The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-08
BALTIMORE.
MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1858.

with that of every other territory of the United
States, and OF every commonwealth ever founded
by men of Ango-Saxon blood. 1t rather resem
bles chapter in the annals of some Italian republic
OF the middle ages or of one of those unhappy State
OF South America, where constant succession O
wars, tumults and disorders reflects perpetual dis
credit upon the cause of repubcanism, and proves
to the world the utter untness of the people for thu
privileges and responsibilities of freemen. Repub
hcan institutions in Kansas have not borne the ex
pected fruit OF peace, prosperity and good govern
ment Anarchy, bloodshed and misrule have
marked the history Of that unfortunate territory
almost from the day of its first settlement The
causes which have led to this disastrous and MORT.
tying result are neither obscure nor so remote as
10 DEFY detection nor is the result itself at all sur
prlslng to those who have watched from the becin-
nlng the progress of affairs. The principle which
has generally prevailed in the settlement of the ter
ritories of the Republic and which has ever char
acterlzed its growth and expansion, has been that
OF emigration as distinguished from colonization.
Nor is this distinction without difference Colo
nization properly refers to settlements undertaken
begun, and conducted by organized bodies of men,
acung In furtherance OF some common scheme, or
under government auspices and protection. In no
sense OF the term have the territorial dependencies
OF the United States ever been colonial in their
character. No dollhouse system of government
patronage has ever promoted their settlement; but
their growth has always been natural and sponta-
neous, and their progress the result of free and vol
untary emigration. The men who have peonled
the great West and the Pacific shores were not sent
thlther In pursuance of any general scheme of colo
nlzatlon, but went freely and of their own accord
In quest of home and fortune, each in his own time
and by his own road, and for his own private and
ilulVluual ENDS In this way, Kansas, too might
nave been peopled, and with her great natural adj
vantages OF soil and climate could not have failed
10 attract an influx of emigration which would
nave long since procured for her peaceful and nm
disputed admission into the Union of the States
unhappily however, different principle has
been suffered to prevail in the settlement of
tlls territory. Her evil destiny made Kansas
the battle held wherein was to be fought and de-
cided the question of political supremacy between
the North and the South-the slave states and the
free The point at issue was whether or not slavery
should exist in Kansas, and the whole Union took
sides in the contest. Neither party would consent
IN
determine, but both resorted to active measures
with the view of influencing and preciT itating a
favorable decision. Emigration Aid Societies were
organised in both sections of the Union and armed
propagandsts and emissares of Slavery and of Aho-
htionsm We're sent in troops to Kansas Once
brought face to face, and arrayed in open hostility
upon the same soil, collision between the two
factions became inevitable. The active Interference
OF the Mlssourlan borderers who were too deeplv
interested in the result of the contest which was
beng waged at their very doors to rest contented
with manitesting merely passipe sympathy in be-
half of the interests and institutions of the South
served to render that collision the more ALARMING
and that hostility the more. intense. by the bitter.
ness OF feeling which 1t evoked at the North Civil
war was the result; not indeed on the friphtful
scale represented by the newspapers and the noli
hcians, but to a sufficient extent to Justify and
require the interference of the General Government
and the employment of military force to ouell the
disorders which followed We know that the
President has been blamed for the use which he
made OF the United States troops in Kansas. and
the late defeat OF the Army Bill in the Senate is in
great part attributable to the opposition of the Re-
publican members, who hoped that the CONSEQUENT
exigencies of the Mormon war might be such as to
compel the entire withdrawal of the army from that
territory The facts in the case, however. fully
justify the President in the course which he pur-
sued, ana the defeat OF the Army Bill is only the
more to be regretted, because of its tendency 10
weaken the power of the Government to repress
rebellion and punish treason, whether IN Utah or
in Kansas
Such has been the course of affairs in Kansas up
to the present hour, which finds her an applicant
for admission into the Union. The struggle in
Congress upon the question of her admission as
State, under the Lecompton Constitution, is but
continuation of the contest which has been waoed
in Kansas and throughout the Union from the first
organization of the territory. The objections
which have been urged against the Lecompton
Constitution the of alleged informalities in
the mode and manner of its adoption, are altogether
aside from the real merits of the question That
question is the question of Slavery Its agitation
in Kansas has borne the bloody fruit of civil war.
Its agitation in Congress may prove not less fatal
In Kansas, two opposing interests and two rival
parties have, fromthe beginning, divided the SYM
pathies of the peope-two governments have claim
ed their allegiance-two Legislatures and two
Governors have sought to compel their obedience
In perfect consistency with this unhappy division
of feeling and interests, which has been the bane
of Kansas during the whole period of her territorial
existence, when she applies for admission as a
State it is with two constitutions
1t is true the constitution framed at Iecompton
and adopted on 2lst December, 1857 is the only in
strument which is formally under consideration by
Congress. 1t is none the less true however that
the other, or Topeka constitution is constantly
kept in view throughout the whole discussion. It
is the saltera pors." Strenuous efforts are made
to make the whole decision of the question turn
upon the peculiar merits dement's of the Lee
compton Constitution, and the character of the
ections which have been held under it, but the real
issue involved is one of far higher and more tram
scending Importance The question is not whether
the Lecompton Constitution faithfully reflects the
sentiments and wishes of the people of Kansas;
nor whether the President of the Convention by
whom 1t was framed has been guilty of frauds in
conducting the elections which were by it directed |
to be held. 1t is the peace and happiness of the
country, and the integrity of the Union, which is
at stake, and which is greatly mperilled bv the
further agitation of the question of slavarv and
which imperatively requires that that mast;on
should be at once banished from Congress NV tho
immediate admission of Kansas as a State
How that admission shall be effected is a ono,
ton which can admit of but one solution IT, |
Lecompton Constitution bears the external stamn
of authenticity and legality both as respects its
formation and its adoption The Topeka Consti-
tuition is the unauthorized act of an illegal and
irresponsible body, acting in open defiance of law