The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-05-15

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Address Hon. +. p. Stanton, secretar
and Actinq Gouer"or, to tie People Of tie
Territory Of Kansas. g.-esF "a
FELLOW CITIZENS: ,..- D.. err
The Hon. r. J. Walker, present
Governor of the Territory, accepted his
appointment from the President upon
condition that he should not be required
to leave Washington until the 18th Of
May next. Circumstances beyond his
control render it impossible for him to
start before that day he may therefore,
be expected here about the middle of
that month, and will then assume the
executive authority of the Territory.
During the absence of the Governor,
by the organic law of the Territory. the
whole duties and responsibilities Of the
Executive are devolved upon me by vir-
ture Of my commission as Secretary
In assuming to exercise the functions of
this high Office, at this critical juucturc
in the affairs Of the Territory, it is not
inappropriate that should briefly indi-
cato the course which shall feel it my
duty to pursue. a.. -
The government Of the United States
Recognizes the authority Of the Terrific
rial government in all matters which are
within the scope of the organic act of
Congress and consistent with the federal
constitution. l hold that there can be
no other rightful authority exercised
within the limits of Kansas, and shall
proceed to tho faithful and impartial cx-
etation of the laws of the Territory by
the use of all the means placed in my
power. and which may be necessary to
that end. b..
The government especially recognizes
the Territorial act which provides for
assembling convention to for....: con-
stitutiou With view to making applica-
Non TO Congress for admission as State
into the Union. That act is regarded rs
presenting the only test of the qualifi-
cation of voters for delegates to the con-
vention, and all preceding repugnant
restrictions are thereby repealed. In
this light the act must be allowed to have
provided for full and fair expression of
the will Of the people through the dele
gates who may be chosen to represent
them in the constitutional convention
l do not doubt, however, that in order
to avoid all pretext for resistance to the
peaceful operation of this law, the con-
vdntion itself will, in some form provide
foc submitting the great distract ting ques-
tion regarding their social institution,
which has so long agitated the people
of Kansas, to fair vote of all the actual
bona tide residents Of the Territory, with
every possible security against fraud
and violence. If the constitution be
thus framed. and the question of differ
ence thus submitted to the decision Of
!he pcople,I believe that Kansas will be
admitted by Congress, without delay. as
one of the sovereign States of the Anne
rican Union, and the Territorial author
tiles viii be Immediately withdrawn.
need scarcely say that all the power
of the Territorial executive will be ex-
er.cd with entire impartiality, to prevent
fraud, to suppress violence, and to Sc
cure to every citizen a fair opportunity
for the safe and peaceful exercise ofhis
elective privilege. 1t will be no less the
duty, than tho earnest desire and great
pleasure Of the Governor, or acting
Governor Of the Territory, 10 carry out
in good faith. the policy avowa1 by the
President of the United STATS IN his
recent Inaugural Address, in which lie
declares it to be "the imperative and in
dispensable duty of the government of
the United States to secure to every resi-
dent inhabitant. the free and indcpen-
dent expression of his opinion by his
vote" This sacred right of each indi-
ridual must be preserved, and. chat
. being accomplished, nothing can be fair
err than to leave the people Of Terrific
~, free from all foreign interference, to
decide their own destiny for themselves,
subject only to the constitution of the
United States AZ
Nothing is wanted but to secure the
conf denco of the people of all parties in
the sincerity Of the declared intention of
tho Territorial Executive to carry out
these principles in good faith, in order
to induce the cooperation of all good
men in the pending measures, for adop-
ting State Constitution. The princi.
pies themselves cannot fail to be accep-
table to the sober judgment of the peo-
pie and l ardently hope, for the sake
OF the paramount interests involved,
that the necessary confidence will not be
withheld.
The dcploFable events which have
marked the history of the Territory up
to this time have doubtless left their
natural. results of enmity and heart
burrings among the people, as also up
on the criminal records of the Terrific
rial courts. Indictments have been
found against many of those who acted
i'm military capacity under the author
ity of the Territorial government, for
acts and excuses alleged to be wholly
illegal and unjustifable. On the other
a,and similar prosecutions haB been in
slituted against those who resisted the
Territorial authorities, and who under
took to retalate for the alleged wrongs
committed against them. 1t is my de-
liberate opinion that, in order to promote
peace and harmony, and to secure the
future repose Of the people, there ought
to be a general amnesty in reference to
all these acts, on both sides, which grew
out of the political contest, and which
were no: corruptly and feloniously COM
mitted for personal gain, and to crafty
individual malignity.
This measure, if adopted 1t all, ought
TO be adopted generously, without any