White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-08-27
The Kansas Dissensions.

The Kansas difficulty continues to be the OPP
probrium Of American politicians, and so deep
seated would seem to be the disorder which
aflicts that unhappy Territory that all remedies
have apparently lost-their sovereign efficacy /;
for no sooner Is the pestilent spirit Of civil
strife stayed in one direction than Il isobseEEed
break to out with renewed violence in another.
We cannot but believe that Gov. Walker has
endeavured to exscute his delicate and difficult
commission with the very best possible intcn.
tiens, and kas faithfully sought to restore peace
to this distracted. Territory, by neither often
siVeiy provoking the hostility of what is called
the "Free State party" nor yet by compromis-
ing the official obligations of his position as a
representative of the Federal Government, in
structed to respect the validity of the laws
enacted by the Territorial Legislature of Kan
sas. That for his conciliatory' conduct he has
encountered the fierce denunciation of many
Southern journals, and Of portion of the South
ern Democracy is known to every reader nor,
when we consider the sectional hopes, aspira-
tons and resentments which have been reused
and nourished by the Kansas q uestion, should
we be greatly surprised by any such exhibitions
Of dissatisfaction and disappointment. HsW-
ever unjust to the incumbent of the gubernato-
rial chair in Kansas, it was not unnatural that
the Judgments pronounced BY the prejudiced
critics Of Governor Walkers course, whether
those critics belonged to one section of the
country or another, should have partaken some
what of acrimeny and fault-fnding, according
as either party in the progress of events was in
duced to anticipate the confusion Of its schemes
and the failure Of its hopes.
In the proclamation which we print to-day, in
another column, and which, as the reader will
observe, has been called forth by fresh out
break of disaffeetion in the Territory of Kan
sas, Gov. Walker has given another proof of
that impartiality with which he thus far seems
to have discharged the responsible but most un-
grateful functions of bis Office. Thatthe people
Of the town of Lawrence, in the position they
have now assumed and in the steps they. have
taken, are occupying most indefensible atti-
tude, as well towards the general Government
as towards the authority OF Gov. Walker, will,
weAre sure, be the judgment of every candid
and unbiased mind; for as Gov. Walker truly
states in his proclamation, the movements
originated by the people Of Lawrence. if sue
cessful and generally initiated, could result in
nothing less than the overthrow, in detail, of
the entire Territorial Government established
in Kansas by the authority of Congress. In
view Of the facts which attended its formation
and Of its rejection by Congress, the Topeka
Constitution can surely be deemed of no validi-
ty or operative force in that Territory, save as
revolutionary measure, prosecuted under the
guise of resistance to the "usurpation" which is
alleged as a sufficient justification for indepen-
dent action on the part of the people in Kan
sas.
A stubborn. adherence to the Topeka Con-
stitution would be,it appears to US, of most
doubtful policy, even if there were no other es-
cape from the tolls Of the alleged usurping Leg
stature; but that the 'Frce State party" should
cling to this fragment of a State Constitution,
at time when pacific redress for all real
grievances Is placed within their reach, would
seem to argue on their part something more
akin to actious opposition than lawful resistance
to oppression. But, in the case more particu-
larry to be deprecated by the proclamation of
Gov. Walker, the spirit of insubordination in
Kansas has found still moro defiant expression,
and an attempt is now making by the people of
the town Of Lawrence to create local govern
ment of their own, in contravention not only of
the Territorial Government established BY Con-
gress, but also ofthe estate Legislature" held
under the sanction of the so-called Topeka Con-
stitution, which Legislature, it appears, express
" refused to grant to the town of Lawrence an
independent charter such as its people have now
assumed to create for themselves. It must be
manifest to all that such self-erected govern
ments existing in Kansas would be incompatible
with the prevalence of unity and harmony in
the Territory, and could not fail to be as per.
picking in their Influence as they are ulustif-
able in their origin. resulting as they necessarily
would, as in truth they are designed to do, in
the piece-meal subversion Of the Territorial
Government establishedby COngress.-NatiOraI
Intslli9epez.