Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-08-01
PROCLAMATION OF GOV. WALKER.
10 The People Of Lawrence.
pEoCIAMATI0N.
LEAyENwoRTu, July, Is, 1851.

] have learned that considerable mum.
Der Of the citizens Of Lawrence, in this Ter.
ritory. have adopted, rs they claim, by
popular vote, charter for their local GOV.
ernment. A copy OF that charter has beer
placed n my halds: .ipo1 comparing which
with that granted BY The territorial leeisIa-
tufe last winter, ] find thai they diffeT, in
ItentionallY in many essential paricu.ara -
! Tho aem, charter, then, ia set up. na3 only
without any authority ei ser. hat in direct
and open defiance Of an act Of the territorial
! Legislature on the same suljcet,
On this point your committee, whose
views have been adopted by y61 make the
following statement:
Under ordinary circumstances the more
F., regular method OF proceeding would be to
obtain a charter from the territorial au-
thoriiies. As The territorial government,
however, in no sense represents the people
of Kansas, was not elected by them. and
can have no right to legsIate for them we
cannot accept of n charter at IFS handa -
Aud, as the State government hes not, as
yet, deemed it advisable to proceed to the
organization OF local and municipal govern
ments, we cannot obtain charter from it.
There is, therefore, LIFT US only the atcrna-
tive Of charter springing directly from the
i people, or continuance i'll cur present uu-
organized condition.
! Under these circumstances YOU have seen
Ii to instruct IT'S to present charter, hay-
nag discussed It's provisions in preliminary
a1sem6lase, and now propose to submit It to
q full vote OF the people fer approval y re-
lection.
1t vii be perceived thst the authority Of
tue territorial government is here distinctly
denied and whilst that of the so.callcd
State government is acknowledged, it Is con
coded that no charter has hees granted liz
them. Indeed, ii is fact TINT, although
this so-eailcd State government ias in Itself
no legal existence Or authority, yet you ask
Cd and failed Ia receive charter from them.
Under ;hesa circumstances, you have pro-
eeeded 70 establish government for tie city
ii Lawrence, in direat defiance 70 the terri
torial government, and denying is cAistenec
or authority. Non have granted to this city
government tie authority TO elect 4 mayor
and board Of aldermen, city assessors. tfea-
saror, justices Of the peace, city marshal,
&c. You have granted 70 tue mayor and
board OF aldermen, most extensive powers,
ineuding tho right to ley and collect take.
upon real and personal property within The
limits Of the city, Whistler belonging t. res
dents q noa residents, and nj, the other
powers usually incident - city govern
J mont, You haze imposed upon all these
officers the dutY ot tam an ea;lt to sup
+ nor, the so-c3iled State constitution, thus
distinctly superseainc, % IA, as III your pow
Ter, the territorial goyesHmeut created b. the
! Congress Of the United States. You have
caused these proceedings 20 be printed in
hand- bill form, and lave distributed them
as | am informed, throughout the territory,
with the view to inciic tie other Giles,
towns, and counties Of, Kansas to establish
insurreetiouary governments, thereby Yiac-
ing the people Of the Territory. so far as
in your power in open conflict with the GOV
ernment Of tlse United States,
The more conservative portion Of your
own party having induced your Topeka leg
stature to reject the laws urged by you ere
ating municipal government, you have, even
in defiance Of their authority. which you
profess 70 acknowledge, proceeded to create
sach a government fer Lawrence, and are
now urging other localities to pursue sim
liar course Your evident purpose is thus
to involve the whole Territory in insarrec-
ion, aud to renew the scenes of blood shcd
ard cifil war. t'pon you, thea, must rest
FL the gait and responsibility of tits eon-
templated revolution. You will DO justly
letiareeahe in law and in conscience with all
the blood hist .oa7 so sled ID this contest,
and upoa you must fab the puaishment.--
You have elected your officers under this
charter, and Instructed them 10 cater upon
The discharge of their duties, including the
adoption OF ordinances and the execution
thereof, under an authority having in itself
no legal eXisteaee, AMI established in direct
defiance Of the government Of tho T, States
From all these facts, it is obvious, if you
are permitted to proceed, and especially il
YOUR example should be followed, as urged
by you in other places, that for all practical
purposes. IN many important particulars
the territorial government viii be over
thrown. The charters granted by the gov
eminent ior similar purposes will be disro-
gafded, and tie justices Of the peace, al,
other officers acting under tl.eir authority
viii be broughS aeccssarily into conflict ant
collision with the so-ealled officers claiming
20 act under different authority. The Ter
yitory viii thus be involved 10 inextricabl
confusion and litigation the value Of YOU.
property be greatly deprecated; your titles,
transfers, Transactions, and contracts viii
be subjected to endless ami costly disputes
aad all viii suffer from. this insurrcetion.
except the lawyers who have stimulated this
movement A government funded on in
surrectiOn ard usarpatian viii he substituted
Cor that established BY ihs authority Il Con
gress, and civil war viii be renewed tho
Mt eur liaits. Ifyoar authority to art in
this manner for the city Of Lawrence IS per-
nitted, similar authority must be ao-
knowledged in every other town, city or
county result in inevitable aud most disas-
trous conflict and il successful the terrific
rial government be oyoFlhrowt m detail, E,
Is your present purpose.
You were distinctly Informed IN my M
augural address of May last, that the valid
ity OF the territorial laws was Acknowledged
BY the government Of the United States and
that they must and would be carried into
execution under my oath Of Office and the
instructions of the President Of the United
States The same information was repeated
in various addresses made by me throughout