Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-12-18

the rivers Ot that State. As Paraguay. how
ever WIS the owner Of hut one tank Of the
river Of that name, the other bel ting tn
Curientcs, II State OF the Argentine COnfGd
Grafton, the right Of it's government to ex-
pect tn 1t such n decree would be obeyeJ
cannot b. acknowledged But the Water
Witch was not. property speaking, vessel
OF war; she WIS II email steamer rn ragged in
4 scientific enterprise. intended for the ad-
yIntagj oi commercial States generally. Un.
der these circumstances, | ain cons rained
20 consider the attack upon her rs unjusti.
liable and rs calling for satisfaction from the
Par tguayan government.
{ tlzsns OF the United States also, who
we're established in business in Paraguay
have ha their property seized and taken
from them, and have otherwise been treated
by the auth rities in an insulting and arbi-
trdry manner, which requires reiress
a demand Tor these purposes will he IN mlde
IN trm but c1nciliaiory rpirit. This will
the more probably be granted if the execu-
tive shall have authority to use other means
in the event of refusal This Is according
ly recommend d.
1t Is unnecessary to state in detail the
alarming condition of the Territory of Kan
eIs At the tina Of my Inauguration. The
opposing parties then stood in hostile array
against each other and any accident might
have reIighted the d ines Of civil war. B.
sides, ut this critical moment, Kansas was
lett without G'vernor by the resignation
OI Governor Gsdry
On the l9th OF February previous the ter
rlturll Legislature had passed a law provi
ding for the election Of delegates on the 81
Monday IN June to Convention to meet on
la I-F I M.,,,.l. q bnr L.
pose OF framing a Constitution prep lrdtory
To admission into the Uniol This law WAS
in the main fair and Just: and it is to be
regretted tina. all the qualified electors had
not register d themselves and voted under
its provisions.
At the time Of the election for deleg ties =,
an ex 'ensive orguniz ltion existed in the ter.
+ tory, whose avOwed object It was, If need
be, to put down the lawful government by
force, and 20 establish government Of their
own under the so-called Topeka Constitu-
tiOn. The persons att ed to this revolu-
tlOnary organic ttIon abst1ined from taking
any part in the election.
The act Of the Territorial Legislature had
omitted to provide for submitting to the
people the Constitution which might be
tr med by the Convention. and in the excl.
sis an appreher sion extensively prevailed
that n design existed to force upon them u
Constitution IN relation TO slavery agiins
their WIN. la this emerg ,ncy it became ID
duty AS 1t WAS my unquestionahle right,
having in view the union Of all good citiz ms
in sup, ort OF the Territorial Laws, to ex.
press an opinion on the true cons ructlon OF
the provisions concerning slavery conta ned
IN thu organic act OF Congress Of the 3Jth
May 1854 Congress d, clired it to be the
true intent and meaning of tn act not To
les'slate slavery into any Territory or State
nor To exclude il therefrun, but to leay
tn people thereof perfectly free to form and
regulate their domestic institute ms IN their
own wiv. Under il X ,nsas. when admit
ted tsn State, WAS to ne received into the
Union with or without slavery, as their
Constitution may prescribe a the time Of
their admission.
Did Co grr-s mean hy this language that
the Delegates elect d to frame Constitution
sh 'uId have authority finally to decide the
question OF slavery or did they Intent, by
leaving 1t to the pe0p e. that the people OF
Kansas themselves should decide this au.s.
ton by direct votei On this subj ct |
confess had never entertained serious
duu bt, and therefore, In my instructions u
Gov rnor Walker of the 2Sth of March last
| merely said that when "a Constitution
shul! be submitted to the people of the Terri
tory. they must be protected in the exercise
Of their right Of voting for or against that
instrument, and the fair expression of the
popular will must not be interrupted b.
fraud or violence
In expressing this opinion il was far from
my intention to interfere with the decision
oi the people OF Kansas either for or ugiinst
slavery From this have ALWAYS careful ly
abstained Entrusted with the duty OF TAX
ing care that the Laws be faithfully execu
ted my only desire WAS that the people o.
Kansas shoui furnish 10 Congress the evi
dsnce r. quired by the organic act, whether
/ for or ag nnst slavery, and in this manner
smooth their passage into the Union. Ii
emerging FROM the condition Of rerritoria
dependence into that OF u sovereign State. i
was their duty, IN my opirion. to max
known their wi by the votes Of the map
ity. on the direct question whether TIN
Important do nestle Institution should o
should not continue to exist. Indeed, thi
WAS the only possible mode in which thei
will could he authenticity asoertained.
The election of deleg .tes to a Convention
must necessarily take place in separate dis
tricts. From this cIuse il may readil
. happen as hiss often been the case. that
majority of the people Of a State or Terri
tory are on one side of question, whilst
maj rty OF the represen tatives from tn
several districts into which it is divide
may be upon the other side. This arise
from the fact that IN tome districts dele
gates may be elected by small mnlorities
whilst in others those OF different sentiment
IN AZ receive maj Irities sufficiently great nc
only to overcome the votes given Tor th
former but to leave a large majority of th
Whole peop In direct opposition to MI
jjrity Of tue delegates. Besides, our histUr
proves that Influences may he brought I
bear on the representative sufficiently pow
erlul to induce him tJ disregard the WI
Of his constituents The truth is, that n
other authentic and satisfactory mode exist
OF a,certairing the will OF maj irity OF tn
people OF any State or Terrific Y, on an in
portant and exciting question. liko that {
slavery in Kansas, except ny leaving 1t to
direct vote. How WIS.,, then, was It IL
Congress to pass over all q s~hOrdlnute an
intermediate agencies, and proc ed dlrectl
to the source OF all legitimate power undt
our institutions
How vain would any othcr principle prov
I IN practice Inns may Dc illustrated ny IN
case OF X, sas. Should she be admitted il
to the Union with IL Constitution eitht
maintaining OF abollshlng slavery, again
the sentiment OF the p ople, this could hay
no other effect than 10 continue and exi
perate the existing agitation, during Il
Dret period required to make the Constitl
tion conform ~ the irresistible will Of Il
moj 'rlty.
Tue friends and supporters of the Nebra
kL and X insds act, when struggling on
recent occasion to sustain It's wis1 provi
ions before the great tribunal Of the Ame
lean people, never differed about its trl
meaning on this subject. Every whc
throughout the Union they pub icIy pledge
their iaith and their honor that they wou
chesrluliy submit the question OF slavery
the decision Of the bona fds people of X I.
sas, without any restriction or quali6catiC
whatever All were cordially united upt
the great doctrine of popular sovereignt
, which 10 the vital. principle OF our free j
I situations.
, Had il been insinusted from any quart