Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-12-17
Presidant,s Messaxe.

~, d:.;.-.r ~. T.--:.,-,- IS E,,-H. - xla t;x,o
ss =. .ne ~ :. :, 49,,
,too3 - I.:,a as-. ...;r1t - ta.ho- .nd
~, ~. - noe.le 2,fa{ asnss ,;J mn ~ s aau
of civil 49, p4s:sa e -. .,;,;.,i ,,,,,-,art
Kapsaa was ,of, ;.het a. '. hy ,hs ras;e,'
nation of GOV Ca -''
On the lqth of FL hx.:
torial legialature had ,.a.s5 io,m nrn-;d;no
for the election of dels1a,as - 10 ,tyrJ Me-,
day of June, to a copvsn,;o oa =. o. .e -, a. S-s,
Monday of September. snr ,bo " VA - ~ s..
ing constitution preparatorv r. ,fi3v,;ss;or ~,
to the Union. This law was in ,ha 49, fa;r
and Just, and it is tn he regretted that ~, H.
qualified electors had not registered themselves
and voted under the provisions.
At the time of the election for DELEGATES. m
extensive organization existed in the Territory
whose avowed object, it was, if need be- 10 mt
down the lawful Government by force. and tn
establish government of their own apder the
so called Topeka constitution. The persons at
tocbed tn this revolutionary organization ab-
stained from taking any part in the election.
The act of the territorial Legislature had omit
ted to provide for submitting to the people the
constitution which might be framed by the con-
rep,;op. and in the excited state of public feel
,no n, onobopt Kansas an annrebcpsiou exte l.
siyelv nreynlept thai DESIGN existed 10 force
u,.,n them . cons,;tntion in relation to slavery
agapst their viii. In tbis emergency it be-
came INV dutv as If was NV r9oncstionabIe
r;obt b,xinp in view the np;on of ali GOOD eff
;,ons in sunnort Of tho territorial laws to ex
rress an onip;op ON the true corstrnctiop Of the
ppror;ss;ons cnncern;nr, sl,rory in ,bo oro,nic
act Of Conorsss of The a0tb X,v 1874 Son.
oress declared If to be ",be trne intent and
mea,ino of the act not to leo;slatc slavery into
anv Territory or state mot fn exelnde If there
from but IN leave tb,. neonlo thereof nresec,lv
r
tiops in their own wav" Upder II Konsas
awhen admitted Nc S,s,o ,..s 70 ha % raca;vad i
into the ITpion With or w;tbanf slavery no their
CONSTITUTION nav nrescrhc at the time of their
admission'n
D;J Conoress moan bv This language that the
doIs,,t.S cIac,nd to f,an,s , cons,itnfion should
have authority finally to decide the question of
slavery, or did they intend by leaving it TO the
people that the people of Kansas themselves
should decide this question by.a direct voter
On this subject confess had never entertain
ed serious doubt, and, therefore, in my in
struetions TO Gov. Walker of the 2Sth March
last, merely said that when "a constitution
shall be submitted to the people ofthe territory.
they must be protected in the exercise of their
right of voting for or against that instrument,
and the fair expression of the popular will must
not be interrupted by fraud or violence In ex-
pressing this opinion it was far from my inten-
tion to interfere with the decision of the people
of Kansas, either for or against slavery. From
this l have always carefully abstained In-
trusted with the duty Of taking scare that the
laws be faithfully executed" nv only desire
was that the people of Kansas should furnish to
Congress the evidence required by the organic
act, whether for or against slavery; and in this
manner smooth their passage into the Union.
In emerging from the condition of territorial de-
IL,
their duty, in nv opinion. to make known their
will by the votes of the majority. on the direct
question whether this important domestic insti-
tuition should or should not continue to exist
Indeed this was the only possible mode in
which their will could be authentically ascer-
tanned.
IT,, o,,,.,. oe J.1..o ..
,,,,,r. ,aoos.or;I,- ~ s1.n;ata
Frn,,, ,t;s uis'' ia"
So, tDaa, ns - = ''.iy % n''
oi.ei oeen .ne c'.Se, tnat majority Oh tne Peo-
PIE " o'e ISa, u ieir,.Gry are On one sue ..
f - So, tL1. a",.a..I " % .o :.
a;,.;JnJ 49,, ,e 10 Ia, l'n.LJ my
fron, tho f, ,b,, %Pi ~. v,e a.se a,ses
NOV ho oiactad h,- ell ,,.;1r;t;os .,.;i
IT, g. ~ i;s. S.n" in.,lotiuee' "nA.ss Al
n,a;or;t;es snft;c;.nti, a,r",. rnt oni1
coI,o ,ba Yo,as e,;ro - a. =.
leave n large majority Of IN. whole naon, IN AZ; :;
reci onnositiop 10 a ma;or;tv tho Tdeleo,tos =
Bes,des. our bistorv proves that ,nAranccs NAV
be brouebt TO bear on tbe renrosentat;re s1,tH;c.
emily p0verfuI tn induce him tn disreo,rd tbe
will of his constituents. The truth is that NO
otbcr authentic or satsf,cter, ,node or;sts Of
ascertaipinp the will Of n,a;oritr of tho naoria
Of apv State or Territory ON an imno,ta5t and
exciting question like that Of slavery in Kaps.s.
then. was il for Congress- tn ,:ss over all snbor-
dinate and intermediate agencies and proceed
directly to The sources of all Iepitimnte mower
under our institutions.
How vain would any other principlc nrove in
practice, This NAV be illustrated bv The case
of Kansas. Should she be admitted info .tbe
Uuion with constitution either maintaining or
abolishing slavery, against the sentiment of The
people, this could have no other effect than to
continueand to exasperate the exciting agitation
during the brief period required TO make the
constitution conform to the irresistible will of
the majority.
The friends and supporters of the Nebraska
and Kansas act. when struggling On a recent oc-
easion to sustain its wise provisions before the
great tribunal of the American people, never
differed about its true meaning on this subject.
Everywhere throughout the Union they public
ly pledged their faith and their honor, that they
would cheerfnlly submit the question of slavery
to the decision of the bona fde people of Kan
sas, without any restriction of or qualification
whatever. All were cordially united upon the
great doctrine OF popular sovereignty, which is
the vital principle Of our free institutions. Had
it then been insinuated from any Quarter. that
it would be a sufficient compliance with the r9-
questions Of the organic law for the members or
a convention, thereafter 10 he elected to with
hold the question of slavery from tbe neonle
and to substitute their own will for that II !,
legally ascertained majority of ali their consti.