Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-12-19


however, providing for the transition from a
territorial to State government, the ques-
tion has been fairly and explicitly referred to
the people, whether they will have q const-
tuition with or without slavery" 1t declares
| that, before the constitution adopted by the
convention, "sball be sent to Congress for
admission into the Union as a State" an
election shall be held to decide this question,
at which all the white male inhabitants Of the
| Territory above the age Of Il are entitled to
vote. They are to vote by ballot and "the
ballots cast at said election shall be endorsed
constitution with slavery" and constitution
with no slavery" If there be q majority in
| favor of the constitution with slavery" then
it is TO be transmitted to Congress by the
| President of the Convention in its original
| form.
If on the contrary, there shall be majority
in favor of the constitution with no slavery"
then the articles providing for slavery shall
be stricken from the constitution by the pre-
sident Of this convention and il is expressly
| declared "no slavery shall exist in the State
of Kansas, except that the right of property
in slaves now in the Territory shall in no
manner be intertered with and in that event
it is made his duty to have the constitution
thus ratified transmitted to the Congress of
the United States for the admission OF the
State into the Union.
AT this election every citizen will have an
opportunity Of expressing his opinion by his
vote, "whethcr X ansas shall be received into
the Union with or without slavery" and thus
this exciting question may be peacefully
settled in the very mode required by the or.
ganic law. The election will be held under
Legitimate authority, and if any portion of the
inhabitants shall refuse to vote, fair oppor-
tunity TO do so having been presented, this
Will be their own voluntary act, and they
alone will he responsible for the consequences.
Whether Kansas shall be free or n slave
State must eventually, under some authority,
be decided by an election and the question
can never be more clearly or distinctly pre-
sented TO the people than ii is at the present
moment. Should this opportunity be rejected,
she may be involved for years in domestic
dscord, and possibly in civil war, before she
can again make up the issue now SO fortu-
natcly rendered, and again reach the point
she has already attained.
Kansas has for some years occupied too
much of the public attention. 1t is high
| time this should be directed to far more ini-
portant objects. When onte admitted into
the Union, whether with or without slavery,
the excitement beyond her own limits will
speedily pass away, and she will then for the
first time be left, as she ought to hsve been
long since, TO manage her own affairs in her
own way. If her constitution on the subject
| Of slavery or any other subject, be dispeasing
10 ajori:y Of the people, no human power
can prevent them from changing it within
brief period Under these circumstances,
it may well be questioned whether the peace
and quiet Of the whole country are not Of
greater Importance than the mere temporary
triumph of either of the political parties in
Kansas.
Should the constitution without slavery be
| adopted by the votes of the majority, the
rights Of property in slaves now in the Terri
tory are reserved. The number of these is
very small but if it were greater the provis-
ion would be equally Just aud reasonable.
| These slaves were brought into the Territory
under the constitution of the United States,
and are now the property Of their masters.
This point has at length been finally deci-
| ded by the highest judicial tribunal of the
country-and this upon the plain principle
| that when confederacy of sovereign States
acquire new territory at their jalnt expense.
both equality and justice demand that the
citizens of one and all of them shall have the
right to take into il whatsoever is'recognized
as property by the common constitution. To
have summary c9atscated the property in
slaves already in the Territory, would have
been an act or gross injustice, and contrary
to the practice of the older States oil the
Union which have abolished slavery.
A territorial government was established
for Utah by net of Congress approved the
9th of September 1850, and Constitution and
laws of the United States were thereby ex-
tended over it so far as the same, or any
provisions thereof, may be applicable" This
act provided for the appointment by the
President, by and with tie advice aud consent
OF the Senate, @: governor, who was to be
ex-onicio superintendent of Indian Affairs, q
Secretary, three Judges of the Supreme
Court, Marshal, and a District Attorney.
Subsequent acts provided for the appoint
mont Of the officers necessary to extend our
land and our Indian system over the Terri
tory.
brigham Young was appointed Governor
on the 20th of September, 1850, and has held
the Office ever since. Whilst Governor Young
has been both Governor and Superintendent
of Indian affairs throughout this period, he
has been at the same time at the head OF the
church, called the Latter Day Saints, and
proresses to govern its members and dispoc-
of their propert0 I5y direct insr;,,a,,o ant
-.;..t.lority -;.t from the AImiisuJy. lis power hu
been, therefore, absolute over both Churcl
and State.
ne people Ol Olau, uIiuOsL eAcluSlVely
h belong to this church, and believing with
I ianatIcal spirit that be is governor of lh
0 Territory by divine appointment, they ODE,
!. his commands as if they were direct revSlu
n tous from Heaven. Ii, therefore, he chose
that his government shall come into colllsio
Is with the government of the United States
!. the members of the Mormon Church Wi
!. Weld implicit obedience TO his wSl.
}. Uuiortunately, existing facts leave but II
N tie doubt that such is his determination
,e Without entering upon minute history {
n occurrences, it is sufficient to say that all II
70 officers of the United States Judicial and e!
~ ecutive, with the single exception OF two II
i dian agents, have found it unnecessary K
of their own personal safety TO withdraw fro
q. the Territory, and there no longer remaiI
g. any government in Utah but the despotls
n. Brigham Young. This being the conc
Va ton affairs in the Territory. l could not mi
ce take the path OF duty. AS Chief Executi'
re Magistrate was bound to restore the sup
an macy of the constitution and laws within
ii. limits In order to effect this purpose, !
ii. pointed new Governor aud other ieder
es officers for Utah, and sent with them a milll
lie ry force for their protection, and to aid as
ch posse commitatus, in case OF need, in the el