Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

We copy so much of the Presidents message as
relates to the Kansas question.
1t is unnecessary to state in detail the alarming
condition Of the territory of Kansas at the time OF
my inauguration. The opposing parties then
stood in hostile array against each other, and any
accident might have relighted the flames Of civil
war. Besides, at this critical moment, Kansas
was left without n governor by the resignation Q!
Gov. Geary.
On the l9,h, of February previous, the territor-
la legislature had passed n law providing for the
election OF delegates on the third Monday Of
June, to a convention to meet on tho first Monday
of September, for the purpose Of framing a con.
%stitution preparatory to admission into tie Union.
This law was in the main fair and just; and it is
to be regretted thut all the qualified electors had
no, registered themselves and voted under its pro.
visions.
AT the time of the election for delegates. an ex.
tensivc Organization existed in the Territory,
whore ayowed object it was. if need be, to put
down tho lawful government 10y force. and to es
tablish a government of their own under the so
called Topeka constitution. The persons attach
ed to this revolutionary organization abstained
from taking any part in the election.
The act Of the territorial legislature had omit.
ted to provide for submitting to the people the
constitution which might be frataed by the conven-
ton and in the excited state of public feeling
throughout Kansas an apprehension extensively
pTeNuiltu liza z ueslBn eAlSleu 10 lDTCc upon tneni
II constitution in relation to slavery against their
will. In this emergency it became my duty. as it
was my unquestonable right, having in view the
union OF all good citizens in Support of the terri
torial laws, to express an opinion on the true CON
.struction OF the provisions concerning slavery CON
tained in the organic act of Congress of the Seth,
May, 1854. Congress declared it to he "the true in.
tent and meaning Of this act not to lcgislnte slave.
ny into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it
therefrom, out 10 leave the people thereof perfect
ly free to form and regulate their domestic institu.
tions in their own way" Under it Kansas.
when admitted as a State" was to 'be received
into the Union, with or without slavery, as their
constitution may prescribe at the time of their ad.
mission"
Did Congress mean by this language that thu
delegates elected to frame n constitution should
have authority. finally to decide the question Of
slavery, or dad they intend by leaving it to the
people that the people of Kansas themselves
should decide this question by Il direct voter On
this subject | confess ] had never entertained n Sc.
rious doubt, and, therefore, in my instructions to
Gov. Walker on the 2Sth. March last, | merely
said that when "a constitution shall be submitted
TO the people of the Territory they must be pro.
tected in the exercise Of their right of voting flr or
against that instrument, and the fair expression Of
the popular will must not be interrupted by fraud
or violence"
Ia expressing this opinion, it was far from my
intention to interfere with the decision of the peo.
pie of Kansas, either for or against slavery. From
this ! have always carefully abstained. Entrusted
with the duty Of taking care that the laws be
faithfully executed" my only desire was that the
people Of Kansas should furnish to Congress the
evidence required by the organic act whether for
or against slavery and in this manner smooth
their passage into the Union. In emerging from
the condition of territorial dependence into that
of q sovereign State, it was their duty, in my
to make known their will by the votes of
the majority, on the direct question whether this
i'm portant domestic Institution should or should not
TO exist. Indeed, this was the only pos.
sihle mode in which their viii could be autheuti,
cally ascertained.
The election Of delegates TO a convention must
necessarily take place in separate districts. From
this cause il may readily happen, as has often been
the case, that a majority of the people CT n State
or Territory are on one side Of a question, whilst
a majority of the representatives from the several
districts into which it is divided may he upon the
other side. This arises from the fact that in some
districts delegates may be elected by small ma.
jorities, whilst in others those Of different senti.
ments may receive maiorities sufficiently great not
only to overcome the votes given for the former.
but to leave a large majority of the whole people
in direct OPPOSITION TOT majority Of the delegates.
Besides, our history proves that Influences may
be brought to bear on the representative suf
fciently powerful to induce him to disregard the
will of his constituents. The truth is, that no
other authentic and satisfactory mode exists Of
ascertaining the will of a majority Of the people
Of any State or Territory on an important and ex
citing question like that of slavery in Kansas,
except by leaving it to q direct vote. How wise.
then was it for Congress to pass over ali subordI-
nate and intermediate agencies, and proceed d.
rectly to the source of all legitimate power under
our constitutional
How vain would any other principle prove in
This may be illustrated by the case OF
Should she be admitted into the Union,
a constitution either maintaining or abolish
.ng slavery. against the sentiments of the people,
could have no other effect than to continue
to exasperate the exciting agitation during the
brief period required to make the constitution
,cnform to the irresistible will of the majority.
The friends and supporters Of the Nebraska
md Kansas act, when struggling on a recent
to sustain the wise provisions before the
,reat tribunal of the American people, never diff
cred about its true meaning on this subject.
Everywhere throughout the Union they publicly