Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-02-09
THE PR ESIDENT,S MESSAGE.
on THE
LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 1858.

|
dent of the late Constitutional Convention of
Kansas, copy, duly certified by himself, of
| the constitution framed by that body, with
the expression of the hope that would sub
| NIT the same to the consideration of Congress,
with the view of the admission of Kansas
into the Union an independent State"
| In compliance with this request / herewith
transmit to Congress for its action the Constr
| tuition of Kansas, with the ordinance respect
ing the public lands, as well as the letter OF
Mr. Calhoun, dated LecOmpton, the l4th ult.,
| by which they were accompanied. Having
| received but single copy Of the constltu-
ton and ordinance. | send this to the Senate.
a great delusion seems to pervade the pub
lie mind i'm relation to the condition of par
ties in Kansas This arises from the difficulty
of inducing the American people to realize
the fact that any portion of them should be
in state of rebellion against the government
under which we live. When we speak of the
affairs of Kansas we are apt to refer merely
to the existence of two violent political par
ties in that Territory, divided by the question
of slavery, just as we speak of such parties i'll
States. This presents no adequate idea of the
state of the case. The dividing line there is
not between two political parties, both ac-
knowledging the lawful existence of the gov
eminent; but between those who are loyal to
| this government and those who have endeav-
Ortd to destroy its existence by force and
| usurpation-between those who sustain and
those who have done all in their power to
overthrow the Territorial government estab-
lirhed by Congress.
This government they would long since
| have subverted had it not been protected from
| assaults by the troops Of the United States.
| Such has been the condition of affairs since
my Inauguration. Ever since that period a
| large portion Of the people of Kansas have
| been in a state of rebellion against the gov
4 tt-ifi at
| Of most turbulent and dangerous character
| They have never acknowledged, but have
| constantly renowned and defied, the govern
| ment to which they owe allegiance, and hay
| been all the time in state of resistance
against its authority. They have all the time
been endeavOring to subvert it and establish
| a revolutionary government under the social
! led Topeka Constitution in its stead. Even
at this very moment the Topeka Legislature
are in session. Whoever has read the CORES
| pondcncc of Governor Walker with the State
! Department, recently communicated to the
! Senate will be convinced that this picture is
not overdrawn. He always protested against
| the withdrawal of any portion Of the militia
ry force of the United States from the Terri
tory, deeming its presence absolutely necessa-
ry for the preservation of the regular govern
ment. and the execution of the laws.
In his very first dispatch to the Seer tary of
State, dated June 2, 1887, he says:
"A most alarming movement, however, pro-
ceeds from the milling Of the so-callcd
Topeka Legislature, with the view to the en-
actment of an entire code of laws. OF course
il will he my endcavOr to prevent such re-
suit, as it would lead to an inevitable and dis
astrous collision, in fact, renew civil war
in Kansas
This was prevented by the efforts of Cover
nor Walker, but soon he had to send to Gen
eral Harvey to request him to furnish rcgi-
ment Of dragons To proceed TO the city of
Lawrence, and this for the Reason that he had
received authentic intelligence, verified by his
own actual observation, that dangerous re-
bclliOn had occurred. involving open defiance
of the laws and the establishment of an insur
gent government in that city
In the Governors despatch Of July Is, he
informs the Secretary Of State that
The movement in Lawrence was the be-
ginning of a plan, originating in that city to
organize an instruction throughout the Ter
ritOry, and especially i'll all the towns, citits
aud counties where the Republican party have
a majority. Lawrence is the LOt-bcd of all
Abolition movements in the Territory. 1t is
the town established by the Abolition socic-
cites of the East, and, whilst there are re-
spectacle number of people there, ii is filled
by a considerable number of mercenaries,
who are paid 10y the Abolition societies to
peTpetuate and ditluse agitation throughout
of this question. Having fail,d in inducing
their own so-caIled Topeka State Legislature
to organize this Instruction, Lawrence has
commenced it herself, and if not arrested, re-
bellion will extend throughout the Tlrrito-
ry."
And again -
al order to send this communication i'm
mcd.ateIy by mall | must close assuring you
that the spirit Of rebellion pervades the great
.Ft
tory, instigated, rs | entertain no doubt they
are, 10y Eastern societies, having in view re-
suits most disastrous to the government and
the mon. aud that the continued presence of
General HarEey is Indispensable, as was ORR
ginally stipulated by me- with large body
OF dragons and several batteries
On the 10th of July 1857, General Lane,
under the authority of the Topeka Conven-
tiOn ind rtUok, as Governor Walker saws
'To organize the whole Free State party
into volunteers, and to take the names of all
who refuse enrolment. The proposed object
was 10 protect the polls at the election in Au-
gust of "a new insurgent Topeka State Lcgs-
lature. The object III taking the names OF all
who refuse enrolment Is to terrify the Free
State conserI atiycs into submission. This is
proved by the recent atrocities committed on
such men by the TUpO kaitcs. The speedy To-
cation Of large bodies of regular troops here
with two batteries is necessary. The Law
renee insurgents await the dew Opponents of
this new military organization"
In the Governors despatch of July 81, he
says:
Lane and his staff everywhere deny the
authority OF the Territorial laws and counsel
Il total disregard of these cnactments."
Without making quotations of similar
character from other dispatches of Governor
Walker it appears by reference To Secretary
Stantuu'- communication To General Cass on
the yth of December last, that "ihe important
stop OF calling the Legislature together was
taken after Governor Walker had become
satisfied that the election ordered by the Con-
yeutiUu on the 2lst instant could not be con-
Quoted without collision and bloodshcd" So
intense was the disoyal feeling among the
enemies of the government established by
Congress, that an election which Afforded
them opportunities, il in the ma jority, of max
ing Kansas u free State, according to their
own protested desires could not be conducted
without collision aud bloodshed. The truth
Is, that until the present moment the enemies
OF the existing government still adhere To
their Topeka revolutionary constitutional
government. The very first paragraph of the
message of Governor Robinson, dated eth of
December, to the Topeka Legislature, now as-
sembed at Lawrence, contains an open de-
tiancc of the laws aud constitution of the
United States. The Governor says:
1.-The Convention which framed the Topeka
Constitution originated with the people OF the
Kansas Territory. They have adopted and rat
ihed the same twice by direct vote; also.
indirectly, through two elections of State I.e-
gisla;urc; yet ii has pleased tie Admin stTa-
ton to regard the whole proceeding reyolu
tionary.'
The Topeka government, adhered Ia Will
such reasonable pertinacijy, Is governments
IN direct opposition TO the existing govern
mcnt presented and recognized by Congress.
II Is ueurpation of the same character ~ l.
would bc for IA portion If the p Cpl: OF anA .
State. to undertake TO establish a scparat,
government, within its limits. for the purpo-.
of redrassing any grievance, real or iinagina
~, of which they might complain, against tin
Legitimate State government Such Il prn