New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-22
KANSAS.
GOV. WALKERS PROCLAMATION TO THE
PEOPLE OF LAWRENCE.

LRAvRNWORTH, July ID, 1871.
have learned that considerable number OF the
citizens of Lawrence, in this Territory, have adopted,
a. they claim by popular vote, charter for their
local government A copy of that charter has been
placed in my hands; upon comparing which with that
granted by the Territorial Legislature last Winter,
find that they differ intentionally 10 many essential
particulars The charter then, Is set up, not only
without any authority of law, but in direct aud open
defiance Of act Of the Territorial Legislature on the
same subject.
On ibis point your Committee, whose views have
been adopted by you, make the following statement:
Under ordinary circumstances tho more regular method Of
preceding would be - Obtain charter from the Territorial
suhoiites As the Territorial soveihueLt noweyer IN no
se'e represents the people Of Kansas vas not eec,eS cy them
caricr And rs the STATE government ha. not
Ind mpnsp. soyeumept cannot obtain charter from IT,
there s therefore lsf only the alternative Of charter
spIngng directly from the people CT Continuance IN our
present unorgsnzed condition
Under these circumstances you have fit 70 instruct
to present charter having discussed its provisions in pre-
nna,y ssembsge and propose to submit 1t to full vote
of the people for approval or rejection"
Ii will then be perceived that the authority OF the
Territorial Government is here distinctly denied, and
while that Of the called State Government ia acknow.
lodged il is copceded that no chsI tor hae been granted
by Them Indeed il 10 fact, that although this So
called State Government has in ITSELF no legal exist
ence or authority yet you asked and failed 70 receive
q charter from them.
Under theee circumstances you have proceeded to
establish government for the city OF Lawrence, III
direct defiance of the Territorial Government and de-
Iying its existence authority You have graeted to
t6is City government the authority TO elect a Mayor
ard Beard Of Aldermen, City Assessor, treasurer,
Justices OF the Peace, City Marshal, a.
You have granted 70 the Mayor and Aldermen most
powers including the right to levy and coli
lect taxes upon real end personal property "hin The
Lue of The city, whether belonging to residents or
ron-reeidents and al the OtherpoweTs usually incident
to q city government.
You haye imposed upon all these officers the DUTY o
taking cath TO support this called state Constr
tutor, thus distinctly supersedng 80 TAR as IN your
u. nj rrFn4nf
Congress of the United States You have caused
these eedrgs to be printed 10 hand-bi orn and
have distributed them, as an informed, throughout
the Territory With the view to incIte inc 0ther clts'
towns and counties Of Kansas 10 establish insurrec.
tioDsry governments, thereby placing the people o.
ills Territory so far our power, in open conflict
with the Government of the United States.
The more considerable portion of your party having
induced your Topeka Legislature to enact the laws
urged by YOU, creating municipal government, you
have, even in defiance Of their authority, which you
profess 10 acknowledge, Proceeded 10 Greats such
government for Lawrence, and are now urging Other
localities TO pmsue a similar course , ,
Your evident purpose is thus to involve the whole
Territory in iusurrecOn ard to rerew the scenes OF
booosbtd ana civil wal. Upon you, then mus, res,
ALI the guilt ard responsibility of this contemplated
revolution You will be justly chargeabe IN law aud
conscience with all the blood hat may be shed in this
contest and upon you nust fall the punishment
You have elected your officers under this Charter
and instructed them to enter upon the immediate dis
charge Of their duties Including the adoption OF ord-
napces and the execution thereof under an authority
having in itself legal exterce and established il
direct defiance Of the Government OF the oNtei
States. .
From all these facts it is obvious if you are per-
ni,ted TO proceed. ard especially II your example
should be followed urged by you IN other places,
that for all practical purposes in many Important par
,iculars the Territorial Government will be over
thrown The Charters granted by taat Government
for similar purposes will b. disregarded, and the JUS
tices If the Pence and other officers aching under IN sr
80 n conf
collision with TIE ao.cslled officers camitg to act
under different authority.
Tie Territory vii thus be involved in inexticabe
confusion and litigation; tire value of your property
be greatly deprecated; your utes, uaLsels sIan'ac
tiots and coiraets will be subjected TO endless and
costly isputcs and all will suffer irou this Insured
ten except the lawyers who have stimulated tins
movement 4 govtrInent founded on insurecl3n
and usurpaiiOn viii be substituted Tor mat esIao
bshed by the authority Of Congress, and clyh "A
will be- rene VIZ q Throughout oar limts. II your AL
tboiy to &C; in this manner for the City Oi Lawrence
i. penn itted similar authority must be ackno"r
edged il every other Nwr, city or cOLlfy, re:ul ~
Inevitable and most disastrous conflict, and II sue
cossul, the Tent, iial Government be overthro"u IL
detail as Is your present purpose. =,
You were DISTINCTLY informed in nv Inaugural Ad
dress of May last that The validity OF the Ierri'oia
laws Led been ACKNOWLEDGED by the Government oil
ne United States ana that they must and Wou'd oe
aieC into execution under ~ oath of office aud the
i s,uotoIs of th. President Of the United States
lie same lIIOrIl tlOn Nh- repeated lu o..
dresses made by NE throughout ths Territory. Al
the same time, every Assurance wa given you tns'
the iisbts OF the people Of this Territory TO establish
their own Slate Government AID frame their own
social institutions under the ferns prescribed by the
Government of ysur country, would BIO Acknowledged
and prttoCied.
FLAWS have been enacted by the Territorial Legs
latuIe which dsapproved OF by M 1nty II the
reoule of the Territory the mode which they could
elect new Territorial Legislature and repea. those
laws was also designated. lfth.re are any gev ances
Of which you have sny just rigbt TO complain the law
ul peaceful manner il which You could remove then,
in subord1ation TO the Government OF your country,
IVES also ported out
You lave, however chosen to disregard the laws OF
Congess sud of the Territorial Government crested
by il; ard. willie protesting to acknowledge oiae
Government rejected by Congress. aud which can
therefore not exist only by successful rebelion, ana
e1sciirg from all your officers the perilcus and saeri
eRous cath to support the so-cslled State Consltu
ton; yet you have even III defiance OF the socalied