Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-07-23
Proclamation to the People of
La XrCnCG.
LEAvExwoRrH July.5. 1857.

LEAVESwORTH July %. 1901
/ have learned that a considerable
number of the citizens of Lawrence, in
this Territory, have adopted, as they
claim, by a popular vote, a 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 on the
same subject.
On this your committe, whose views
have been adopted by you, make the
following statement
Under ordinary circumstances the
more regular method ofproceeding would
be to obtain a charter from the Terrific
rial authorities. AS the Territorial
gov eminent, however, in no sense re-
presents the people of Kansas, was not
elected by them, and have NO right to
leoislate for them, we cannot accept a
! charter at its hands. And, as the State
government has not, as yet, deemed it
advisable to proceed to the organization
Of local and municipal governments, we
cannot obtain a charter from it. There
| is therefore left us only the alternative
Of a character springing directly from
the people, or a continuance III our pre-
sent organized CONDITION.
Under these circumstances, you
nave seen fit to instruct us to present a
charter having discussed its provisions
in a preliminary ~assemblage, and now
propose to submit it to a full vote of
the people for approval or rejection" d
1t will be perceived that the authority
of the Territorial Government is here
distinctly denied, and whilst that of the
so called State Government is acknow-
lodged, it is conceded that no charter
has been granted to them. Indeed, it
is a fact that, although this so called
State Government has, in itself, no le-
gal existence or authority, yet you
asked and failed to receive a charter
from them.
Under these circumstances, you have
proceeded to establish a government for
the city Of Lawrence, in direct defiance
of the Territorial government, and de-
nying its existence or authority. You
have granted to the city government
the authority to select a Mayor and
Board Of Aldermen, City Assessor,
Treasurer, Justices of the Peace, City
Marshall, &c. You have granted to the
Mayor and Aldermen most extensive
powers, including the right to levy and
collect taxes upon real and personal
property within the limits of the city,
whether belonging to residents or non
residents, and all the other pozIers usu-
ally incident to a city government.
You have imposed upon all these
officers the duty of taking an oath to
support this so called State Constitution,
thus distinctly supcrccding, so far as in
your power, the Territorial Government
created by the Congress of the United
States. You have caused these proceed
ings to be printed in handful form, and
f have distributed them, az I ami informed.
throughout the Territory. with the view
to incite the other cities. towns and
counties of Kansas, to establish insur-
rcctionary government, thereby placing
the people Of this Territory, SO far as in
your power. in open conflict with the
Government of the United States.
The moro considerable portion OF
your party h~avinginduccd your Topeka
Legislature to enact The laws urged by
you, creating municipal government
YOU have even in dcfiance Of their
authority, which you profess to acknow-
ledge, proceeded to create such a gov
ermmcnt for Lawrence, and are now ur-
ging ether localities to pursue a similar
course. Your evident purpose is thus
70 involve the whole Territory in insur-
rcction, and to renew the scenes of
/. blo1dshcd and civil war. Upon you,
then, must rest all the guilt aud rcspon-
! sibiiity CT this contemplated fc-6!utiou.
You will be justly chargcabio in law
and in-conscience with all the blood
that may he she'd in this contest, and
upon yon must fall The punishment.
You have elected your officers under
this charter, anl instructed them to en-
ter upon the imucliate discharge of
their duties, ~includiug the adoption Of
ordinances and the execution thereof,
under an authority having in itscIf no
legal existence, and established in direct
defiance Of the Government Of the Uni
ted States.
From all these facts, it is obvious if
you are permitted to proceed, and espc-
cially if our example should be followed
as urged by you in other places, that
for all practical purposes in many i'm
portant particulars, the Territorial gov
ernmcnt Will be overthrow. The
charters granted by hat government
for similar purposes will be disregarded,
and the justices of the peace and other
officers acting under their authority,
will be brought necessarily into conflict
and collision with the so-callcd officers
claiming to act under different author
ity.
The Territory will thus be involved
in inextricable confusion and litigation !;
the value of your property be greatly
depreciated your titles, transfers, trans
actions and contracts will be subjected
to endless and costly disputes, and all
will suffer from this instruction, except
the lawyers who have stimulated this
movement. \ government founded on
insurrcction and usurpation will be sub
stituted for that established by the
authority of Congress, and civil war will
be renewed throughout our limits. If
your authority to act in this manner for
the city of Lawrence is permitted, a SINH
lar authority must be acknowledged in
every other town, city or county, and
result in inevitable and most disastrous