The Washington union., 1857-06-06
INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF X. j. WALKER,
GOVERNOR on KANSAS TERRITORY

OF KANSAS At the earnest request of
the President of the United States have accepted the
position of governor of the Territory of Kansas The
President with the cordial concurrence Of all his cabinet
expressed 10 the conviction that the condition of Kan
fraught with imminent peril TO the Union, and
asked to undertake the settlement of that momenous
question, which has introduced discoTd and civil
throughout your borders and threatens TO involve you
and our country in the same common ruin This was a
duty thus presented, the performance Of which could
not decline consistently with my view OF the sacred ob-
CATION which every citizen owes TO his country.
The mode of adjustment is provided In the act organ
zng your Territory namely, by the people of Kansas
who by majority of their votes must decide this
question for themselves in forming their State constitu
tion.
Under our practice the preliminary act of framing
State constitution is uniformly performed through the in
strumentaty of convention OF delegates chosen by the
people themselves That convention is about to be
elected by you under the call of the territorial Legislature
created and still recognised by the authority of Congress-
and clothed by it, in the comprehensive language OF the
organic law, with full power TO make such enactment
The territorial legislature then in assembling this
venon fully sustained by the act of Congress- and
the authority of the convention distinctly recognised in
my instructions from the President of the United States
Those who oppose this cannot the alleged h
regularity of the territorial legislature, whose laws in
town and city elections in corporate franchises, and
all other subjects but slavery they acknowledge by their
votes and acquiescence. If that legislature invalid
then are we without law order in Kansas without
town city, county organization all legal and judicial
transactions void all titles NULL and anarchy reigns
throughout our borders
IL is my duty in seeing that all constitutional laws
fairly executed to take care far practicable, that
this election of delegates to the convention shall be free
from fraud violence and that they shall be protected
in their deliberations.
The people Of Kansas then, invited by the highest
authority known to the constitution TO participate freely
and fairly in the election of delegates to frame consttu
ton and State government. The law has performed its
entire appropriate function when it extends to the peo
pie the right of suffrage, but it cannot compel the per-
formance of that duty. Throughout whole Union,
however, and wherever free government prevails those
who abstain from the exercise of the right of suffrage
thoize those who do vote to act for them in that contn
gency, and the absenees much bound under the
law and constitution where there is fraud violence
by the act of the majority of those who do vote al
though all had participated in the election Otherwise
voting must be voluntary, sefgovernment would be
impraccabe, and monarchy despotism would remain
the only alternative
You should console yourselves, my fellow citizens
with the reflection that you may, by subsequent vote
defeat the ratification of the constitution. Although
most anxious to to the exercise of that great
constitutional right and believing that the convention is
the servant and Et the master of the people, yet have
power to dictate the proceedings of that body
not doubt however, the they will adopt this
subject. But why incur the hazard of the preliminary
formation of constitution by minority, alleged by
you when majority by their votes could control
the forming of that instrument?
But it is said that the convention is not legally called
and that the election will not be freely and fairly
Quoted The territorial Legislature is the power ordained
for this purpose by the Congress of the United States and
in opposing it you resist the authority of the federal gov
ernment. That Legislature called into being by the
Congress of 1854 and recognised in the very latest
gressional legislation IL is recognised by the present
Chief Magistrate of the Unon just chosen by the Amer
people, and many of its acts now in operation
here by universal assent As the governor of the Terri
tory of Kansas must support the laws and the consttu
ton and have other alternative under my oath but
to that all constitutional laws fully and fairly
ecuted.
see in this act calling the convention no improper or
unconstitutional restrictions upon the right of suffrage
in it estoath other similar provisions objected
to in relation to previous laws but clearly repealed
pugnant to the provisions of this act far regards the
election of delegates to this convention is said that
fair and full vote win not be taken Who safely pre-
dict such result? Nor is Just for majority they
aliege to throw the power into the hands of minority
from mere apprehension trust entirely unfounded-
that they will not be permitted to exercise the right
suffrage. If by fraud violence, majority should not
be permitted to vote, there is remedy, il is hoped in
the wisdom and justice of the convention ITSELF acting
under the obligations of OATH and proper response
bty to the tribunal of public opinion. There
dy also, If such facts be demonstrated in the refusal
of Congress to admit State into the Union under
stitution imposed by minority upon majority by fraud
violence Indeed cannot doubt that the convention
after having framed State constitution, will submit it
for ratification rejection, by majority of the then
tual bona fdb resident settlers of Kansas.
With these views, well known to the President and
cabinet and approved by Them accepted the appoint
ment of governor of Kansas My instructions from the
President through the Secretary of State under date
the 30h of March last, sustain " The regular legislature Of
The Territory in ''asembling contention form oonst-
ton and they express the opinion of the President that
chen such constitution shall Be submitted the people Of Me
Territory they must be protected The exercise Of their right Of
potg for against nat instrument and e fair oppression Of
the popular mil must not be interrupted By fraud violc
Irepeat, then my clear conviction that unless the
convention submit the constitution to the vote of all the
actual resident settlers of Kansas and the election be
fairly and Justly conducted the constitution will be- and
ought to be, rejected by Congress.
There other important why you should par
tcipate in the election of delegates to this convention
Kansas is to become State, created out of the pub
lie domain and will designate her boundaries in the fun
damental law To most of the land within her limits
the Indian title, unfortunately is not yet extngushed
and this land is exempt from settlement to the grievous
injury of the people of the State Having passed many
years of my life in State and represented it for
long period in the Senate of the United States know
the serious encumbrance arising from large bodies of
lands within State to which the Indian title is not
tinguished Upon this subject the convention may act
by such just and constitutional provisions will acceler
ate the extngushment of Indian title.
There is, furthermore the question of railroad grants
made by Congress to all the States but one, (wherc
the routes could not be agreed upon) and within few
months past to the fourishng Territory of Minnesota
This muncent grant of four millions and half of
made to Minnesota in advance of her becoming
State under the auspices Of her present distinguished
executive and will enable sister State of the Northwest
speedily to unite her railroad system with ours.
Kansas is undoubtedly entitled to grants similar to
those just made to Minnesota and upon this question the
convention may take important action
These recollcct grants by Congress, not to