Squatter sovereign. [volume] (Atchison, Kan. Terr.) 1855-1858, 1857-09-12
ADDRESS 70 THE PEOPLE.

The people Of Kansas. at their recent
Convention, held at Grasshopper Falls;
adopted resolution to participate in tbs
election for members of a Territorial
Legislature and Delegate TO Congtess, in
October next; and appointed the under
signed a Committee to address the people
at large with respect to this important ac-
ton.
Two years and half ago. portion of
the people of Missouri invaded our Ter
ritoTy, took possession. Of our baiiss-boxes,,
and established the oligarchy which has
since claimed to exercise the functions of
government amongst us. A short time
after that event. our people met in Conven-
tion at Big Springs, to determine the
course they should pursue. Two plans
were suggested: one, to resist the execu-
tion of the laws by force /; the other, to-
avoid this extreme measure, by the adop-
ton OF a State Government. This latter
alternative was preferred, and the follow.
ing resolutions adopted:
Resolred, That the body Of men Who for
the last two months, have been passing
laws for the people Of Dur Territory
moved, counselled and dictated To. by the
demagogues Of Missouri, are 10 us a fori
eign boiy, representing only the lawiess
invaders who elected then, and not the
people OF the Territory; that We repudiate
their action as the mOnstrous consummation
of an act Of violence, ussrpation and fraud,
unparalleled in the history Of the Union.
and worthy only OF men untitled for the
duties and regardless Of the responsible
ties of rePubiicanism.
Resoiued, That this Convention, in view
of its repudiation of the acts of the So
called Kansas Legislative Assembly. re-
spond most heartily to the call made by the,
Peoples Convention of the 18th uitimo,,
for Delegate Convention of the People Of
Kansas Territory, 10 be held at Topeka,
an the 18th instant, 10 consider the propri.
ETY. OF the formation OF State Constitu-
ton, and such other matters as NAV legiti-
mately come before it.
Resotued, That, setting aside ali minor
issues Of pariizan politics, it is incumbent
upon Us TO profrr an organization calcuia-
ted TO recover our dearest rights. and into
which Democrats and Wings, Native and
Naturalized citizens. may freely enter.
without any sacrifice Of their respective pos
iiiicaI cTeeds. but without forcing them a-
a test upon others. And that, when we
shall have achieved our political freedom,
vindicated our right of seif-governmens,
and become an independent state of the
Unlon.-when those issues NAV become
vital, as they are now dormant, IL will be
time enough to divide our organization. BY
these tests. the importance Of which we
fully recognize, in their appropriate sphere.
i II Is well known that these resolutions
passed at Big Springs, September. 1856.
have constituted the basis of all political
action by the people Of Kansas. They
there unequiyocaliy disowned the authority
OF the Territorial Legislature, and have
maintained that position ever since. Up.
on these two measures have they rested
their hopes from the commencement oil
their Struggle. and upon their uliimate sue.
cess they contiusre 10 rely.
In adopting this course Of action, the
people OF Kansas were not impeIled by
either faaiicai Zeal, or waEson incon.
sideraseness OF purpose. They proceeded
grayely and with deliberatict, 10 decide
. upon The ground they should occupy. II
!, was said that they could not proceed to eff
, feet State organization withoR au.iority
previously given by act Of Congress, or 9
, | Territorial Legislature. But they knew
that ne such prineipls rs this had ever been
J established. On the contrary, they knew
that the instances in which States had been
formed under acts Of Congress were ex.
lceedingly few and IS TO acts OF the Ter.
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