The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1857-06-20
Meeting at Topeka.

la compliance with an lnVltatlon lFoIh
the citizens of Topeka, Gov. Walker, Sec
retary Stanton, and E. o. Perrin, Esq, Wis
tied that place on Saturday, the 9th inst,
for the purpose of ascertaining the senti-
ments of the people, and promoting mu-
tual understanding and confidence. Col.
Holiday presided, and after brief ad-
dress introduced to the people their new
Executive, who addressed them as fol-
lows:-
EAyo,c Cftizens:-Upon the invitation
of the citizens of Topeka and vicinity, rise
to commune with you in regard to those
most important interests which are con-
nected with the administration OF affairs
in the Territory of Kansas. At the ear
nest request of the President of the Unit
ed States, consented to come mere ana
occupy the position of Governor. do
not come among YOU as a volunteer. L
have not sought this position. On the
contrary have accepted it, / am free to
saw. with great diffidence, growing out OF
the conviction, impressed upon the minds
ofthe Chief Magistrate of the Union, and
all his Cabinet, that the peace, not only
of this beautiful Territory of yours, but
that of the whole Union, depended upon
the settlement Of these difficult and ex-
citing questions, which have heretofore
introduced civil war and discord through
out your borders.
When. therefore, the matter was pre-
sented to me in that light by the Presl-
dent of the United States and his Cabl-
net. felt called on, Notwithstanding my
deep sense of the responsibility was re-
ouired to assume, to withdraw my decil-
nation of this office, and accept the prof.
fered trust. / am now here this day, then,
fellow citizens, to address you upon those
grave and momentous questions which
concern so much, not only your own peace
and prosperity, but that OF the whole
| Union.
And here, permit me to say, that it has
been NV lot to have travelled through
every State in this Union except Callfor
MIA. and must say that have never seen
anywhere. any region for which God ha
done so much as the Territory of Kansas
[Cheers.1 All that you want is peace
and the recognition of the principle
that the people of Kansas alone can rul.
here and its exercise In connection Will
-all the great questions which have dis
! turbed the quiet and harmony of this Ter
:, ritory, in order to make, not only tn
town of Topeka one of the most prosper
Gus of the Territory and of the Union, bu
to make Kansas, at the proper period,
sovereign State, and one OF the mos
impoYtant and f1ourishing of the Who'll
confederacy.
Now. gentleman, this is a practica
question. and take it that you are prac
teal men: that you do not look to thee
rios Int to facts and results; and that yo
desire to ascertain what is the best mod
in which peaceful adjustment of thes
, most depIorable difficulties can be etfec
e ed.
r On this subject, gentlemen, desire
read YOU few extracts from my lna1
gural Address, Just published in this Te
y ritory. together with my instructions fro
e the President of the United States, poin
inc out the mode in which the Chief Ma
. istrate of the Union, Just elected to tn
high position by the whole Amerlc;
Is people, as well as bis Cabinet, and L
/. humble individual who now address
Ie YOU. believe these questions can be peaC
fully settled; and settled, not by par
" whether it be for or against slavery, b
le by the WHOLE PEOPLE OF THE TERRIFIC
in OF KANSAS, who, as is their sovereign rig
by that great principle which lies at t
foundation of all our institutions, sh
determine by an actual majority of /
votes of all her people, what shall be tn
r own Constitution, and their own soc
institutions.
speak, not now, in regard to the pa
,o or anv registry of votes, but lspeak
ne ~ regards the future. Ny doctrine is IL
~ ~ that in the future, when the CONSTITUTE
-, ~ shall be submitted to the vote OF the c
"A zeps of Kansas, that it shall be submit
ba to the vote of the ,cltOle people. / do
10. mean those who are now registered un
n the Territorial law; do not mean tn
hn who were residing here on the 10Th
:. March last: but | mean the arl,ote people
~, Kansas. not only those who are here IL
-, hut those who will be here next fall
- actual residents-that they-the pee
-, over whom these institutions are to OF
~ ate-that they, by majority OF t
af votes. shall decide for themselves "
~ shallbe their Constitution and what S
.bo be their social institutions. On this |
tbo iect desire, 1 repeat, to read you an
M bo tract from my Inaugural Address to
- people of the Territory of Kansas, tose
- with the views of the resident OF
inc United States:-
ha3 h Indeed, I cannot doubt that the
-, vention''-I mean the convention W
IT IS about to meet in September ne,
-; .,after having framed a State Constitu
he;r will submit it for ratification or reIe'
anJ TO a majority of the then actual bona
mo- resident settlers of Kansas.
r with these views, well known to
n, President and Cabinet, and approves
: 10 them. accepted the appointment OF
.o,,r ~ ernor of Kansas. Ny instructions
: &c the President, through the Secretsl
- = - State. under date ofthe 30th of March
H. E sustain the regular Legislature o
,rest Territory in assembling Cohvehtl
= 80 form a Constitution and they EXPIRE
" opinion of the President, that when
- - a Constitution shall be submitted t
~ "a n neople of the Territory. they must b
Sl aat tectsd in the ercrcise Of their right Of
- - - for or against that instrument: and tn
mo n a oppression of the popular t0iA must
9 renr interrupted By fraud or ri0le'ee !,
; q Sfnr leone now to my ownindividual
80 -. -DI repeat, then, as my clear cow
.1a..v ~ that unless the Convention subni
a.-n; Constitution to the vote Of all the
80 - resident settlers of Kansas, and tht
go 80 tion be fairly and justly conducte
7So fo,r Constitution viii be and ought to
"A in iected by Congress" Cries OF goo
ns@ Gentlemen, on this subject WIS
- IN there should be no mistake, no mis-
- hension as regards my opinions al
policy which | shall deem It my
pursue in the administration OF Il
,-;,h ecutive department of the Terri'
: VIZ" Kansas. 1t is involved in few
rodac- words: That the majority OF the Pc
d our. Kansas must govern: Cries OF E'gh
, verv the majority of the people OF hans
- adopt their own Constitution or re
=oeNon' .hsF the majority of the T,eoDle OF