Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-07-03

] lngs OF the Free State Convention OF Kansas,
which met at Topeka on the 9th inst. We
have now by mail the Message of Governor
Robinson, from which we make the follow
ing extracts
The doctrine here Governor Walkers
inaugural) enunciated is only what has
been established by precedent, and reitc-
rated time and again. In 1t we have a right
to form II State Constitution, and of neces-
sity the complete State organization, for
which its specific terms must provide. As
| Congress has neither the right to frame II
| Constitution for us, nor to " change" the |
same, it must be apparent to all, they have
no more power to destroy it when created.
/ Governor Walker goes even farther than
this, and farther than we have ever pro-
/ posed going, for he says that the State
alone in forming her Constitution, can pre-
scribe the terms on which she will enter
the Union clearly implying that she mag
/ enter the Union or not. Under these cir
cumstances 1T is clearly apparent that the
| Federal Government has only sent Gov.
| Walker as Territorial officer to Kansas
because we haze hitherto failed, or been
unable to complete the organization we have
bcguA. In the absence of the full and vital
! powers of government adopted by the peO
| pie, tins is merely an endeavOr to carry out
the implied protection.
What renders this moro unhappy, is the
fact that the federal authorities have never
yet been able to afford us such protection,
and as there is no Territorial law here, re-
/ cognized by the people as such, the eXecu-
! tive function is a mOckery.
our first consideration is the necessities
Of the people but beyond that it is your duty
p
these Federal appointees Of merely nomi-
! nal duty, that must be embarrassing and
, disrespectful to them, whilst the unsettled
state of affairs conveys an impressive re-
| prOach to those Republican institutions on
! which all cur hopes as people centre. In
! the inaugural to which | have referred,
/ there is recommendation that our people
torsakc the government they have adopted,
and under the management of usurping,
pretended officials, seek to do over again
what has been done.
We do not think that any serious or
generally entertained desire exists among
our people to do SO, and while opinions from
such source may be entitled to respect, it
is ut least unfortunate that a course Of
action in relation to the Constitution
should be pointed out in the official address
OF a Federal appointee, who in that very
address urges the right Of the people, and
, their right alone, to take steps for a State
government. 1t was clearly evident from
that address itself, that governor Walker
has not been sufficiently converslnt with
the affairs in Kansas, to warrant the ex-
preston OF opinion on 50 grave matter
In that document he assures US that We
shall have everything over which his execu-
tive function has no control, and refrains
from expressing any opinions on the only
1Hh Il boat. h..
of his action. You are doubtless aware
that Acting Territorial Gov Stanton issued
a proclamation containing on apportiou-
ment OF representation for delegate con-
ventlon. That apportionment leaves nearly
one-holt OF Kansas without any representa-
ton, and as no census had been taken there
by any one, they will Of course, have no
privilege of even 'Vting.
Had their been no State Constitution in
Kansas, had a fraudulent, pretended Ter
ritorial Legislature never originated the
steps to which this Inaugural refers
that action come simply fro
as it legitimately s' nad
have bee~ 90 -Oih the people
-AOu!d, there would still
mo strongest reasons, whv all
good men should refrain from participating
n in an act 50 grossly fraudulent and despotic
as tins pretended census, and partial ap-
G polntment under it. In any event, such
c proceedings will invariably fall to the
. ground as lacking in the great essential,
e the popular will, which alone could give 1t
| vitality.
: Although that strange appointment
winch deliberately anticipates disfranchis-
= ing one-hali OF the people, was issued a wee k
previous to the Inaugural of Gov Walker
there was not the slightest allusion to it in
nd tbn
e the TACT was of easy access to him, and he
was not Ignorant Of it. What does he
) mean when he says the law has performed
ITS entire appropriate functions when it ex-
tends to the people the right of suffrage.
, How are we to reconcile the two positions
) oil tins federal inaugural-irst that the
l people alone must freely and fairly make or
: change their Constitution and secondly.
, that the '.Ierritorial'legislature is the power
: ordained for this purpose by the United
1 states ana IN opposing it you oppose the
, authority of the Federal Government
l Well knowing that the complaint that
the Legislature referred to did not derive
It's power from the people of Kansas, he
makes NJ for its lack of popular legitimacy
y thus That Legislature was called into
l beng by the Congress Of lSj4, and it is re-
Gognlzed IN the very latest Congressional
LGglsatlon. 1t is recognized by the present
) Chlet Magistrate of the Union
; There Is not much of popular sovereign
ty and self government here. This usur-
- patton Is repudiated by the people, but it is
recognized by Congress and the 'Presi-
dent Its pretended enactments are a dead
= letter. All the official procamations and
, bulletins Of Presidents and Territorial GOV
ernors cannot make them law, for nothing
Is law or can have the authority thereof
!. save the legitimately expressed will of the
. people. But II the Federal authorities can
y not make their usurpations laws, they seem
= Dent on preventing the people from having
! any law unless they will stoop to accent of
u TINS, Never let 1t be said that the people
p OF Kansas were so recreant to the princi-
: pies OF sell-goyernment as to accept the
q laws thrown upon them by a body of inya.
ders' Such fatal precedent would SOW
the seed that would spring up to the ulti-
. mate ruin Of our Government An insignif-
A cant minority in Kansas may cooperate
n with the invaders outside to perpetuate this
= usurpatlon, but as COY. Walker SAYS The
minority IN resisting the will of the ma aior-
n lty' may involve Kansas again in civil war
Il they may bring upon her reproach and OBJ
# loquy, and destroy her progress and pros.
a perlty they may keep her for years out
/, OF the Union and, in the whlrwnd of agi-
"a taton, sweep away the government itself
but Kansas can never be brought into the
Is mon with or without Slavery except by
previous solemn decision, fully, freely and
iair y made by majority Of her people in
voting for or against the adoption OF her
= State Constitution
d This has been done in the adoption of our
;, State Consutution-has been done in accor
IS dance with the very principles and require
II ments OF this inaugural itself, and we may
~ well ask i'm the lnncu,Ce of Gnv 'Walkcr