The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-04-10

! The Legislature of Kansas at its recent s"s
sion passed an act providing for ;h" election
of Territorial Convention I" irni" Stat"
Constitution. The election i. 10 take pace in
June, and the Convention will meet in S"lt-m
bcr. The frcc-soi party which has lately held
n second Convention ut Topeka. have resolved
| I" take II" par; in the election Of m"inl,crs t"
! the Convention for tl," formation Of IL State
.C"nstitu,iom; that is to let the election 90 hy
= ''4aultI,, :: -.
g.s ;aaaCin SE-iVi. lg,-ri1iiIs'i:u. c""or,iinv
tn taAi Pin er.fs'sh-iiSc is cNicr Lecau~e
they NM kat under the Convention act, Il
fair "Sfa! 1919 porni:r opinion could not
be obtained; uS'tci>"sc they feel themselves in
Il minority or because by aisrntin. themselves
from the polls, they expect Congress TO send
back 10 the people of the Territory for ra.iti
cation or rejection, tn. State Constitution which
may be formed, anl by defeating il ut the bal
| lot box prepare for Il new Convention ncXt
year. when they hope their party Will he in n
majority. The avnw"l pr.trxt for their c"ulS"
! is founded upon various objections. which they
urge against the late Kansas Convention Act
! Th" first and mos: prominent Objection is that
this Act does not provide f.' Submitting: to the.
! people. the State Constitution Which NAV h..
! fr"mcl ly the Convention, about to he ,!"crc,l
! l;v reference however to the t"n>!i,u;:n:s q.
various States, it will bc seen that in the ma
i"ritv of instances In" provision for Submitting.
them t" the people. WAS made hv The rruvcn.
ti"ns themselves, and either c'nhu.iir in the
CONSTITUTIONS, or in appendices To tie same.
This WAS the in Fiori,l:t Texas Missouri
! there i. no donht hu, t!rat the Kansas I"si<ln.
. turr. intended to acvnlvc upon the convcn-
/ ton, the duties; and that in fact Tia.
! Constitution will lac submitted To- the p-"rl"
! by order Of the Convention
! Another objection ALLEGED agaiu-. the Con
Vcntion Act, is, that j, Requires three months
Residence in the Tcrrit"ry previous TO the clcc-
| 'ion of delegates to the Convention, (" cnliti'
ore t" vote. As the election is to he hl! "n The
! 18th June, three months will commence on the
! 18th March, before it is possible for the East
! cr'i emigration {" arrive. Their provision, l"w
ever, sern,> t" be favorable 10 the free
soil party than il shorter residence had been
! regarded, rs it will exclude thousands of Mis-
, -ourianS, who, in the latter case, would nave
rushed in and remained for the specified time.
! for the mere privilege of voting.
| Whatever reason may prompt the cause Of
the lrcc-s"il party, it is II" doubt imr"iiiic.
Their refusal to vote for delegates 10 the Com
! siitution. i. 10 abandon the whole matter to
! their opponent; in the last election Of lcic-
gate to Congress, 10y which the success Of Cen.
! Whitfield, the frcc.S'avcrv cam.li,latc was srcu-
red. If they have, Is they allcrr, majority
of frcc-statc in til" Tcrritorv, now is the
| time to make their strength effective; and to
prevent the "ngra:.ng upon the Constitution of
the pro-s'avcry feature.
! 1T seems that the ircc-Snil party arc cncour-
aged by the tide of c!ni grafton, wlir! is swell.
| ling their numbers in the Tcrritorv: and i,
would not be surprising if ut no distant dav
they should raise the standard of rebellion
not only against the Territorial authorities but
against the General Government. The an.
| pointincnt Of the Hon. Il. j. Walker, rs Cover
nor of the Territory, and the Hon. Frederick
=. Stanton rs Secretary, affords a. asuficient
guarantee that its affairs will be administered
with the highest degree of efficiency and Tint
no step will be neglected to prevent future
disturbances
The following letter of acceptance bv the
IIpp Il. j. Walker, affords n satisfactory expo.
siton Of the principles which will control his
future policy:
LETTER OF HON. II. !. WALKER
| WASHINGTON. March &c, 1857.
! Ny DEAR Sir Il Have, at vour request, re-
considered my determination, Hs announced to
you declining Your tender of the Office or Gov.
crnor of the Territory Of Kansas In view of
tl.an ,f,,3 I>,,1, ~,
safety of the Union may depend upon the Sc
lection Of the individual to whom shall BE- as
signed the tnsk of settling he difficulties which
again surround the Kansas question, | have
concluded TINT n solemn sense Of duty to nv
country requires me to accept this position. l
am brought to this conclusion with an unnffec-
ted diiiiicnce in my own ability, bat with a
| fcrvrnt hope that the same ovrr-rulinr Provi-
! dencc which has carried nv beloved country
through many pcrils, will now attend and
| direct my humble efforts for her welfare, md
that my course wi}ienot he prcjudgcd bv any
portion OF my fellow citizens, IN or ont OF Kan
sns.
understand that You, and all Your cabinet
cordially concur in the opinion expressed by
me, that the actual bona .felc residents of the
| Territory of Kansas, by n fair md regular
vote. unaffected by fraud or violence must be
| permitted, in adopting their State constitution,
| to decide for themselves what shall be their 90:
cial institutions. This is the great fundamental
principle Of the act of Congress organising that
Territory. affirmed hy the Supreme Court Of
the United States. md is in accordance with the
views uniformly expressed by Inc throughout
my public career. contemplate peaceful
Settlement of tits question by an appeal to the
intelligence and putriotistn of the whole people
| of Kansas, who should all participate, freely
and fully, in this decision, and by majority of
whose votes the determination must be made,
as the. only, proper and constitutional mode of
adjustment,
/ conten,platcpo appeal to military power in
the hope that my eonutrymcn of Kansas, from
every, section, will submit to decision of this
matter by FIJI and fnir vote of minority of
thepeople ofthat Territory. If this decision cam,
not thus be made, see nothing in tho future
for Kansas but civil war, extending its baeful
influence throughout the country. and subject
ing the Union itself to imminent hazard.
i will go, then. and cndeavor, thus TO adjust
these difficulties ntc full conf dence so strong.
~ expressed by You, that viii be sustained
.py ail-your own high authority, and the cordial,
cooperation of all your cabinet.
As it will be impossible for me to leave for
Enpcne haf, 4 of Al.