The Kanzas news., 1857-09-12
Address to the People.

ton, held at Grasshopper Falls adopted resolu-
tion to participate in the election for members OF
a Territorial Legislature and Delegate, to Con-
gress, in October next; and appointed the under
signed Committee TO address the people at large
with respect to this important action
Two years and half ago, portion of the
people of Missouri invaded our Territory, took
possession of ballOt-boxes, and established the
Oligarchy which has since claimed to exercise the
functions of government amongst short
time after that event, our people met In COnyen-
ton, at Big Springs to determine the course they
Il should pursue. Two plans suggested: one,
to resist the execution of their laws by force; the
other, to avoid this extreme measure by the adop-
ton of State Government. This latter alterna-
tive was preferred, and the following resolutions
4 adopted
/ Resolred, That the body of men who, for the
last two months, have been passing laws for the
people of our TerTitory-moyed, counselled and
dictated to, by the demagogues of Missouri are to
US foreign body, representing only the lawless
invaders who elected them, and not the people of
4 the Territory; that repudiate their action as
the mOnstrOus cOnsummation of an act of violence,
usurPation and fraud, unparalleled in the history
| of the Union, and worthy only of men untitled
for the duties and regardless of the responsible
| ties of repubhcanism.
Resotced, That this Convention, in view of its
Reputation of the acts of the so-called kanzas
Legislative Assembly, respond most heartily to the
call made by the Peoples Convention of the 18th
utimo for Delegate Convention of the People
! of kanZas Territory, to be held at Topeka, on
the 18th instant, to consider the propFiety of the
formation of State Constitution, and such other
matters as may legitimately come before it.
ResoLred, That, setting aside all minor issues of
partiZan politics. it is incumbent upon us to prof
fer organization calculated to recover dear
| est rights. and into which Democrats and Wings,
Native and Naturalized citizens, may freely enter,
without anT sacrifice of their respective political
creedsy bat without forcing them as test upon
| others. And that; when we shall have achieved
our political freedom, vindicated right of self
government, and become an independent State Of
| the Union@when those issues fnar become vital
| as they are now dormant it will be time enough
to divide our organization by these tests, the i'm
portance of which fully recognize, in their ap
propriate sphere.
1t is well known that those resolutions passed
at Big Springs, September 1855, have constitu-
ted the basis of all subsequent political action by
the people of KaEzas. They there unequiyeeaI1y
disowned the authority of the Territorial Legis-
lature, and have maintained that position ever
since. They then committed themselves in favor
of a State organization, and have maintained
that position ever since. Upon these two
ures they have rested their hopes from the COM
mencement of their struggles, and upon their ul-
Innate success they still continue to rely.
In adopting this course of action, the people of
Kanzas were not impelled by either fanatical
zeal, wantOn inconsideTateness of purpose
They proceeded gravely and with deliberation
to decide upon the ground they should occupy
It said that thew could not proceed to effect
State organization without authority previously
given by act of Congress, of Territorial Leg
isature. But they knew that no such principle
as this had ever been established. On the con
trary, they knew that the instances in which
States had been formed under acts of Congress
were exceedingly few; and as to acts of Terrific
| rial Legislatures, they knew that these had been
ruled by the highest authority to be invalid and
of no effect. 1t WAS also said that, although the
Epeople had been prevented from electing their
Legislature, as the Organic Act of the Territory
required, yet while the Territorial Government
remained technically intact, State government
would be rival revolutionary movement, put
| ting the authority of the United States Govern
ment in dispute.
| But the people knew that the Constitution of
the United States contained no provision whatev-
er for Territorial Government anywhere; that
| the framers of that instrument did not eontem-
plate the acquisition of new territory TO the Un-
/ ion; that the Territorial Government was there
fore the creature of temporary necessity; mere
proteetorate of extra Constitutional legislation;
thing incident to q tTansclent sovereignty; and
that when the State government-the natural and
recognized States of the community-came into
existence, the Territorial government expired
with the necessity which created 1t The people
of Kanzas knew that the Government of the Uni
ted States itself had proceeded upon these princi-
| pies IN the admission of States into the Union,
and had thus given them its legal sanction, and
rendered them authoritative. They, therefore,
| assumed this ground, after duly weighing the OBJ
jections urged to it, with the most perfect assurance
q
/ lished governmental policy.
The opposition made by the Administration at
Washington; and Its party throughout the coun-
try, to this course of the people of Kanzas, has
not, in the slightest degree, weakened their con-
| hdenee in 1t, or lessened their determination to
adhere to 1t to the end. They satisfied that
Its Propriety would never have been called in
Questions as matter of serious moment, had not
| the Federal Administration sought, by so doing,
70 serve a special purpose in behalf of slavery
So confident people in the stand they have
thus taken, that they would be perfectly willing
TO permit their State Government to proceed to
the regular performance of its functions, without
any regard to the Territorial Government were it
not for settled wish on their part to do nothing
which may subject them to the charge of ultra
views, desire to incur violence, even In the
assertion of their rights They have preferred to
turn aside, for the time being, from their State
organization, and to make an effort to secure
through the Territorial ballot boxes peaceful pos
session OF the Territorial Government; and, to
this end, they have detetmined to try their chan
ees IN the October election.
We acknowledge that the chief incentive to the
adoption OF this measure was the urgent appeals
made IN favor OF 1t by many of those who stood
by in the Free States in all our past struggles
But We frankly avow ourselves not sancuine of
success. lt Is true that Mr.. Walker, our Federal
Governor, has declared that he viii afford u.s. to
the best of his ability, full and fair election be-
fore impartial judges; but, with our past expert
ence find It difficult TO indulge IN anv hope of
Justice from the agents of the Federal Admins
tEation- By the law of the election all but those
who have resided six months more in the Ter
ritory, are excluded from the polls. The system
of distriedng and apportionment for members of
the Legislature, shows unquestionabie deter
mination TO introduce voters from abroad. Six
teen Counties, strongly Free State. containing
nearly one-half of the entire population Of the
Territory not allowed single representative
In either branch. or the thirteen members of
the Council, all but three: and of the thirty nine
members OF the House of Representatives, all but
ten are to be elected in districts bordering the
Missouri line Topeka is connected with Fost
Scott; and Lawrence Is attached to the Shawnee
Mission, adioinip: Westrort- The Lawrence