Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-07-31
-. kansas Dssssusious.

From ahe Fatansl I~niflirnoer3
The Kansas difficulty continues to be the OPP
proSrium Of American politicians, and 50 deep
seated would seem to be the disorder which
afiicts thar unhappy Territory that all renee
dies have apparently Lost their sovereign eff
eaey ; for no sooner is the p~estilent spirit Of
| civil strife STAYED in one direction than K is OBJ
served TO break out with renewed violence in
another. We cannot but believe that Gov.
Walker has endeavored to execute his delicate
and difficult commission with tue very best pos
sible Intentions, ard has faithfully sought to
restore peace to this distracted Territory, by
neither extensively provoking the hostility OF
wha. is called the 8 Free-State party" nor yet
by compromising the official obligations OF his
position as a representative Of the Federal
Government, instructed to respect the validity
Of the laws enacted By the Territorial Legis-
lsture OF Kansas. That for bis concilistory
conduct be has encountered the fierce dsnun-
citation Of many southern journals and a por-
ton Of the Southern Democracy Is known to
every reader nor, when we consider the sec
| tiOnal hopes, aspirations and resentments
which have been reused and nourshed by the
Kansas question, should we be greatly surprised
by any such exhibitions OF dissatisfaction and
disappointment. However unjust to the in
cumbent OF the gubernstorial chair in Kansas,
it was not unnatural that the Judgments pro-
nounced by the preiudieed critics of Gov.
Walkers course, whether those critics belong
ed to one section OF the country or another,
should have partaken somewhat OF aeTimOny
and fanlt-hnding, according as either party 10
the progress Of events was induced TO sntici
pate the confusion Of its schemes and the fall
ure 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 a fresh
l outbreak Of dissfection in the Territory o.
Kansas, Gov. Walker has given another proof
Of that impartiality with which be thus far
Seems to have discharged the responsible bnt
most ungrateful functions OF bis office. That
the people of the town OF Lawrence, In the
position they have now assumed and in the
steps they have taken, are occupying a most
indefensible attitude, as well towards the Cen
eral Government as towards the authority Of
Gov. Walker, will, we are sure, be the Judg-
ment Of every candid and unbiased mind for,
as Gov. W. truly states in his proclamation,
the movements originated BY the people Of Law
renee, if successful 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 Con-
gress. In view Of the facts which attended its
formation and Of its rejection BY Congress, the
Topeka Constitution can surely be deemed Of no
validity OF operative force in that Territory,
save as a revolutionary measure, prosecuted
under the guise Of resistance to the " usErpa-
tion " which is alleged as a sufficient j~ustihca-
tion for independent action on the part Of the
people in Kansas.
A stubborn adherence to the Topeka cOnsti-
tion would be, it appears to US, of most doubt
ful policy, even if there were no other escape
from the tolls Of the alleged usurping Legisla-
ture but that the - Free-State party" should
cling TO this Ggment Of a State constitution, at
q time when a pacific redress for all grievances
is placed within their reach, would seem to az
que on their part something more akin to fac
tious opposition than lawful resistance to OPP
preston. But, in the case more particularly
to be deprecated by the proclamation Of Gov.
Walker, the spirit Of nsubordinatio in Kansas
has found a still more defiant expression, and
an attempt is now making by the people Of the
town Of Lawrence to create A local government
OF their own. in coatrayention not only of the
Territorial Government established by Con-
gress, but also Of the " State Legislature " held
under the sanction OF the so-called Topeka Con-
stitution, which Legislature, it appears, ex-
pressly refused to grant to the town OF Law
renee an independent charter such as its people
have now assumed to create for themselves.
Il must be manifest to all that such self-erected
governments existing in Kansas would be in
compatible with the prevalence Of unity and
harmony in the Territory, and could rot fail to
be as perplexing in their influence as they are
unjustihable in their origin, resulting as they
necessarily would, aud as in truth they are de-
signed to do, in the piece-meal subversion Of
the Territorial Government established by
Congress.