The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-09-24
FROM KANSAS.
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE U. STATES

Communicated TO II -. ago Tribune.
The people cf Kansas, a. their recent Con
vention, held at GTasshoPper Fars, adopted
resolution to participate in the election fol
members of q Territorial Legislature and Dele
gate to Congress, in October next, and ap
pointed the undersigned a committee 70 address
the people at large with respect TO this import
ant action.
Two years and half ago, portion of the
people of Missouri invaded our Territory, took
possession of our ballot-boxes, and established
the oligsrchv which has since claimed to exer
else the functions of a government amongst US
A short time after that event. our people met
in convention at Big Springs, to determine the
course they should psrsue.
THE PRIMITIVE POLICY
Two plans were suggested-one, to resist the
execution of their laws by force; The other, to
avoid thia extreme measure by the adoption oil
State Government. This latter alternative
was preferred, end the following resolutions
adopted:
ResOlved, That the body CT men who for the
last two months have been framing laws for
the people of our Territory, moved, counseled
and dictated by the demagogues of Missouri,
arc to US foreign body, representing only the
lawless invaders who elected them, and not the
people Of the Territory; that we repudiate
their action as the monstrous contamination of
an act of violence. usurpstion, and fraud, un.
paralleled in the history of our Union, and
worthy only Of men untitled for the duties and
regardless of the responsibilities of Republican
ism.
ReSotUed, That this Convention, in view of
its reputation Of the So called Kansas Lepis-
lative Assembly, respond most heartily to the
call made by the Peoples Convention of the
l4th ultimo, for a Delegate Convention of the
people OF Kansas Territory, to be held at To
peka. on the 18th inst, to consider the propriety
OF the formation Of State Constitution, and
such other matters as may legitimately come
before it.
Resotced, That, setting aside all minor issues
OF partisan politics. it is incumbent upon US TO
prefer an organization calculated to recover
our dearest rights, and into which Democrats
aud Wings, native and naiuralized citizens.
may freely enter, without any sacrifice of their
respective political creeds, but without forcing
them as just upon others ; and that when we
shall have acquired our political freedom. vim
Dictated our rights Of selfgovernment, and be-
come an independent State Of the Union, when
those issues may become vital as they are now
dormant, it will be time enough to divide our
organizltio by these tests, the Importance of
which we fully recognise in their appropriate
sphere.
It well known that these resolutions, passed
at Big Springs, September, 1855, have consti.
tuted the basis of all subsequent political action
of the people of Kansas. They there unequiv.
ocaly disavowed the authority of the Territorial
Legislature and have maintained that position
ever since. Upon these two measures they have
rested their hopes from the commencement Of
their struggle; and upon their ultimate success
fInr L
course of action, the people Of Kansas were not
impelled By either a fsnatical zeal or wsnton
inconsidersteness Of purpose. They proceeded
gravely and with deliberation to decide upon
the ground they should occupy. 1t was said
that they could lot proceed to effect State
organization without authority previously given
by act of Congress or of Territorial Legisla-
ture. But they knew that no such principle as
this had ever been established. On the contrary,
they knew that the instances in which States
had been formed under acts of Congress were
exceedingly few; IS to acts of the Territorial
Legislature, they knew that these had been
ruled by the highest authority to be invalid and
of no effect IL was also said, that although the
people had been prevented from electing their
Legislature as the organic act of the Territory
required, yet, while the Territorial Government
remained technically intact, e State Govern
ulcut ~OuIu NC IlFli, revolutionary movement,
putting the authority of the United States Gov.
eminent in despite. But re people knew that
the Constitution of the United States contained
no provision wbatevsr for Territorial Govern |
ment anywhere; that tic trainers Of that instru. |
ment did not contemplate the acquisition of new
territory to the Union; that the Territorial |
Government was therefore the creature of a |
temporary necessity mere protectorate-ofl
legislation-a thing Incl |
len: to a transient sovereignty; and that when |
he State Government, the normal and recog. |
Missed statutes of the community, came into ex-
silence, the Territorial Government expired |
With the necessity which created it. The peo-
pie of Kansas knew that the Government of
he United States itself had proceeded upon
hese principles in the admission of States into |
he Union and had thus given them its high.
est sanction, and rendered them authoritative.
They therefore assumed this ground, after
July weighing the objections urged to it, with
he most perfect assurance of its correctness as
, matter of law and established governmental
policy.
The opposition made by the Administration