Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-12-30

1 Jafhcs DuCuAuAH Ont0inC0u uyPO-
critic" Such language as that address
ed to a venerable statesman placed by
the popular choice at the head of The
foremost nation Of the world, is vii
famous, and betrays pitiful ambition
| 10 the fool that uses it"
Inst uct,ons to Secretary Danvsr Act
ing Gov. OF Kansas.
WASHINGTON, Dec g.
The President. in response TO call OF the
Senate, today, sent large mass Of docu.
ments on Kansas affair s-amoDg them the
following:
DEPARTMENT or STATE,
WARRINGTON. December IL. 1857.
James w Donvs,. Esg, SeerAary AND Act.
ing Governor Of Kansas Territory:
Srn:-You have alredy been informed
that Mr.. Stanton has been removed from
theloftce Of Secretary Of the Territory Of
Kansas, and thst you have been appointed
| in his place desire now TO state TO you
distinctly the reason of this change. The
|
st Of Sept, had framed a Constitution and
| had authorized its President to submit the
| question to the people 0! Kansas on the
should be adopted with or without slavery
The importance Of the issue could not well
| be over estimated. 1t involved the CON-
plete and authoritative settlement on the
only subject Of difference which had seri
| ously agitated Kansas or interfcred with its
prosperity. The qualified electors. there
| fore, to.whom this settlement was referred,
not only had unqucstionable right to at
tend at the polls and give their votes on
the day appointed, but they were required
to DO SO by the highest considerations of
public duty. In the exercise IF this right,
moreover. they were entitled to adequate
protection by the Territorial Government,
and the acting Gov. was bound to employ
the legal means at his command to give Sc.
| curity and fairness to the election. With
the conflicting opinions which prevailed in
the Territory Oh the question submitted to,
had no right 10 interfere. They had their
appropriate ISSUE at the ballot box, and to
that peaceful arbitrament they might safe
y be referred. The great objects to be &C.
compished in the opinion Of the President
were to preserve the peace of the Territory
and secure freedom in the election. Enter
tanning these views, he was surprised to
learn that the Secretary and Acting Gov
ernor had on the lst Of Dec issued his proc
lamation for special session of the Terri
torial Legislature on the It'll inst, only a
few weeks in advance of its regular time of
meeting, and only fourteen days before q
decision was to be made on the question
submitted by the Convention. The course
of Mr.. Stanton the President seriously be-
lieves has thrown a new element Of discOrd
among the excited people Of Kanses, and it
| is directly Of war; therefore, with the peace.
full policy of the Administration.
For these reasons he felt it his duty to
remove him.
From these views You will readily under.
stand what the President regards az the
chief duty which devolves upon you as Mr..
Stantons successor. This duty is to pre-
| serve peace in Kansas Every person en-
titled to vote on the Constitution ought to
have safe access to the polls, and to be free
from any restraint whatever in the exer-
else of the elective franchise.
fthe civil power is found insufficient for
| this purpose, the troops Of the United States
| should be employed in aid Oft and it may
be a wise precaution to have them station
ed In advance, within reach of those places
where, in your judgment, their services are
likely to be required 1t is earnestly hop
ed that the use Of the military power may
be wholly adopted. Violence is always
less likely to occur when the means are
known to be at hand for its prompt SUP.
preston. Should the military force be-
come absolutely necessary to keep the peace,
you will find full instructions with reference
to the proper mode Of employing it in nv
communications to Gov. Walker, of March
%, July rs. and Sept. 2. 1857, and in those
subsequently written to Mr. Stanton. Of
these last. that of Nov. 80, was taken to
Kansas by you, and You had copy of it.
All of them will doubtless be found in the
archives of the Governor at Lecompton.-
They refer prominently to the preservation
OF the peace at certain important elections
but | need hardly inform you that your
duty Is not intended to be confined to those
special occasions 1t extends, Of course, to
the protection Of all citizens in the exercise
OF their just rights, and applies to one legal
election rs well Is to another. The Terri
torlal Legislature doubtless convened on
the 9TH instant, and while it remains in ses.
sion Its members are entitled to be secure
and tree in their deliberations Its right
fui action must also be respected Should
II authorize IN election by the people for
any purpose, this election should be held
without interruption, no less than those au
thorized by the Convention. While tho
peace OF the Territory is preserved and free
dom OF election is secured, there need be no.
disastrous consequence
The public journals contain reports of an
Int nded movement by Q portion Of the resi-
dents OF Kansas to organize revolutionary
government under the Topeka Constitution.
1t 10 hardly probable that this report can he
well founded, but should the attempt be
made and lead practiced collision with
the territorial authorities, the authority of
the government must necessarily be main.
talned and from whatever quarter it iaat.
tempted to interfere by violence with the
election authorized by the Constitutional
Convention. or which may be authorized by
the Legislature, the attempt must be resist
ed, and the eecurity Of the elections main
tanned.
The peaceful progress of these elections
can obviously occasion no injury to any ci-
tizen OF any party, because their results can
have only their due weight under the Con-
stitution and laws. 1t 10 to be expected,
therefore, that no good citizens will endeav.
or to interfere with them, but that al the
people will be contended to see the work Of
.he Convention peacefully carried out to its
legitimate results, and fairly presented TO
the consideration of Congress.
The President relies upon your firmness
and discretion to give effect to these instruc.
tons 1t Is vitality important that the peo-
pie OF \ ansas, and none other than the neo.
pie OF Kansas. should have the full deter.
mlnation of the question now before them
lor decision. 1t Is important also. that in
securing to them the protection to which
they are entitled, great care should be tax.
en- not to organize any illegal authority
On this nnint l AGAIN rafa. ,.a,, A.