Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-07-24
TOoMB's KANSAS BILL DIssECTED
Aettcr from w. 4. Roberts, Lieutenant
Governor OF Kansas.
NATIONAL HOTEL WASHINGTON. d. CO

To tie Editors Of the Erening Post
Your note asking my opinion, as democrat anC
as citizen and friend of Kansas in relation to the
Senate bill entitled "a bill To authorize the people
of the territory OF Kansas TO form constitution ans
state government &c, which passed the Senate or
! tbs 2d inst, il at hand.
! In reply, | would say that my objections to thu
bill are moi confined to its details only--hoy may b,
| alnended-but attach also to the principles upol
| which it rests.
/. The bill proposes to repeal and amend certain
territorial laws, and to leave others in force and
hence assumes the position that the Legislative As
semby was valid authority, and afixes the seal OF
congressman sanction anu approh baton upon body
nent and IA doing, the Senate, has sanctioned
and legazed far is it can, the work of an armed
mob, in open violation of the laws and constitution
OF the United States, in violating the great fuudalnen
tai principle upon which rests our political fabric
| popular sovereignty, or selt-goyernment.
II Is not necessary TO worry your readers by insert
ing here the proof of this proposition and shall on.
| ~ refer them TO the testimony taken by the Kansas
Investigating Committee reported to the House OF
Representatives, on the LIST inst In this report the
| above allegation is proven by testimony the most
positive and incontrOvertible.
III. But my objections to The bill do not stop here
after thus acknowledging The validity OF the terrific
rial legislature, the bill proceeds to repeal sundry
laws AND parts of laws enacted by that body by the
very singular process OF re-enacting certain import
ant provisions Of the Constitution Of The L. S lSce
bill sec. ID 1t also enGCts new elective law as
sumlng the power of COuyess to legsiae for the ter
rltory on the most important sub iec5 OF legislation,
that of the elective franchise, whilst it has in the
opinion Of the Senate in full vitality, local ieis-
lature Of its own thus utterly abandoning tie whole
theory of the democratic creed in relation to tho
government of the territories and, a democrat |
must be allowed to enter my protest against this
when that abandonment ~ made NECESSARY by as
! Stunning former false hypothesis.
III. The bill further provides for The election and
organization OF convention Ito form a constitution
and state government, and without submitting tie
constitution thus formed to vote of The people on
future action Of Congress- admits The state iuJo the
Union ION equal footing with tAc on ina states,
| and makes tie action OF INSTRUMENTATION fualty,
and denies to the people The invaluable privilege ot
acting IN their primary and individual capacity upon
the organic law OF the land, "a rgd inc alaa1{e to
! item and formidable only to tyraats.
~. To give to board OF commissioners, op0oiut-
| ed by the PreSf9ent, the power 10 determine who
shall vote for delegates to. convention, and to he
he sole judges Of the election and qualifications Of
SAID delegates and 10 make the action OF that con
Venton hhaI, IN matter important as to the for
NATION OF constitution and state government Is to
erect power dangerous to popular rights, power
responsible to the peopIe-a despotlem and Is
snhllng the power of Congress to do that for which
lhere is no warrant in the constitution, and which is
subVerslve of the great principles Of the popular
government
v One effect of refusing to submit the constitu-
ton to vote of the people would be to Obvgte the
necessity OF retaining in the territory large body
OF men during the winter, in order to vote on the
consultation III the spring, it would be impossible
TO frame constitution publish II, and give the peo-
pie time TO discuss its provisions IN ORDER to give
intelligent vote upon its ratification, before, proba-
bly,, the LIST of March | aware that it would he
exceedingly lnconvenent TO these people TO stay in
our territory during the winter rthoat houses and
that houses and provisions are very expensive things
nevertheless as citizen Of Kansas cannot consent
that they should be allowed to finish their work by
the 4th of November and return to their homes,
leaving the people te enjoy q agoysrnment estab-
lished against their wishes; and hence, a citizen
and friend of Kansas must most solemny protest
against this feature of the bill.
VI, The bill further provides that the ratio ofre
presentation and the appointment OF delegates shall
be determined by the number Of voters and not the
number of inhabitants in the territory and the re-
spccve Districts thus giving to the mere adventur-
er the soldier of fortune upon the border, the
same representative strength with the regular citizen
permanently located with his wife and amily OF fiy
orten mInorc children The injustice OF this provision
too glaI1ns TO need comment rs object too plain,
10 be misunderstood.
VII. The enumeration of voters is fixed at time
when many Of our citizens have been driven from
their homes and from the territory and when an arm
ed mob. unrebuked by government, has bockaded
all the avenues TO the country not only preventing
the return of the few who might De able, and who
might feel an inclination egeturn from doing So but
rob5ing and driving back all new eigrans from the
free States who are seeking homes in the territory
thus forcing upon the people fnallty at most in
auspicious time, and proposing TO establish the in
sttutions OF State when the country is under the
government of an armed and irresponsible mob.
What mockerv of popular eights And what
fraud people who were induced 10 emgrate to the
territory under pledge from she Government that
they should be lett perfectly fes to establish Aeir
rirn institutions.
VIII In addition to this, the bill, as far as It Is
intended ito authorize the people Of The territory
of Kansas TO form constitution ana State govern
ment" is gratuIgOus We have asked for no such
II authority. We contend, as Democrats, that we
have authority whenever msjorliy OF The people
NAV so determine 10 call convention. form con.
sttution and state government and TO apply for ad-
mission into the Union free and sovereign State
We hold that the people are better judges OF vixen
iudzs o. and 20 DO Tbs is ore ofthe rgh,s express