New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-09-14
KANSAS.
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE or THE
UNITED STATES.

A Committee Of Twenty were appointed at the
6rssshcppor Falls Convention to prepare and pub
ksh an address to the people Of the United States.
II 10 prepared. Although not yet submitted for the
approval Of the entire Committee, there is no doubt
hat II will be adopted without alteration as given
below. 1t is the joint production Of Gen. Lane and
Mr.. Conway.
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
The People Of Kansa' at their recent Convention
held ut Grsssbopper Falls, adopted resolution TO
participate in the election for members of Terri
torial Legislature and delegate TO Congress, IN
October next, and appointed the undersigned
Committee to address the people at large with re-
spect TO tins important action.
BEGINNING OF THE TROUBLES.
Two years and half ago portion of the people
Of Missouri invaded our Territory, took possession
Of our ballot boxes, and established the Oligarchy
which has since claimed to exercise the functions
Of q Government smoDg us. short time after
that event our people me. in Convention at Big
Springs, to determine the course they should pursue
THE PRIMITIVE POLICY.
Two plans were suegested-one to resist the
execution Of their laws by force, the other to avoid
this extreme measure by the adoption OF State
Government. This latter alternative was preferred
and the following resolutions adopted:
P,solre9 That the body of 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, are TO US fore On body,
representing only the lawless invaders who elected
them, and not the people OF the Terdory that We re-
pudias their action the monstOu5 contamination OF
act Of violence, usurpation and fraud, unparalleled
in the history of our Union, and worthy only OF men
EtxaAf Attno NJ he
bilities Of Republicansm.
Resolred, That this Convention, 10 view of its
reputation of the sO'caIled Kansas legislative As
eembly respond most heartily - the call made by the
PEOPLES Convention Of the 18th ult., for Delegate
Convention Of the people Of Kansas Territory TO be
held at Topeka the 18th inst to consider the pro-
priety of the formation of State Constitution, aud
such other alters a. may egitimatey come before it,
Resolytd That setting aside all minor issues OF par
tsan politics. it il incumbent upon to prJfer an or
gaIizaon calculated to recover our dearest rights
and into which Democrats and Wings native and nat
urazed citizens, may freely enter without any sacri-
fee Of their respective political creeds but without
forcing them as test upon others; and that when we
shall have achieved our political freedom, vindcsted
our right of selfgOverninent, and become an indie
pendent State of the Union, when those issues may
become vital az they are now dormant, it will be time
enough to divide organic alton by these tests, the
Importance Of which fully recognize in their a2pro
PIRATE sphere.
DEFENSE OF 1T.
It is well known that these resolutions, passed a.
Big Springs, September, 1855, have constituted
the basis of all subsequent political action of the
people Of Kansas. They there unequivocally diss-
vowed the authority of the Territorial Legislature
and have maintained that position ever since
They there committed themselves in favor of a
State organization, and have maintained that posi-
ton ever since. Upon these two measures they
have rested their hopes from the commencement
L.
they still continue to rely. In adopting this
of action the people of Kansas were not impelled
by either fanatica zeal or wanton inconsiderate-
ness Of purpose. They proceeded grayey and with
deliberstcn to decide upon the ground they should
occupy. 1t was said that they could not proceed
to effect State organization without authority pre-
viousy given by act of Congress or of Territorial
Legislature. Bat they knew that such principle As
this had ever been established On tue ntrary, they
knew that the Instances in which States had been
formed under acts of Congress We're exceedingly
few and 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 pre-
vented from electiug their Legislature as the or
ganic act of the Territory required, yet, while the
Territorial Government named technically intact,
a State Government would be rival, revolutionary
movement, putting the authority of the United
States in despite. But the people knew that the
Constitution of the United States contained no
provision whatever for a Territorial Government
anywhere; that the trainers of that instrument did
not contemplate the acquisition Of territory to
the Union; that the Territorial Government was
therefore the creature of temporary necessity
mere protectorate-Of extra-cOnstitutiOnal egisla-
tiOn-a thing incident 10 transient sovereignty
and that when the State Government, the normal
and recognized status of the community, came
into existence the Territorial Government expired
with the necessity which created il. The people of
Ka sas knew that the Government of the United
State. itself had proceeded upol these principles ia
the admission OF States into the UniOD aud had thus
given them its highest sanction and rendered them
authoritative. They, therefore assumed this
ground after duly weighing the objections urged to
1t, with the most perfect assurance of its correct
ness as a matter Of law and established govern
mental policy.
FAITH IN THE OLD POLICY.
The opposition made by the Administration at
Washington and its party throughout the country to
this course of the people Of Kansas has not in the
shghtest degree, weakened their confidence in it,
kssened their determination TO adhere TO IL 10 the
emo. They are satisfied that its propriety would
never have been called in question matter of
serious moment, had not the Federal Administration
sought BY so DONG to serve special purpose in
behalf OF Slavery. So confident are our people in
the stand they have thus taken, that they would be
perfectly willing to permit their State Government
to proceed to the regular performance of it's flnc-
tons, without any regard to the Territorial Govern
ment, were 1t not for settled wish on their part to
do nothing which may subject them TO the charge of
ultra views or desire to Incur violence even in the
assertion Of their rights. They have preferred TO
turn aside for the time beisg from their State or
me- faan ax.1 -.