The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-07-28
frame their own forms prescribed by the gov
ernmcnt of your country, social institutions,

ernmcnt OF your country, social Institutions,
would be acknowledged and protected
If laws have been enacted by the Terrific
rial Legislature which are disproved Of by a
majority of the people of the Territory, the
mode in which they could elect a new Terri
torial Legislature and repeal those laws, was
also designated. If there are any grievances
Of which you have any just right TO complain,
the lawful! peaceful manner in which you
could remove them, in subordination to the
government of your country was also pointed
out.
You have, however, chosen TO disregard
the laws Of Congress and of the Territorial
government created by it, and whilst profes-
sing to acknowledge State government re-
jected by Congress, and which can therefore
not exist only by successful rebellion, and
exacting from all your officers the pcrilous and
sacriogous oath to support the so-called State
Constitution; yet you have even in defiance
of the so-called State Legislature which re-
fused to grant you charter, proceeded to
create local government of your own, based
only upon instruction and revolution. Tho
very oath which you require from all your of
ficers to support your so-called Topeka State
Constitution, is violated in the very act of
putting in operation a charter rejected even
by them.
A rebellion so iniquitous and necessarily
involving such awful consequences, has never
before dsgraced any age or country.
Permit me to call your attention as still
claiming to be citizens of the United States,
to the results of your revolutionary proceed
ings You are inaugurating rebellion and
revolution; you are dsregarding the laws of
Congress and of the Territorial Government,
and defying their authority; you are conspi-
ring TO overthrow the Government of the
United States in this Territory.
Your purpose, if carried into effect in the
mode designated by you, by putting your laws
forcbly into execution, would involve you in
the guilt of crime and treason. You stand
now, fellow citizens, upon the brink Of an
awful precipice, and it becomes my duty to
warn you ere you take tho fatal leap into tie
gulf below. If your proceedings are not ar
rested you will necessarily destroy the peace
of this Territory, and involve it in all the
horrors of civil war. l warn you, then, be-
fore it is too late, to recede from the perlous
position in which you now stand
appeal once more to your reason and pa
triotism. ask you in the name of our COM
mon country, in the name of the Constitu-
ton and of the Union, to desist from this
rebellion, | appeal once more to your love of
country, to your regard for its peace, prosper
ity and reputation, to your affection for your
wives and children, and to all those patriotic
motives which ought TO influence American
citizens, TO abandon the contemplated resolu-
tion. If you have wrongs redress them thro'
the peaceful instrumentality of the ballot
box, in the mode prescribed by the laws Of
your country.
u,tA!sa As alL prGWqSns he,r4iRferq A9 et ado
produce any effect upon you, / have deemed
it necessary for your safet,, and that Of tho
Territory, and to save you from the perlous
consequences Of your own acts, under the
authority invested in me by the President Of
the United States, 10 order an adequate force
Of the troops of the United States into Your
immediate vicnage, to perform the painful
duty Of arresting your revolutionary proceed
ings. Let me impIore you not to compel Inc
TO appeal to that military power which is re-
quircd in the last resort, TO protect the gov
ernment Of your country. You cannot carry
your rebellous purposes into effect without
coming into unavoidable and open conflict
with the troops and government of the Uni
ted States.
Let me adjure you, then, once more TO aban-
don these proceedings before you involve your
selvesin The crime of treason, and tosubject the
people of the city of Lawrence to all the hor
rors and calamties of insurrection and civil war
If you will now desist from the projected res
olution, the past will be forgotten as far as
practicable; but if you persist in passing
these laws and carrying them into execution,
thus defying and superceedng the govern
ment of your country, the deplorable conse-
quences must be upon your heads and those
of vour associates. 1t will be my purpose, if
you still persist, to spare all bloodshed as far
practicable and subject the leaders and pro-
jcctors Of this revolutionary movement to tho
punishment prescribed by the law. will
accompany the troops 10 Lawrence with a
view to prevent if possible, any conflict aud
in the sincere hope that the revolutionary
movement contemplated by you, and now so
accomplished, will, ere it is too late, be aban
doned by you.
If you can be influenced hy no other mo-
tives, the evident fact that the power of the
government is adequate TO prevent the ac
complishment of your purpose, should induce
you TO desist from these proceedings.
That tho same overrulng Providence who
holds in his hand the destiny Of our beloved
country, may now incline your hearts to
peace, and influence you to abandon this fa-
tai enterprise, is the sincere wish Of your fel
low citizen. RI. WALKER,
Governor Of Kansas Territory.