Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-06-30
THE PACgFICATlON UF AANsAs
PouTrIcs AP roPEKA.
Public DsH,snsira,isn in Bsnsr Of the New
Executive.
speech Of His Exeel!eney, tas Hon. Robert J.
WALKER. Governor.
7rsn The Topssa slatslmsu. KIN. Juns >

Prom the T0pska Statesman. Exua Juns q
In compliance With an invitation from the
citizens OF Topeka, Gov. S.siker, accompanied
by Secretary Stanton and Mr.. Z. o. Perrin,
visited our iowa on Saturday last, for the pH-
pose of fornibg an acquaintance with our peo-
ple-of ascertaining their views and wishes
Of interchangiHg sentiments, and Of promoting
feelings of mutual confidence and good will.
The Governor and has suite We're the guests
OF Mr.. Z. c. X. Gsrvey, OF whose generous
hospitality and attentive kindness they are
deeply sensible, and have expressed theiI
earnest desire that mention should be made.
At 4 o'clock, pursuant to previous notice, a
meeting OF our citizens, alike numerous and in
t~elligent, was convened at the public Hall, il
order 10 hear an expression OF the Governors.
views in regard to the existing difficulties and
his plan OF adjustment, and to confer freely
with bin on the various political topics now
expressing the attention of the people OF tn:
whole Territory.
Col. Holiday presided.
In opening the proceedings, Col. Holiday
said
FELLOW CITIZENS Il has been announced
for TIE past two ia s that, on this evening, To-
pska would be honored with q visit frcm onT
new Governor, +. J. Walker, together with Mr..
Secretary Stanton, Mr.. Perrin, and other dis
t,nguished gentlemen. | am happy to say to
you that they are ali here at the present time,
and, 50 far IS | am personally concerned, | sn
also very glad to ma that you, my felIow-citl-
zens, have paid these distinguished gentlemen
due respect by turning out so numerously on
this occasion.
| have nothing further to say 70 you, save
simply to beg the privilege OF introducing
His Exceliency, r. j. Walker, Governor of
the Territory Of Kansas, who will first address
you.
Gov. Walker advanced and said:
FKLLow-CITIzKNs: Upon the invitation of
the citizens of the town of Topeka and its vi
cinity rise to ommune with you in regard to
those most important interests which are con-
nected with the administrator Of the Territory
OF Kansas At the earnest request of the Pres
ident Of the United States, I consented to come
here and sccupy the position as Governor of
Kansas. | do not come among you az a velrA-
teer / have not sought this position. Ga the
contrary l have accepted it, and, | am free to
say, with great difidence, growing out Of tbs
conviction Impressed upon the minds Of the
Chief Magistrate of tie Union and ali bis
Cabinet that the peace, not only ef this beauti
ful Territory of yours, but that of the whole
Unfon depended upon the settlement Of these
difficult and exciting questions which have
heretofore introduced civil war and discorI
throughout your borders.
When, therefore, the matter was presented
to me in that light by the President Of the
United States and all his Cabinet, / felt called
on, notwithstanding my deep sense Of the re-
sponsibility which 4 was required to assume.
to withdraw my declinstion OF this Office, and
accept the proiered trust. am now here this
day, then, fellow citizens, to address you, upon
those grave aud momentous questions which
concern 30 much not only your own peace and
prosperity but that of the whole Union.
And here permit me to say, that it has been
my lot to have travelled through every State In
this Union, except California, and l must say
that | have never seen anywhere any region for
which God has done SO much as the Territory
Of Kansas. ICheers. All that Won want IS
'peace and prosperity, the recognition Of the
principle that the people of Kansas alone can
rule here, and It's eSerciss in connection with
all the great questions which have disturbed
the quiet and harmony of the Territory. in or
der to make not only the town of Topeka one
OF the most prosperous Of the Territory and Of
the Union, but to make Kansas soon, at the
proper period, to become a sovereign State, one
OF the most important and 1Ourishing Of the
whole confederacy.
Now, gentlemen, this is a practical question,
and take it you are practical men; that you
do not look TO theories, but to facts and results ;
and that you desire TO ascertain what is the
test mode in which a peaceful adjustment Of
these most deplorabls difficulties can now be
made.
On that subject, gentlemen, l desire to read
you a few extracts from my Inaugural Address,
just published in this Territory, together with
my instructions from the President of the
United States, pointing out the mode in which
the Chief Magistrate Of the Union, Just elect
ed to that high position by the whole Ameri-
can people, as well as his Cabinet and the
humble individual who now addresses you, be-
lieve these questions can be peacefully settled;
and settled, not by a party, whether 1t be for
or against slavery, but by the whole people Of
the Territory Of Kansas, who, as is their soye-
reign right, by that great principle which lies
at the foundation Of all our institutions, shall
determine by an actual majority of the votes of
all Ter people, what shall be their own Consti-
tuition and their own social institutions.
speak not now, in regard TO The past, OF any
registry of votes. But | speak as regards the
future. My doctrine is this, that in the future,
when the Constitution shall be submitted to the
vote Of the citizens Of Kansas, that it shall be
submitted to the vote of the whole people. |
do not mean those who are now registered IN
der the territorial law. | do not mean those
who were Iesiding here on the 18th of March
last, bit hean fhs whole people Of Kansas,
not only those who are here now, but those who
will be here next faH as actual residents-that
they-the people over whom these institutions
are to operate-that they, by a majority of
their votes, shall decide for themselves what
shall be their Constitution and what shall be
their social institutions. On this subject, /
desire, Irepeat, to read you an extract from nv
Inaugural Address to the people Of the Terrific
~ Of Kansas, together with the views Of the
President of the United States.
"lndeed, | cannot do1ot that the Conveu-
tion'-Il mean the Convention witch is about
to meet in September next1-" afler having
a State Constitution, will submit it for
ratification or rejection, by a majority Of the
then actual bona hde resident settlers of
Kansas.
With these views. well known to the Pres
ident ..aad Cabinet, and approved by them, I
accepted the appointment Of Governor Of Kan
sss. My instructions from the President,
through the Secretary OF State, under date Of
the goth of March last, sustain "the regular
Legislature OF the Territory" in " assembling a
Convention to form a Constitution" and they
express the option of the President, that "wnen
such a Constitution shall be submitted to The
people of the Territory, they must be protected
in the exercise Of their right of voting for or
against that instrument and the fair expression /
Of the popular will must not be interrupted by
or yiSleRee.1
come now to ny Gw6 individual views {"
repeat then, as my clear conviction, that unless
the Convention submit the Constitution to the
vote OF all the actual resident settlers of Kan
sas, and the election be fairly and Justly con
Quoted, the Constitution will be, and ought to
be rejected By Congress- ICries Of gooA
Gentlemen, On this subject ! wish that there
should be no mistake, no nisapprehension as
regards my opinions and the policy which
shall deem it my duty to pursue in the admin
OF the Executive Department of the
Territory OF Kansas. II is involved in a few
simple words That the majority OF the people
OF Kansas must goEsrn-leries of right1-that
the majority Of the people of Kansas must
adopt their own Constitution or REJECT it-that
tae majority Of the people of Kansas at the
polls must decide whether they viii be a slave
State or a free Stale. IApplause.
Indeed under whatever s~pecious d~isguises
any other doctrine may be presented, | believe
hat l6e Eaa who desires that the minority OF
The Psopls shaii establish institutions Tor the
is, whatever re may call himself,
neither a Democrat or . 90 Repgblissn,r but a
or an sristocrat. He desires that
the few shall govern the many, whereas the
great fundamental doctrine which lies at tue
basis OF Al oar American Institutions and upon
ShleR they all Tepose, and which has been ear
into successful operation in every other
State but Kansas, and ybieh, gentlemen, with
FOUR aid and e0-opeTatioB to sustain me-. It is
ny sincere hope shall obtain its fnllestrsaliza-
ion here, is the rule Of the majority.
Now, then, gentlemen, as to the mode in which
us Is to be accomplished. I ptesrce we ali
least | hope We DO; as to the doctrine
at tie ~enajorHy q ns pea2is of Rscsas shall d.
'stabi'sa tas.s Swa Constitution anu introduce J
uch social institutions a the majority prefer. :
how is this to be doEe7 The Cong ess of :
be United States has established for Eansas :
one mode Of action on this subject, and that !
etion is through the Territorial Legislature. :
NSv, none OF you can regret more than | DO (
ny OF those 9ePlorsole sna ealamitous circum- !
tances which have tsksn place in the past. !,
'or myself, ! wish to overlook ihs past and !
ook forward 10 a better and brighter fgtare. !;
ksS Territorial Legislature has, in respect to !
be authority over this question, been recognized \
y ths acts of Congress of 1854 and 1857. That :