The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1857-06-06
Politicai.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
HON. ROBERT J. WALKER,
GOVERNOR OF KANSAS TERRITORY



FsllosC Citizens of Kansas:
At the earnest request of the President
of the United States, l have accepted the
position of Governor of the Territory of
Kansas. The President, with the cordial
concurrence of all his cabinet, expressed
to me the conviction, that the condition of
Kansas was fraught with imminent peril
to the Union, and asked me to undertake
the settlement of that momentous ques-
ton, which has introduced discord and
civil war throughout your borders, and
threatens to involve you and our country in
the same common ruin. This was duty
thus presented, the performance of which
lcould not decline, consistently with nv
view of the sacred obligation which every
citizen owes to his country.
The mode of adjustment is provided in
the act organizing your Territory, namely,
by the people of Kansas, who, by major
lty of their own votes, must decide this
question for themselves in forming their
State Constitution.
Under our practice the preliminary act
of framing State Constitution, is uniform
lyperformed through the instrumentality
Of convention of delegates chosen by
the people themselves. That convention
is now about to be elected by You under
the call of the Territorial Legislature, Gre
ated and still recognized by the authority
Of Congress, and clothed by it, in the
comprehensive language of the organic
law, with full power to make such an en-
actment The Territorial Legislature, then,
in assembling this convention, were fully
sustained by the act of Congress, and the
authority Of the convention -is-distincfry
recognized in my Instructions from the
President of the United States. Those
who oppose this course, cannot aver the
alleged iregularity of the Territorial Legis-
lature, whose laws in town and CITY cleo
tons, in corporate franchises, and on all
other subjects but slavery they acknowl-
edge by their votes and aequiescence. II
that Legislature was invalid, then are we
without law or order in Kansas, without
town, city, or county organization, all legal
and Judicial transactions are void, all titles
null, and anarchy reigns throughout our
borders
Its my duty, in seeing that all constitu-
nonal laws are fairly executed, to take care,
as lar as practicable, that this election OF
delegates to the convention shall be free
nom fraud or violence, and that they shall
Oeprotected in their deliberations.
The people of Kansas, then, are invited
by the highest authority known to the
Constitution, to participate freely and fairly
inthe election of delegates to frame Con-
sntution and State Government. The Law
mas performed its entire appropriate func.
ton, when it extends to the people the
hsht OF suffrage; bat it cannot compel the
performance of that duty. Througheut
our whole Union, however, and whereyel
nee government prevails, those who alb
siam from the exercise of the right of saff
issse, authorize those who do vote To net 20
mem IN that contingency, and the ahsen
ices are as much bound under the law an,
Constitution, where there is no fraud or vi
olenee, by the act of the majority of thos
VINO do vote, as though all had partieinate,
IN the election. Otherwise, as voting mus
oe voluntary, seH-goyernment would b
mpIacheable, and monarch or despotisr
would u remain as the only alternative.
!. lou should not console yourselves, m
ieiiow citizens. with tiile reflection that yo
taay, by asubsequent vote, defeat the rat
aeatlon of the Constitution. Althoug
as as's. anxious to secure to you the exercis
In. mat great constitutional right, and be
as ias That the Convention is the servar
alla not the master Of the people, vet Ihav
@power to dictate the proceedings of tha
.S yUay. lcannot doubt, however, the coars
;nes viii adept on this subject. But VIII
s" isur the hazard of the preliminary forns
ss eh OF aConstitution BY minority, as Al
eyed by yeu, when majority, by the
S~n ;u votes could control the forming ofths
Dn' 1t is said that the Convention is nc
saliy called, and that the election ";
T TS' oe freely and fairly conducted. Th
as;'o1al ae.ll'o1al Legislature is the power O.
aa.nea tSa T4 ior this purpose by the Congress {
,as;. 4s United States; and in opposing # 10
sss .ss.a the authority of the federal Go,
- tsspment. That Legislature was called Il
,s.g oelng by the Congress of 1854 and
lSgnlzed IN the very latest Congression,
siauon. tits recognized BY the preser