The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-12-16
The Presidents Message.


in The form OF telegr'4hic dispatch. Since
that was put in type we have received the
Message in full, bat we find it entirely too
lerg!hy for our columns without excluding
from them everything else. We, however,
annex some important extracts. The lead
! ing subjects upon which the Message treats,
| Is that of the present financial condition Of
tie country. and :hc affairs Of kansas.-
/ The former, he conccives to be the result
| of the almost unlimited power given TO the
Banks by the States, which power they have
taken advantage Of and by extravagant cx-
pansIons have brought The present distress
! upon the country. lie says that in the recent
report made by the Treasury Department
on the condition of the hanks throughout
the different States, according to returns
dated nearest to January, 1897, the aggrc-
! gate amout Of actual specie in their vaults
Is S5S,3i9,S3S, Of their ejaculation S2l4,-
! 77S,o22, and of their dcpusitcs $23U, 1891 =
352. Thus it appears that these banks in
the aggregate have considerably less than
one dollar in seven of gold and silver COM
pared with their circulation and dcpositcs.
| IL was palpabe, the: e:efurc, that the very
first pressure must drive them to suspcnsion.
and deprive the people Of convertible cur.
rency with all its disastrous consequences.
| TO the formation Of Il National Bank, which
has been urged as q proper re.nedy for the
evils which now afilict the country, he is
! nd
length. lie says tha; We must mainly rely
upon the patriotism and wisdom of the
| States for the prevention and redress of the
evil. He gives it. however, as his opinion
that Congress possesses the power to pass
n uniform bankrupt law applicable TO all
banking institutions throughout the Uui,cd
States, and he strongly recommends its ex-
istcnce. This would make it the rrcycrsi-
bic organic law Of each banks existence,
tAat n suspension OF specie payments shall
produce its evil death The instinct Of
selfpreservation would then compel il 70
perform It's duties in such a manner rs to
escape the penalty aud preserve its life.
The Presidents remarks upon Kansas
matters have been looked forward to with
greater interest than anything cisr, and lnal
! portion OF the Message We submit TO our
readers entire IL follows:
1t is Unnecessary to state in detail the ol-
armIng condition OF the Territory or Kansa.
al the Tune OF my InnuguratioE. The op.
! posing parties thcn stood in hostile array
against each other, aud anv accident rht
| u..\p a. T,'ltt lid he q 81,
sides, al thrs critical moment, Kansas WAS
left wI.h"ut governor b; the resignation
! OF Gov. Grary.
GA the l9th February previous, the terri.
tUrlal legislature had passed "A law provia.
ing Tor t"e election OF delegates on the
ihmd Monday OF June To {: convention to
meet on the mrs. AlVnday OF September, for
| The purpose of framing constitution pre-
pIraiOry 10 admission into the Union Ihi,
Law w.,S III the main fair and lust: and II
Is To be regretted that all the qualified elec-
| tors mad not registered themselves and yo
ted under its PROVISIONS.
Al the Time If the election for delep.,es.
an extensive organization existed IN IN.
Territory, VI Osc avUwed object it WAS, if
need be, 10 pat down the lawful Covcrumru,
BY force, and To establish Il government of
their own under the so called Topcka con.
stiIutioa The persYns attached 10 this re-.
v"lutIonary orSiunizalion ab,,alncd from IA.
king amy part III the election
The act Of the territorial legislature had
omitted 10 provide for submitting to the
people the constitution which miph: be
irHIIcd b, the convention aud in the excl
ted state "i pubic feeling throughout Kan.
saS "n apprehension extensively prevailed
thal u design existed To force upon them n
consultation IN relation To- slavery against
their viii. IN this emergency it became NV
duly, rs II was my unqurs iionable right,
having III view the union OF all good ci.I-
zrns III support of tho territorial laws, to
express an opinion on the true cons,rJction
of the provisions concerning slavery con-
tanned III The orglnic act of Congress of the
3Oth May. 1854. Congress declared it TO
he The true intent aud meanin. Of this act
not to iegIsIa,e slavery into any Territory
OF State, nor TO exclude il Iherefrom. but
to leave the people thereof perfectly free TO
form and regulate their domestic insiitu-
tons in their own way" Under il Kansas,
when admitted ns IA Stale" was TO .'be re-
celved into the Union, With or without
slavery rs their constitution may pre- scribe
ut the lime OF their admission
Did Congress mean by ihs language
that the delegates elected TO frame con.
stituti"n should have authority finally TO
decide the question of slavery, or did they
intend by leaving II To the people that the
people of Kansas themselves should decide
this question by a direct vote! On this
subject confess ! had meyer cnterluncd
serious doubt, and therefore, in my insiruc-
;iOns TO Governor Walker of the 18Th March
last, ! merely said that when "a cUnstitu.
ton shall be submitted To the people Of tue
Territory, they must be projected in the ex.
ercise OF their right of voting for or against
that instrument, and the far expression OF
The poPurar will must not be interrupted by
fraud or violence.
ln expressing this opinion It was far from
my Intention TO Interfere with the decision
OF The people Of Kansas, either for or against
slavery. From this have always carefully
abstalned. lntrusted with the duty Of taking
"care that the Jaws be faithfully executed
my only desire was that the people Of Kan
Sis should furnish to Congress the evidence
required by the organic act, whether for or
against slavery and in this manner smooth
their passage into the Union. In emerging
from the eonditinn nf territnrinI Demand n.a