Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-14

entitled to vote. They are to vote by ballot, ant
sthe ballots east at said election shall be endorsed
constitution with slavery, and constitution withon
| slavery" IF there be a majority in favor OF th'
constitution with slavery, then il is to be transmit
ted to Congress by the President OF the Convention
in its original form. If on the contrary, there shal
be majority in favor of the constitution with nc
slavery "then the article providing for slavery shall
be stricken from the constitution by the President o
this Convention" and it is expressly declared that
'no slavery shall exist in the state OF Kansas, ex
cept thas the right of property in slaves now in the
Territory shall in no manner be interfered with
and in that event it is made bis duty to have the
constitution thus ratified transmitted to the Congress
OF the United States for the admission of the state
into the Union.
At this election every citizen viii have ansoppor-
tunity of expressing bis opinion by his vote whether
Kansas shall be received u the Union with OF with
out slavery" and thus this exciting question may
be peacefully settled in the very mode required by
the organic law. The election will be held under
legitimate authority and If any portion OF the IN
habtants shall refuse to vote fair opportunity to
do so having been presented, this viii be their own
voluntary act and they alone will be responsible for
the consequences
Whether Kansas shall be free or slave State
must eventually, under some authority, be decided
by an election; and the question can never be more
clearly or distinctly presented 70 the people tnan h
is at the present moment Should this opportunity
be rejected she may be involved for years in do
mesuc dscord, and possibly in civil war before she
can again make up the issue now so fortunately ten
dered, and again reach the point she has already
attained.
Kansas has for some years occupied too much Of
the public attention. Il is high tiue this should be
directed to far more important objects. When once
admitted into the Union, whether with or without
slavery the excitement beyond her own limits will
speedily pass away, and she viii then for the first
tine be left, as she ought to have bten long sifce,
to manage her own affairs in her own way. If the
Constitution OH the subject be displeasing to q
majority OF the people, no human power can pre-
vent them from changing it within brief period
Under these circumstances, 1t may well De quesT
toned whether the peace and quiet OF the whoe
country not of greater Importance than the mee
temporary triumph of either OF the political Parufs
IN Kansas
Should the constitution without slavery be adop
ted by the votes of the majority, the rights of po-
perty in slaves now in the Territory reseIysd.
The lumber OF these are very small; but ifi we're
greater the provision would be equally just and rea-
sonabe. These slaves we're brought into the TerTi-
tory under the Constitution OF the United States and
are now the property OF their masters.
This point has at length been finally decided by
the highest judicial tribunal of the ceuntry--and
this upon the plain principal that when eeFsede-
racy OF Sovereign States acquiEea new Tertiary at
their joint expense both equally and justly deaand
that the citizens of one and all of them shah have
the right 10 take into it whatsoever is reeogized as
properto by the common constitution. To have
summally confscated the property in slaves already
in the terriEoty, would have been an oct Of gross
injustice and contrary to the practice Of the older
States of the Union which have abolished slavery.
territorial government was Established or Y tan
BY act of Congress approved the 9th September,
1850, and the Constitution and laws Of tie United
States were thereby extended over it so far as the
same or any provisions thereof may be applicable"
This act provided for the appointments by the Pre-
sident by and with the advice and consent of the
SenBte of governor, who wa to be ex officio SUI
OeIietendent of Indian Affairs, a Secretary, three
Judges of the Supreme Court Mar shall and Dis
tict Attorney. Subsequent acts provided for the
appointment of the officers necessary 70 extend our
land and our Indian system over the territory
Brigham Young was appointed the first governor
Oh the 20ih September, 1850, and has hel6 the Of
flee ever since. Whilst Governor Young has been
both governor and superintendent Of Indian affairs
throughout this period he has been at the same
time the head OF the church called the Latter Day
Saints and processes to govern its members and dis
pose of their property by direcS inspiration and au
thority from the Almighty. HIS power has been,
therefore, absolute over both church aid State.
The people of Utah. almost exclusively belong to
this church, and believing with fnstical spir,
that he is Governor of the Territory by Divine ap
pointment, they obey his commands as if these
were direct revelations from Heaven. If, therefore,
he Ct doses his government shall into collision
with the Government of The United Safes, the mem-
bers of the Mormon church will yield implicit obed-
ence to lis will.
Unfortunately, existing facts leave but little
doubt that sIch is his determination Without en-
tering upon minute history OF occurrences, it is
sufficient to say that the officers of the United
States, judicial and Cxccuive, v th the single ex
ception of two Indian agents, have found il nee
cessary for their own personal saieiy 70 withdraw
from theTerritory. aud there no longer remains any
government in Utah but the despOtism OF Brigham
Young This being the cOndiGon OF affairs in the
Territory, could not mistake the path OF duty.
As Chief Fxecut We Magistrate was bound to
restore the supremacy of the Constitution and laws
within its limits. In order to effect this purpose
appointed new Governor and oher federal officers
for Utah. and sent with them a military force for
their protection, and to aid as aposse comitatus in
case of need in the execution Of The laws.
With the religious opinions 0f the Mornens, as
long as they remained mere opinions, however de
plorable in themselves and reyelting to the moral
ami religious sentiment OF all Chistendom, bad no
right to interfere. Actions alone, when in violation
of the constitution and laws Of the United States,
become the legitimate subjects for the jurisdiction OF
the civil magistrates. My instructions to Governor
Cumming have therefore been framed in strict ac-
cordance with these principles. At their date
hope was ndulged that no Necessity might exist
for emp oying the military in restoning and main
tanning the authority of the law; but this hope has
now vanished. Governor Young has by proca-
matOd, declared his determination to maintain his
power by force, and has already committed acts of
hOstily against the United States Unless he should
retrace hIs steps the Territory OF Utah will be in
state of open rebel ion. He has committed these
acts of hostility notwithstanding Major Van Vict,
au officer Of the army, sent to Utah by the CON-
mlnding general to purchase provisions for troops,
had given him the onge assurances OF the peace
ful intentions of the government, Ond that troops
would only be employed as posse comitatus when
ca on by the civil authority to aid in the execu
ton of the laws.
There is reason to believe that Gov. Young has
long contemplated this result. He knows that the
co Iinuance Of his despoic power depends upon The
exclusion of all settlers from the territory except
those who will acknowledge his divine mission and
implicitly obey his will and that an enlightened
pubic opinion there wOald soon PROSTATE ihstitu-
tions at war with the laws both of God and man.
He has therefore, for several years, in order to
maintain his independents, been industriously EN-
ployed in collecting and fabrieating arms and muni
lions of war, and in discipining the Mormons for
mi itaFy service. AS superintendent OF indian Al
fairs he has had an opportunity OF tampering with
the Indian Tribes and exciting their hostile feelings
sgainst the United States. This, according TO our
Information, he has accomplished in regard to some
of these tribes while others have remained true to
their allegiance, ard have communicated his in
trgueS to our Indian Agents. He has laid In
store of provisions for three years. which, In case OF
necessity, as he informed MajO' Van Vliet lie will
conceal, "and then take to the mountains, and bid
def tnce to all the powers of the government"
great part of all this may be idle bOasting; bat
yet no wise government will lightly estimate the
efforts which may be Inspired by such phrenzied
fanatieism as exists sBong the Mormons in Utah.
This is the first rebellion which has existed in