The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-10-08

organized military furco, prepared to resist
the authority Of the L, itcd States.
1t may, therefore, become necessary to
use the troops placed at your disposal, not
only to ald rs posse comitutus in execu-
ting the laws, but also TO suppress an nsur-
rection. Surely under these circumstances,
if the expression Of an opinion in advance
of his action, and it may be instead Of it,
which the President honestly entcrtains,
will have n direct effort in preventing civil
war i'll Kansas, he cannot be justly censured
for attempting, by such an expression of
opinion, to avert the the calanitous result.
The danger you anticipate arises, rs you
observe from the apprehension Of portion
Of the citizens Of Kansas, that will be cx-
c!udcd from the privileges Of voting because
they have not paid territorial tax. Now,
the President, as well as every member of
his cabinet, concurs in opinion with you
that the payment of such tax is not required
rs qualification to vote. lie and they
entertain not a doubt that the 5th section
of tho act Of FEBRUARY 20, 1857, is complete
in itself and prescribcs all the qualifications
required Of voter. and among these tho
payment of a territorial tax is not included.
They are also firmly convinced that no per-
son whatever not possessing these qualti-
cations prescribed for voters by tho organic
act of Congress of May 80, 1854, has any
just claim to the elective franchise"
1t will be observed, then, that in view of
tho dcplorable condition of Kansas for tho
last three years, and the civil war that has
so long ragged i'll this Territory, and the
imminent danger Of a renewal Of that con-
tlict, growing out Of conflicting views rs to
the qualification Of voters at the ensuing
election, the President and all his Cabinet
have thought the occasion sufficiently SOL
emn and important, to express their full,
unanimous and entire concurrence in tho
views as to the qualifications of electors at
tho October election, on those points set
forth by me in this address, and previously
communicated by mo to the Secretary of
State.
1t is obvious that the Territorial Govern
ment of Kansas must be maintained either
by superior physical force, or, as in all
other States and Territories, by the majority
Of qualified voters at the election.
1t never contemplated the use of the
military force, not i'll aid Of the execution
OF the laws to protect the citizens in the
exercise of their legal rights as a posse CON-
tatus to arrest offenders where the civil au-
thority might prove incompetent without
such aid, and where the law authorized
military power to suppress insurrcction or
rebellion. Physical force an the bayonet
constitute the real power i'll nearly all mon
arches and despotic Governments, but hero
; it is the will Of the majority of the people
qualified to vote upon the constitution and
under the laws which is to govern and
the sooner all such questions are decided
full and fair vote of the qualified electors
at the polls, the better; and then, and not
till then, shall we lave peace and rcposo in
Kansas. Unless force is to be substituted
Tor the elective franchise, unless despotic
and monarchical principles are making here
Invisible progress, sooner or later, the ques.
ton must thus he decided, and tho sooner
the better, not only for the interests of this
Territory, but for tie security of the Union
and the cause Of sclf-governmcnt here and
throughout the world.
The eyes Of our country and the world
are now directed with intense interest 70
the coming election in Kansas in October
next. Whether the people of this Terri.
tory are, indeed, capable of self government,
whether the scenes which have dscraced
kansas and our country for tile last tbroo
years are to bo renewed indefinitely, whether
violence, injustice or insurrection on one
or 10th sides are, for the moment, and for
the moment only, to decide tho ones.
ton, or whether our political differences are
to be settled here, as in all other States and
Territories, (under the provisions Of our or
game 'awD by the full, free and fair exer-
c'se OF the elective franchise, are the mo.
nento"s questions to which you must all
now soon answor. The test oath is express
~ repealed rs qualification for voters bu
an net OF the Territorial Legislature of tho
18th February, 1857.
The people of Kansas have now, .As,s..
fore, an opportunity, in conformity with the
constitution Of the United States. the or.
ganlc act Of Congress, and The laws Of tb;.
territory, to decide, by the elective franchise
the choice Of their delegate to Congress.
their Territorial Legislature, and all their
county officers.
lhe troops at my disposal, which are full.
" competent to the task, will, at the reouest
OF citizens OF both parties, be stationed at
the points where violence has been tbrea-
tened, or anticipated, not for ile ,n..a.