Squatter sovereign., 1857-09-26

II Is TO suppress Insurrectlon or feoelllen
and maintain the authority of the law, will
render any collision unnecessary.
On the 18th of August last, Icommuni-
Gated 20 the President, through the Secre-l
tary Of State, my views on this subject,
together with copies Of the several Terri
toriaf laws. and asked the aid of the Presi-.
dent and his Cabinet to sustain me. by the
moral force of their opinion, in preventing
collision and civil war in this Territory,
by stating if such should be tie fact, their
lconcurrence with me IN these. views In
reply TO this communication, in q dispatch
from the Sc ereiary OF State to me. undsr
date Of the 81 of September, 1857, after
remarking most justly, as / always conten-
ded, that / could issue no authoritative
mandate to the judges of election on this
subject, or control their decision, he says:
..The Territory of, Kansas is in pecu.
| liar condition. BY your statement, and
possessing as you do, the best, means oil
/ information, your views. in the opinion OF
the President, are entitled to great weight
lit is in state Of incipien rebellion with
an organized military force, prepared to
resist the authority of the United States.
I" 1t may, therefore, become necessary to
use the troops placed at your disposal, not
only to aid as posse comitatus in executing
the laws. bat also 10 suppress an insurrec-
tion. Surely under these circumstances,
if the expression of AN opinion in add
vance of his action, and it may be instead
of il, which the Presidet honestly enter
tains, will have direct effort in preventing
O civil war in Kansas, he cannot be justly
censured for attempting, by such an ex-
preston of. opinion, to avert the calamitous
result.
The danger you anticipate. arises. as
you observe, from the apprehension of a
portion of the citizens of Kansas that they
will be excluded from the privilege of yot-
ing, because they have not paid Territor-
ial tax. Now, the President. as well as
, every member of his Cabinet, concurs in
opinion with you that the payment of such
tax is not required as qualification to
vote. He and they entertain not a doubt
!, that the 5th section of the act Of February
Goth, 1857, is complete in itself and pre-
scribes all the qualifications required OF a
; voter. and among these the payment of. q
Territorial tax is not included. They are
also firmly convinced that no person what.
exer not possessing these publications, not
withstanding they may possess the quaiifi
\ cations prescribed for voters by the organic
2 ACT OF Congress Of May 30th, 1854 iha:
j any just claim to :he elective franchise
II wlll be observed, then. that in view o
the deplorable condition of Kansas for the
e last three years, and the civil war which
: has SO long ragged in this Territory and
I the imminent danger of a: renewal OF tha
: conflict. growing out of conflicting view:
0 as to the qualification of voters at the en-
4 suing election, the President and all hi:
: Cabinet have deemed the occasion suf
: fciently solemn and important, 10 expires:
3 };their full, unanimous: and entire concur
: renee in the views as TO the qualification:
of electors at the October election, on those
points set forth by me in this address, anc
:. previously communicated by me to the Sec
l retary of State. sSsi''.
II is obvious that the Territorial govern
: ment Of Kansas must be maintained either
byAa superior physical force, or. as in all
) other States aud Territories, by the major
ty Of qualified voters at the election.
I never contemplated the use of the mi
litary force but in aid Of the election o
: the laws, to protect the citizens in the ex
: ercise Of their legal rights, as a. poss
II comieafss TO arrest offenders, where th'
, civil authority might prove incompeten
T. without such aid, and where the law au
: thorized military power to suppress insur
u ;. rection or rebellion. Physical force an,
~ the bayonet constitute the real power il
, /, nearly all monarchies and despotic govern
~ ments, but here it is the will Of the major
~ ity of the people qualified to vote upon th
u Constitution and under the laws which j
: to govern; and the sooner all such ques
.. tions are decided by full and fair vote G
w the qualified electors at the polls, the be,
'e ter; and then, and not till then. shall W
3 have peace and repese in Kansas. Unles
., force is to be substituted for the electiv
~ franchise, unless despotc and monarchica
= principles are making here insensiDie pre-
~ gress, sooner or later the question mu:
&c thus be decided, and the sooner the bette
u not only for the true interests of this Tel
q ritory, but for the security of the Unio
and the cause of self.government, her
u and throughout the world.
&c The eyes Of oW country and the worl
are now directed with intense interest /
&c the coming election in Kansas in Octebe
~ next. Whether the people of this Terr
.. =. tory are. indeed, capable of self.govern
!" ment, whether the scenes which have dis
'e graced Kansas and our country for the la!
u' three years, are to be renewed indefinite
= ly, whether violence. injustice or insured
Ia ton on one or both. sides are, for the me
le ment. and for the moment only. are to de
. eide the question, or whether our politics
As differences are to be settled here, as in a
- other States and Territories. (uhder tn
q provisions of our organic law By the ful
~ free and FAIR exercise of the elective frau
a chise, are the momentous questions
= which you must all now soon answer. Th
y test oath is expressly repealed as a quail
- fication for voters by an act of the Terr
le torial Legislature of the 18th of Februar,
" 1857 fsaei ,r-.s7 sa..F rs,b. ~
:, The people of Kansas have now. there
+. fore. an opportunity. in conformity wit
!, the Constitution Of the United States. th
~ organic act of Congress. and the laws Z