Squatter sovereign., 1857-03-03
ADDR ES S

Kansas Territory. By the late National
Democratic Territorial Contention,
through their Committee.
The Commute appointed by the late
Democratic Convention which assembled
a, Lecolnpton. on the 18th day Of January.
to prepare an address to the people.of the
United States submit the following
The early political contests Of this Ter
ritory were conducted by the pro-slavery
and abolition parties. The pro-slavery
party then, as now, embraced among its
co-wo.kers all men. whether democrats or
wings of States Rights principles, the men
who believed in the correctness of the
Kansas organic act, and were opposed to
abolitionism and freesoilism in all their
ph ases. The abolition party. then, was
composed only of those who We're sent
here in the name and with the funds of
the Massachusetts, and New York aid
societies. Subsequently Gov. Reeder,
who had bece sent here as democrat, by
democratic administration, and Lane, Of
Indiana, recently member of Congress
from that State, and who had voted for the
Kansas act, joined the abolitionists and
by their influence led many good freq State
men astray upon the idea that the only
contest in the Territory was whether Kan
sas should be 4 free or slave State
After this union Of Reeder and Lane with
the abolilonists, all the laws of the terri
tory, passed by Legislature elected un-
der the direction of Gov. Reeder, and
certified to by him as properly elected.
were openly and pu'olicly repudia.ed,
and the abolitionists, aided by Rsedcr
and Lane, proceeded to elect Reeder
as delegate to Congress. without the shad-
ov Of law, and to appoint from their own
partizans set of men as delegates to the
Topeka Convention, for the purpose of
forming a Constitution for the State Of
Kansas. In this state Of affairs, call
was made upon all the citizens Of the
territory. without distinction Of party, but
who were in favor af executing the laws,
of the territory and sustaining its proper
ly constituted authorities, to send delegates
| to a Convention which met at Leaven-
worth City on the - day OF November
1856. This Convention was composed OF
Pro-slavery and free state men, wings and
democrats; men who represeted the States
Rights idea, and were for carrying into
practical operation the principles Of the
organic act. In that Convention the dele
gates resolved, as one man, to stand by
the laws of the territory. and pledged
themselves to the executive TO aid him in
their execution. No mention of slavery
| was made in the Convention nor in the
resolutions passed by it. The only ques-
| tions were, whether the laws properly and
legally enacted should be executed or
| oyethrown-whether Reeder, Lane and
the abelitionists should force upon the peo-
pie of Kansas State government, in the
| formation of which they took no part, or
whether the whole people of the territory
at the right time and In proper manner.
should form a government for themselves
under. the provisions of the Kansas Or
ganic Act. This organization of men
was. by that Convention named the "Law
and Order" or Estates Rights Parry
That organization existed up to tho meet
ing Of this Convention, and none Of its
purposes or objects has, for moment,
been lost sight of IN the contests which
followed. From the meeting Of that Con-
vention to the present time no question of
whether Kansas should be free State OIL
a slave State has been before the people
The only questions have been, whether
the properly enacted law of the territory
should be sustained against the armed ef.
forts Of aholitionists and Black Republi.
cans, in Kansas and out Of Kansas, and
whether the revolutionary effort of the To.
peka Convention should or should not b.
forced upon the people of the territory
The law and order party aided by demo.
cratic administration and the democrati.
party throughout the nation. have had a
| full and complete triumph; and the law
of the territory, if not respected, are sub
mitted 10, and the Topeka conspiracy ha:
evaporated forever. In view OF these fact
We have agreed unanimously to forget oil
differences and old organizations, and
mindful only of our true interests and on
true friends, we have resolved to stand BY
that party which has stood by US; ant
planning ourselves upon the platform adop
ted by the democratic Convention at Gin
Icinna.i, we pledge ourselves to stand witt
ths Democratic party Of this nation in al
its struggles. and to sustain It's chosen ad
ministration against all assailants- Here
after we expect 70 be tested by our faithful