White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-06-18
Address
R. J. WALKER,
GOVERNOR OF KANSAS TERRIToRY.
pErisERED IN LEconrros, K. 7,
May eT, 1857.
FELLOW CITIZENS OF Kansas:

u
United States, have accepted the position Of
Governor Of the Territory Of Kansas. The
President with the cordial concurrence Of all hi.
cabinet, expressed to me the conviction that Ii,
condition Of Kansas was fraught with imminent
| peril TO the Union, and asked me to undertake
the settlement Of that nomentous question
which has introduced diseord and civil wal
throughout your borders, and threatens to in.
volve you and our country in the same common
ruin. This was duty thus presented, the per
Torrance of which could not decline, consist.
emily with my view of the sacred obligation
which every citizen owes to his country.
The mode cfsaiiustment is provided in the
act organizing your Territory, namely, by the
people of Kansas, who, by a majority of their
own votes. must decide this question for them.
selves in forming their State Constitution.
Under our practice the preliminary act Of fra.
ming State Constitution, is uniformly perform.
cd through the instrumentaliiy of convention
of delegates chosen by the people Themselves
| That convention is now about to be elected by
you under the call Of the Territorial Legislature
created and still Recognized. by the authority Of
Congress, and clOthed-hE il, in the comprslien-
siTe language Of tblcall oiic isss with full pow
er to make s5oh ar ensIsIkei.S The Territori.
al Legislature, then, in ASSEMBLING this eonven-
ton, were fully sustained BY the act of Congress,
and the authority OF the convention Il distinctly
recognized in nv instructions from the President
Of the United States. Those who oppose this
course, cannot aver the alleged ireg1larity Of
the Territorial Legislature, whose laws in town
and city elections, in Corporate franchises, and
on all other subjects bat slavery they aeknsw-
ledge By their Votessnd aequiescence. II that
Legislature was invalid. then we are without
law or order in Kansas, without town, city or
county organization, all legal and judicial trans
actions are void, all titles null, and anarchy
reigns throughout our borders.
1t is my duty, in seeing that all constitutional
laws are fairly executed, to take care, as far as
practicable, that this election of delegates to
the convention shall be free from fraud or vio-
lence, and that they shall be protected in their
deliberations.
The people of Kanas then are invited by the
highest authority known to the Constitution, to
participate freely and fairly in the election Of
delegates to frame Constitution and State
government. The law has performed its entire
appropriate function, when it extends to the peo-
pie tie right of suffrage; but it cannot compel
the performance of that Guty. Throughout our
whole Union, however, and wherever free gov.
ernment prevails, those Who abstain from the
exercises of the right Of suffrage, authorize those
who do vote TO act for them in that cont;neency.
and the absentees are as much bound under the
law and Constitution, where there is no fraud
or violence, by the act of the majority of those
who do vote, as though al had participated in
the election. Otherwise, rs voting must be vol
untary, selfgovernment would be impracticablc,
and monarchy or despotisn would remain as the
only alternative.
You should not console yourselves, my fellow
citizens, with the reflection, that You may, by a
subsequent vote, defsa, -.1e ratification of the
Constitution. Although most anxious to secure
to you the exercise of that great Consti .uiional
right, and believing that the convention is the
servant, and not the master Of the people, vet |
have no power to dictate the proceedingsof that
body. | cannot. dosbt, however, the course thew
will adopt on this subject. But why incur the
hazard of the preliminary formation of a con-
stitution by minority, as alleged by you, when
majority, by their own votes, could control the
forming of that instrument.
But it is said that the Convention is not legal
ly called, and that the election viii not be free
ly and fairly conducted. The Territorial Leg.
islature is the power ordained for the purpose by
the Congress of the United States; and in opro.
sing it, you resist the authority of the Federal
government. That Legislature was called into
being by the Congress of 1854, and is recoz-
nized in the very latest Congressional Leeisla-
tion. 1t is recognized by the preseut Chi. f Mag
istrate Of the Union. just chosen BY the Ameri
can people, and many of its acts are now in op-
Grafton here by universal assent. AS the Gov /
ernor Of the Territory of Kansas, l must sun
port the laws and the Constitution; and have
no other alternative under my oath, but to see
that all Constitutional laws are fully and fairly
executed.
see in this act calling the convention, no !
improper or unconstitutional restrictions upcn
the right of suffrage. see IN it no test-oath or
other similar provisions objected to in relation
to previous laws, but clearly repealed as resug-
nGnt to the provisions OF this act, so far as re-
CARDS the election Of delegates to this eonren. |
ton. 1t is said that fair and full vote win not
be taken. Who can safely predict szch RESULT
Fer is it just for majority, as they aIlege, to
throw the power into the hands Of minority, |
from smere apprehension-(I trust entirely I'M
founded)- that thsy will not be permitted to ex-
crrise the risht-Of znfage. IT. by fraud or vi
olenee, majority should not be permitted to
vote, there is a remedy, Il is hoped, in the wis
dom and justice Of the convention itself, acting
under the obligations of an oath, and a prope-
Of the tribunal of public opinion.
There is remedy, also, IL such facts can be
demonstrated, in the refusal of Congress toad
nit State into the Union under Constitution
imposed by minority upon majority by fraud
or violence. Indeed, I cannot doubt that the
AFTER having framed a State Consti-
tuition, viii submit il for ratification or rejection,
by majority Of the then actual bona .ide resi-
dent settlers Of Kansas
With these views, well known to The Presi-
dent and Cabinet, and approved by them. / ac-
reptsd the appointment Of Governor of Kansas