Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-07-24
To the People of Lawrence
PROCLAMATION
LEAvENwoRTH, July 10, L

in NV hands comparing
nt Granted by the territorial legislature last winter
Gd that they differ intentionally in many essential
ticuIars The new charter, then, is set up, moi
Pnv without any authority of law but in direct and
nen defiance of an act of the territorial legislature
on the same SUBJECT Lo
been adopted by you, make the following statement
m Under ordinary circumstances the more regular
method of proceeding would be TO OBTAIN char!e,
from the territorial authorizes. AS the territorial
government, however in no sense represents 'ng PeO
5Io oF Kansas was not elected by them, and can
bovo M RIGHT 10 legisate for then, cannot accept
&c a charter at it's hands. And, the State gov
eminent has not, as yet, deemed ii advisable 10 pro
coed TO the organization of local and municipal gov
ornmpnts we cannot obtain charter from 1T. mere
il therefore, left US only the alternative of charter
springng directly from The people, or continuance
in our present unorganzed condition.
"Under these circumstances, you have seen mt to
instruct US to present charter, having discussed us
provisions in preliminary assemblage, and now pro-
bose to submit it to full vote of The people for ap
proval or REJECTION"
Il will be perceived that the authority of the terrific
rial government is here distinctly denied and, whist
that of the so.called State government is acknowl
edged it is conceded that charter has been granted
by them Indeed, it is fact that, although this So
called State government has in itself no legal exist
ence authority yet you asked and failed 10 receive
charter from them.
Under these circumstances, you have proceeded to
establish government for the city of Lawrence, in
direct defiance of the territorial government, and de
nyng its existence or authority. You have granted
to this city government the authority to elect may
or and board of aldermen, city assessors, treasurer,
justices of the peace, city marshal, &c; You have
granted 10 the mayor and board of aldermen most
extensive powers, including the right to levy and
collect taxes upon real and personal property within
the limits of the city, whether belonging to residents
or non-resdents, and all the other powers usually
incident to a city government. You have imposed
oil Of1cers no INF If tab RI
support this socalled State constitutions thus dis
tncty supersedng, so far as in your power, the ter
rit0ral government created by the Congress of the
United States. You have caused these proceedings
to be printed in hand bill form, and have distributed
them, as | am informed, throughout the Territory,
with the view to ince the other cities, towns, and
counties of Kansas to establish insurrectionary gov
ernmens, thereby placing the people of this Terrific
ry, far in your power, in open conflict with the
government Of the United States.
The more conservative portion of your own party
having induced your Top ka legislature to reject the
laws urged by you creating municipal governments,
you have even in defiance of their authority, which
YOU profess TO acknowledge, proceeded to create such
a government for Lawrence, and now urging
other localities 10 pursue similar course Your
evident purpose is thus to involve the whole Terri
tory in instruction, and to the of blood
shed and civil war. Upon you, then, must rest all
the guilt and responsibility of this contemplated
voIution. You will be justly chargeable in law and
in conscience with all the blood that may be shed in
this contest and upon you must fall the punishment.
You have elected your officers under this charter, and
instructed them 10 enter upon the immediate dis
charge of their duties, including the adoption Of or
dnances and the execution thereof, under author
ily having in itself legal existence, AMI establish
ed in direct defiance of the government of the United
States.
From all these facts, it is obvious, if you are per-
mitted 10 proceed and especiallyIf your example
should be followed urged by you, in other places,
that for all practical purposes, in many important
particulars, the territorial government will be
thrown, The charters granted by that government
for similar purposes will be disregarded and the JUS
tees of the peace and other officers acting under their
authority will be brought necessarily into conflict
and collision with the soCalled officers claiming to
act under different authority. The Territory will
thus be involved in inextricable confusion and tga
ton; the value of your property be greatly depreci
aed your titles transfers, transactions AID contracts
will be subjecte TO endless and costly disputes, and
all will suffer from this InsurI eCtOn, except The law
yeTs who have stimulated this movement. govern
ment founded on insuTectIon and usurpaton will be
substituted for that established by the authority of
Congress, and civil will be renewed throughout
our limits If your authority to act in this manner
Tor the city of Lawrence is permitted, similar au-
thority must Re acknowledged in every other town,
city county result in inevitable and most disastrous
conflict; and If successful, the territorial government
be overhrown in detail, is your present purpose
You distinctly informed in my inaugural adj
dress of May last that the validity of the territorial
laws acknowledged by the government of the
United States, and that they must and would be car
red into execution under my oath of office and the
instructions of the President of the United States
The same information was repeated in various ad
dresses made by me throughout the Territory. Al
the same tine, every assurance was g ven you thai
the right of the people of this Territory, under the
forms prescribed by the government of your country
to establish their own State government and frame
their social Institutions, would be acknowleds ed
and protected. If laws have been enacted by the
territorial legislature which disapproVed of by
ma orty of the people of the Territory the mode in
which they could elect new territorial Legislature
and repeal those laws also designated. If there
are any grievances of which you have any just right
TO complain, the lawful peaceful manner, in which
you could remove them, in subordnation TO the gov
eminent of your country, was also pointed out.
You have, however, chosen to disregard the laws
Of Congress and of the territorial government Great
ed by it, and, whilst processing to acknowledge a
State government rel ected by Congress, and which
can, therefore, exist only by successful rebel
lion, and exacng from all your officers the perous
and sacrilegous oath 10 support the so.caed State
constitution yet you have, even in defiance of the
sO.called State legislature, which refused TO grant
you charter, proceeded to createa local government
of your own, based only upon instruction and rev
Olution. The very oath which you require from al
your officers to support your so-called Topeka State
constitution is violated in the very act of putting il
operation a charter rejected even by them.
rebellion so UBIQUITOUS, and necessarily involving
gUoh awful consequences has never before dsgrace(
any age or country
Permit me to call your attention, still caimn!
to be citizens of the United States, to the results
your revolutionary proceedings. You are Inaugural
ung reoeuIon and revolution you are dIsregardns
the laws OF congress and of the territorial govern
ment and detylng their authority; you conspir
Ing TO overthrow the government of The United State
IN this Territory Your purpose, if carried into ef
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