasure, and permitted such on
/ ~ of the real inhabitants of the Territory to
vote as are friendly to the holding Of Slaves.
They permitted no election OF any of the
officers in the Territory 10 be made by the peo-
| pie thereof, but created the offices and filled
them, or appointed officers to fill them for long
| periods, and provided that the next annual e.
| lection should be holden in October, 1856, and
| the Assembly TO meet in January, 1857, so
| that none of these laws could be changed un-
til the lower House might be changed in 1856;
but the Council, which is elected for 2 years,
could not be changed, so to allow a change
Of the laws or officers until the session of 1858,
however much the inhabitants of the Terrific
ry might desire it.
These laws, made by an Assembly created
By a foreign force, are bat manifestation of
the spirit Of oppression which was the parent
of the whole transaction. No excuse can be
found for it in the pretcnse that the inhabi-
tants had carried with them into said Territory
a quantity of Sharp's rifles. First Because
that, if true, formed no excuse. Secondly
1t is untrue, as their Sharp's rifles were only
obtained afterward and entirely for the pur-
pose of self-defense, the necessity for which
md 9Th Of Z
threats clearly demonstrated.
These laws were obviously made to oppress
and drive ont all who were inclined 70 the ex-
clusion of Slavery, and, if they remained, 10
silence them on this subject, and subject them
to the will and control of the people of Mis-
souri,. These are the laws which the PreSi-
dent says must be enforced by the laws and
whole power Of this nation.
The people of Kansas thus invaded, sub
dUcd, oppressed and insulted, seeing their Ter
rItoriaI Government (such only in forn) per-
verted into an engine to crush them in the
dust, and to defeat and destroy the professed
object Of their organic law by depriving them
Of the 'sperfect freedom" therein provided, and
finding no ground to hope for rights in that or
ganizatIon, they proceeded, under the guaran-
ty Of the United States Constitution, sspeace-
80 ably to assemble to petition the Govern
:. ment for the redress of [theirl grievances
They saw no earthly source of relief but in the
formation of a State Government by the peo-
pie, and the accordance and ratification there
of by Congress-
In this view of the subject, in the first part
of August, 1855. call was published in the
public papers for meeting of the citizens of
Kansas. irrespective of party, to meet at Law
renee, in said Territory, on the 10Th Of said
August, to take into consideration the propri-
ETY. of calling Convention of the people OF
the whole Territory TO consider the subject
That meeting holden on the 18th day of |
AUguSr rr0r9nla1 N "a oh
vention of Delegates, to be elected and to as |
semble at Topeka, in said Territory, on the /
18th day Of September, 1865, not to form Il |
Constitution, but to consider the propriety of |
calling formally Convention for that purpose. |
The proceedings of this meeting of the 18th /
of August were as follows; LHere is inserted |
the official report Of proceedings as published |
at the time.
Agreeably to these proceedings, the people |
Of the different districts did, as therein recon-
mended, proceed to appoint Delegates to this 4,
meeting at Topeka TO be holden on the said |
18th day of September, 1855. The Delegates /
so appointed did assemble at Topeka, on said |
day, and proceeded to consider the subject, |
and they took the following proceedings.-
The official report of proceedings at the Con
vention is here set forth.1
Delegates were elected agreeably TO the proc
lamation so issued, and they met at Topeka |
on the fourth Tuesday in October 1853, and /
formed a aConstitution, which was submitted to |
the people, and was ratified by them by vote
in the districts. An election of State officers
and members OF the State Legislature had |
been had, and Representative to Congress
elected, and it Is intended 10 proceed 10 The 4
election of Senators, with the view to present /.
the same, with the Constitution, to Congress,
for admission into the Union.
Whatever view individuals may at times or
IN meetings, have expressed, and whatever ul-
Innate determination may have been enter
tnIn ~, II
gress and refused redress, is now entirely i'm
That cannot condemn or give char
acter to the proceedings thus far pursued.
Many may have honestly believed that usur-
patton could make no law. and that if Con- !
gress made no further provisions, they were
well justified in forming law for themselves
but 1t is not now necessary to consider that |
matter, it is to be hoped that Congress will
not leave them to such necessity.
Thus far, this effort of the people for redress
is peaceful, constitutional and right. Whether
it Will succeed, rests with Congress TO deter
mine; but clear it is, that it should not be met
and denounced as revoiut ionary rebellious
or unlawful-nor does II cali !
for or Justify the exercise of any force. by
any department Of this Government, TO check
or control it. +
1t now became proper to inquire what should
be done by Congress. For it is asserted by the
president, In substance that he has the bower
10 correct usurpations, and that the laws even
though made by usurped authority, must be-
by him, enforced and executed even with mil
tary force. The measures of redress should
be applied to the true cause of the difficulty.
his obviously lies in the repeal Of the clause
Tor Freedom in the act of 1920, and therefore
lhe true remedy lies in the entire repeal of the
lct OF 1904, which effected it. Let this be
lone with frankness and magnanimity, and
Kansas be organized anew as Free Territory.
and all VIII be put right. But if Congress in