Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-12-12

ing condition OF the Territory VI Kansas 1t the |
time Of MY Inauguration. The opposing par
ties then stood in hostile array against each
other. and anil acc dent might have relghted
the flames Of civil war. Besides. at this cr.ti-
| cal moment. Kansas was left withou. Cover
nor by the Resignation Of Gov. Geary.
On the 10th Of February previoua the Ter
ritoral Legislature had pas ed law providing
for the election Of delegates the third Mandy
OF June tn convention 10 meet on the first
Monday Of September, for the purpose Of form
| ing Constitution, preparatory to admission in
| TO the Union This law was. In the main. fair
and just; and it is to be regr cited that all the
qualified electors had not registered them-eiv-
| es and voted under its provisions.
| At the time OF the election for delegates I'm
extensive organization existed in the Territory
whose avowed object it was, if need he, rut
down the lawful government by force, and 10
| establish government OF their own under the
so called Topeka Constitution. The persous
attached to this revolutionary organization ab-
stained from taking any part in the election
The act Of the territorial legislature had
omitted to rovide for submitting TO the y 30
pie the Constitution which might be framed by
the Convention, apd in the excited state ofprb-
lie feeling throughout Kansas an apprehensson
extensively prevailed that design exl,st. d 10
| force upon them n constitution in relation TO
slavery against their will In this emergency it
became my duty, as it was my unqucstionahle
| right, having in view the union Of all good cir-
| zens III support OF the territorial lave TO .x-
| press an opinion on the tue construction If
| the provisions concerning slavery contained in
the Organic net Of Congress Of the 3Oth Nav,
1854
Congress declared it to be 1.-The true intent
and meaning Of this act not to legisate slay e v
into any Territory or state, nor to evcludc it
therefom, bat to leave the people thereof Ter.
fectly free to form and regulate their dom, size
| institutions III their own way" Uunder il knE-
| sas, when admitted as u State was to be re
ceived into the Union.' with or without avery.
as their Constitution may prescribed at the time
Of their admission.
Did Congress mean by this language IT, It
the delegates elected to. frame a constitution
should have authority finally to decide tho
question OF slavery, or did they intend by
leaving it to the people that the people Of
Kansas themselves should decide this question
by direct votel On this subject confess
had never entertained a serious doubt an
therefore, in my instructions to Governor
Walker on the 18th March last, merely said
that when " a constitution shall be submitte
to the people of that territory, they must be
, protected In the exercise OF their right of vot
, ing for or against that instrument, and the tail
, expression Of the popular will must not b.
interrupted by fraud or violence.
} In expressing this opiLion it was far fr,I
my intention to interfere with the decision .
the people of Kansas, either for or against
slavery. From this have always CAREFUL,
abstaned. Entrusted with the duty Of takin,
care that the laws be faithfully execute
my only desire was that the people of Kansa
should furnish to Congress the evidence 10
1uired by the organic act, whether for o
, against slavery and in this manner smontl
their passage into the Union In emerging
from the condition Of territorial depend enc
into that Of a sovereign State, twas their duty
in my opinion, to make known their will b.
the votes of the majority, on the direct qucs
ton whether this important domestic instiI Il
ton should or should not continue to exi,,
Indeed, this was the only possible mode i
which their will could be automatically asccr
tanned.
The election Of delegates to a convent 10
must necessarily take place in separate dis
tricts. From this cause it may readily lap
pen rs has often been the case, that majol
e ity Of the people of State or Territory al,
on one side of question, whilst a majoiit,
| of the representatives from the several dis
tricts into which it is divided may be mo
the other side This arises from the fact tia
in some districts delegates may be elected y
small majorites, whist in others those dif!cl
ent sentiments may receive majorities s,il
Gently great not only to overcome the vte
given for the former, but to leave a large ma
jorty Of the whole people in direct opposiio
to majority of the delegates. Besides GA
history proves that influence may be brou "a
to bear on the representative sufficiently pow
erful to induce him to disregard the will OF Iii
constituents The truth is, hat no other ~
! thentic and satisfactory mode exists af ast or
tanning the will of the people of any STATE q
Territory on an important and exciting qucs
2 ton like that of slavery in Kansas, except
leavin. it to direct vote. How wise was i
, then for Congress to pass over all suborlirai,
and intermediate agencies, and proceed ii
) rectly to source of all le:itemate power undo
J our institutions
How vain would any other princi pie prov,
in practice! This may be illustrated BY III,
case of Kansas. Should she he admitted int,
the Union with constitution either maintain
ing or aboishing slavery, against the Aelii
; ment OF the people this could have no Other
effect than to continue and to exasperate tn,
existing agitation daring the brief period re
quired to make the constitution conform to tho
irresistible will Of the majority.
The friends and supporters Of tho Nebra ka
and Kansas act, when struggling on a recent
occasion to sustain its wise provisions before
the great tribunal Of the American people
| never utucTeu ABOUT us true meaning on tins
subject. Everywhere throughout the Union
they publicly pledged their faith and their
honor that they would cheerfully submit The
question Of slavery to the decision Of the bona
fide people of Kansas, without any restriction
or qualification whatever. All were cordially
united on the great doctrine of popular SOW
ereignty which is the vital principle of orr
free institutions. Had it then been insinua,cd
from any quarter that it would be sufficient
compliance with the acquisitions Of the organic
law for the members Of convention, therea E
ter to be elected, to Withhold the question OF
slavery from the people, and to substitute the r
own will for that of legally ascertained ma
jOrity Of all their constituents, this would have
been instantly rejected Everywhere they re-
main true to the resolution adopted on GER
tain occasion recognizing "the right Of the
people of all the Notwithstanding Kansas
and Misunderstanding through the legally and
fairly expressed will Of majority Of actual
residents, and whenever the number Of their
inhabitants justfies il, To form a constitution
with or without slavery, and be admitted into
the Union upon terms Of perfect equality with
the other States"
The convention to frame constitution for
Kansas, met on the first Monday Of September
last. They were called together by virtue Of
an act Of the territorial legislature, whose law
full existence had been recognized by Congress
in different forms and by different enactmehis.
A large proportion Of the citizens Of Kansas
did not think proper to register their names
and to vote at the election for delegates; but
an opportunity to do this having heen fairly
afforded, their refusal to avail themselves 81