Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-10

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 a majority in
favor of the constitution with slavery, ~ then it
is to be transmitted to Congress by the presi-
dent of the convention in its original form. If,
on the contrary, there shall be q majority in IA
yor of the constitution with no slavery % then
the article providing for slavery shall be stricken
from the constitution by the president of this
convention;'' and tits expressly declared that "no
slavery shall exist in the State of Kaueas, ex-
that the right of property in slaves now in
the Territory shall in no manner be interfered
WITH and in th It ey9nt tits male his duty to
have the constitution thus ratified transmitted
to the Congress of the United States for the ad-
mission Of the State into the Union.
At this election every citizen will, have an oppoTtu-
nity of expressing his opinion by his vote whether
Kansas shall be received into the Union with OF with
out slavery" and thus this exciting question may be
ranic law. The election will be held under the legiti-
mate authority, and if any portion Of the inhabitants
been presented, this viii be their own voluntary act.
and they alone will be responsible for the conse-
Whether Kansas shall bea free or q slave State must
eventually, under some AUTHORITY, be decided by an
election; and the question can never pc more clearly
present moment. Should this opportunity be rel ected,
she MAJ be involved for years in domestic diseOrd, and
issue now SO fortunately 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 that
this should be directed to far more important
objects. When once admitted into the Union,
whether with or without slavery, the excite
ment beyond her own limits will speedily pass
away, and she will then for the first time be
left, as she ought to have been long since, TO
manage her own affairs in her own way. If
her constitution on the subject of slavery, or on
any other subject, be displeasing to a majority
of the people, no human power can prevent
them from changing it within a brief period.
Under these circumstances, it may well be ques-
toned whether the peace end quiet of the whole
country are not of greater Importance than the
mere temporary triumph of either of the politi-
cal 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 Territory are
reserved. The number Of these is very small;
but il it were greater the provision would be
equally Just and reasonable. These slaves were
brought into the territory under the constitu-
ton Of the United States, and are now the prop
erty of their masters. This point has at length
been finally decided by the highest judicial tri-
bunal of the country-and this upon the plain
principle that when a confederecy of sovereign
States acqu re a new territory at their joint ex-
pense, both equality and justice demand that
the citizens of one and all of them shall have
the right to take into it whatsoever is recogni-
zed as property by the common constitution
To have summarily confiscated the property in
slaves already in the Territory, would have
- .ot af rae ,n,,ct,oa and oapfror- tn
the practice of the older States of the Union
which have abolished slavery.
A territorial government was established for Utah by &C,
of Congress approved the 9th September, 1850, and the con-
stitution and laws ofthe United States were thereby extern
ded over it $50 far as the same, or any portion thereof,
may be applicable" This act provided for the appointment
Senate, ofa governor, who waste be ex-oficio superintend-
ent Of Indian aRairs, a secretary three judges Of the su-
preme court, a marshal, and a district attorney. snfst-
quent acts provided for the appointment Of the officers
necessary TO extend our land and our Indian system over
the Territory, Brigham Young was appointed the first
ice ever since. Whilst Governor Young has been both gov
ernor and superintendent of Indian affairs throughout this
asfsssls and dIsposf & shsf property BY direct Inspiration
therefore absolute over both Church and STATE.
The people of Utah, almost exclusively, be-
long to this church, and believing with a fanati-
cal spirit that he is governor of the Territory
by Divine appointment, they obey his commands
as if they were direct revelations from Heaven.
If. therefore, he chooses that his government
shall come into collision with the government of
the United States, the member of the Mormon
church will yield implicit obedience to his will.
Unfortunately, existing facts leave but little
doubt that such is his determination. Without
entering upon a minute history of occurrences,
it is sufficient to say that all the officers of the
United States, judicial and executive, with the
single exception of two Indian agents, have
found it necessary for their own personal safety
to withdraw from the Territory, and there no
longer remains any government IN Utah but the
despotism of Brigham Young. This being the
condition Of affairs in the Territory, | could not
mistake the path of duty. As Chief Executive
Magistrate | was bound to restore the supremacy
of the constitution and laws within its limits.
In order to effect this purpose, | appointed a new
governor and other federal officers for Utah, and
sent with them a military force for their protec-
ton, and to aid as a POSSE coMlTATUs, in case of
need, in the execution of the laws.
With the religious opinions Of the Mormons,
as long as they remained mere opinions, how
ever depIorable in themselves, and rev '!;ing to
the moral and religious sentiments of III! Chris
tendon, / had no right to interfere. Actions
alone, when in violatiep,of the constit ion and
laws Of the United States, become thel, Ultimate
subjects for the jurisdiction of the civii magis-
trate. My instructions to Gov. Cumming have
therefore been framed in strict accordance with
these principles. At their date a hope was in
dulged that no necessity might exist for employ
ing the military in restoring and maintaining
the authority of the law; cut this hope has now
vanished. Gov. Young has. by proclamation,
declared his determination to maintain his pow
er by force, and has ALREADY committed acts of
hostility against the United States. Unless he
will be in state Of open ssbeihon. He has COM
United these acts Of hostility notwithstanding
Major Van Yiiet, an officer of the army, sent to
Utah by the commanding general to purchase
provisions for the troops, had given him the
strongest assurances of the peaceful intentions
of the government. and that the troops would
only be employed IS a POSSE coNArATUs when