The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-09-15

or Imaginary, OF which they mlgnt nave
complained against the legitimate State
government. Such principle, if carried
into execution, would destroy all lawful au-
thority and produce universal anarchy.
I ought to specify more particularly
condition of affairs, which l have embraced
only in generalterms, requiring the presence
of a military force in Kaasas. The Con-
GRASS of the United States had most wisely
declared it to be 'sthe true intent and mean
ing of this act (the act organizing the Ter
ritory) not to legislate slavery into any
Territory or State, nor to exclude 1t there
from, but to leave the people thereof per-
fectly free to form and regulate their domes-
tic institutions in their own way, snnJect
only to the Constitution of the Unlteo
States' As a natural consequence, Con-
gress has also prescribed by the same act
that when the Territory of Kansas shall be
admitted as State it ''shall be received
into the Union, with or without slavery, as
their constitution may prescribe at the time
of their admission"
exists in Kansas, under the Constitution OF
the United States. This point has at last
been finally decided by the highest tribunal
known to our laws. How it could ever have
been seriously doubted is a mystery. If a
confederation of sovereign States acquire
new Territory at the expense of their com
mon blood and treasure, surely one set of
the partners can have no right to exclude
the other from its enjoyment ty prohibiting
them from taking into it whatsoever is re-
cognized to be property by the common
constitution. But when the people-the
bona fde residents of such Territory--pro-
coed to frame State constitution, then it is
their right to decide the question for them
selves whether they will continue, modify,
or abolish slavery. To them, and to them
alone, does this question belong, free from
all foreign influence.
In the opinion of the Territorial legisla-
ture of Kansas, the time had arrived for
entering the Union, and they accordingly
passed law to elect delegates for the pur
pose of framing State Constitution. This
law was fair and just in its provisions. 1t
conferred the right of suffrage on "every
bona fde inhabitant of the Territory" and,
for the preventing fraud, and the intrusion
of citizens of near and distant States, most
properly confined this right to those who
had resided therein three months previous
to the election. Here a fair opportunity
was presented for all the qualified resident
citizens of the Territory, to whatever sides
they might have previously belonged, to
participate in the election, and to express
their opinions at the ballot box on the ques-
ton of slavery. But a number of lawless
men still continued toresist the regular Ter
ritorial government. They refused either
to be registered or to vote and the MEM
bers of the convention were elected, legally
and property, without their intervention
The Convention will soon assemble to per-
form the solemu duty of framing a COnsti-
tuition for themselves and their posterity ;
and in the state of incipent rebellion which
still exists in Kansas, it is my imperative
duty to employ the troops of the United
States should this become necessary, in de-
Tending the Convention against violence
whilst framing the Constitution, and in pro-
tecting the ''bona ,Jfde inhabitants qualified
to vote under the provisions of this instru-
ment in the free exercise of the right of
suffrage when it shall be submitted to them
for their appreciation or rejection.
r. l ~
that the troops will not be employed except
to resist actual aggression or in the execu-
ton of the laws and this not until the pow
er of the civil magistrate shall prove una
vailing. Following the wise example of
Mr.. Madison towards the Hartford Conven-
ton, illegal and dangerous combinations,
such as that of the Topeka convention, will
not be disturbed unless they shall attempt
to perform some act Which will bring them
into actual collision With the constitution
and the laws. In that event, they shall be
resisted and put down by the whole power
of the government. I'm performing this du-
ty, 1 shall have the appreciation of my own
conscience, and, as l humbly trust of my
God.
l thank you for the assurance that you
will mot refrain from the prayer that AL
mighty God will make my administration
an example of justice and beneficience''-
| You can greatly assist me in arriving at
this blessed contamination by exerting your
influence in allaying the existing sectional
excitement on the subject of slavery, which
has been productive of much evil and no
good, and which, if it could succeed in at
tanning its object, would ruin the slave as
well as his master. This would be work
of genuine philanthropy. Every day of my
life feel how inadequate l am to perform
the duties of my high station without the
continued support of Divine Providence =
yet placing my trust in Him, and in Him
alone, entertain good hope that He will
enable me to do equal justice to all portions
of the Union, and thus render me an hum
BILE instrument in restoring peace and har-
10 l. IL I