The Washington union., 1858-02-03
TVSSSkSSS ~ 81
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

received osl', P'S'''"s VI way
late constitutional convention OF Kansas copy, duiy
certified by himself of the constitution framed by that
body with the expression OF hope that would submit
the same to the consideration of Congress, with the
view of the admission of Kansas into the Union in
tlepenaent State In compliance with this request,
herewith transmit to Congress- for their action the con-
sttuiion Kansas with the ordinance respecting the
public lands, we'll the letter of Mr. Calhoun, dated
ut Leoompton the l4th ultmo, by which they were
accompanied Having received but single copy OF the
constitution and ordnance send this to the senate
great deluson seems to pervade the public mind IN
relation the condition OF parties IN Kansas ms uSoe
from the difficulty of inducing the American people 10
realize the fact that any portion OF them shoui W -
state of rebellion against the government. "'iue' WHICH
they live When speak OF the AFFAIRS oi h'' ,,
apt refer merely 10 the existence OF TWO ooh' poh
cal parties in that Territory divided ON the qnestoh oil
slavery just speak OF such parties IN the states
This presents adequate idea OF the true state oil the
case The dividing line there is not between two poiti
cal parties both acknowledging the lawful existence OF
the government but between those who loyal to this
and those who have endeavored to destroy Its
existence by free and by usurpation-between those
who sustain and those who have done all in their power
10 overthrow the territorial government established by
Congress This government they would long since have
subverted had it not been protected from their assaults
by the troops of the United States Such has been the
condition OF affairs since my Inauguration. Ever since
that period large portion of the people OF Kansas have
bsn in state rebellion against the government, witha
military leader at their head OF most turbulent ana dan
gcrons character They have never acknowledged put nave
constantly renounced and deed the government to which
they owe allegiance and have been all the time in state
of resistance against its authority They have all the time
been endeavong to to establish revolution
arv government under the called in
its stead Even at this very moment the Topeka legisa
tre are in session Whoever has read the correspond
ence of Governor Walker with the State Department re-
Gently communicated to the Senate, will be convinced
that this picture not oyerdawn He always protested
against the withdrawal of any portion OF the military
force of the United States from the Territory deemng
its presence absolutely necessary Tor the preservation oil
nd tha of he
In his very first despatch to the Secretary of State dated
June q 1857 he says .sThe most alarming movement,
however proceeds from the assembling on the 9Th June
of the socaed Topeka legislature with view to the en-
actruent OF entire code OF laws VI course, 1t VIII
be nv endeavor prevent such result as it would lead
to inevitable and disastrous collision, and, in TACT renew
the civil war in Kansas This was with difficulty pre-
vented by tbs efforts of Governor Walker; but soon
thereafter on the i4th of July, find him requesting
General Harney to furnish him regiment OF dragons to
proceed the city Of Lawrence this Tor the reason
that he had received authenc intelligence verified by
his own actual observation that dangerous rebellion
had occurred involving open defiance OF the laws
and the establishment OF insugent government In that
city
In the governors despatch of July 18th he informs the
Secretary of State that this movement at Lawrence was
the beginning pan originating in that city, to or
gnze insuTrection throughout the Territory and espec
ally in all towns cities counties where the republican
party have majority. Lawrence is the hot-bed OF all
the abolition movements in this Territory 1t is the
town established by the abolition societies OF the East
and whilst there are respectable people there it is filled
by considerable number of mercenaries who are paid by
abolition societies to perpetuate and dfuse agitation
throughout Kansas and prevent peaceful settlement oi
this question Having failed in inducing their own so
called Topeka State legislature to organize thsinsurrecon
Lawrence has commenced it herself and not arrested
the rebellion will extend throughout the Territory
And again. . In order to send this communication
immediately by mail, must close by assuring you that
the spirit of rebellion pervades the great mass OF the re-
publican party of this Territory nstgated as enter
tain no doubt they are by eastern societies, having In
view results disastrous to the government and TO the
Union and that the continued presence of Gen Har-
ney here is Indispensable originally stipulated by me,
with large body of dragons and several batteries
On the Goth July, 1851 Gen Lane, under the author
y of the Topeka convention, undertook as Governor
Walker informs MS, " to organize the who'll so-called
party into volunteers, and to take the names OF
MI who refuse enrolment The pfossed object is to pro-
the polls at the election in August OF the new insnr
gent Topeka State Legislature,
The object of taking the oi all who refuse
ronicnt to errfy the freeState conservatives into sub
mission This is proved by recent atrocities committed
such by Topekaites The speedy location OF large
bodies of regular troops here, with two batteries, is
necessary The Lawrence insurgents await the develop
ment of this new revolutionary military organization,
&C., &c.
In the governors despatch Of July 9th, he says that
"Gen Lane and his staff everywhere deny the authority
of the territorial laws and counsel total disregard of
these cnactnents.'
Without making further quotations Of similar char
ncter from other dispatches of Gov Walker it appears
by reference TO MI StantOH 10 UeIl
Cass of the 9th December last that the important step
of calling the legislature together taken after
he had become satisfied that the election ordered by the
convention the 2lst instant could not be conducted
without collision and bloodshed So intense the
dsoyal feeling among the enemies OF the government
established by Congress that election which afforded
them opportunity if In the majority OF making Kan
sas free State according to their professed desire
could not be conducted without collision and bloodshed
The truth is that up till the present moment the enc
mics of the existing government still adhere to their To-
peka revolutionary constitution and government The
very first paragraph of the message of Coy Robinson,
dated on the 7th December to the Topeka legislature
now assembled at Lawrence, contains open defiance of
the constitution and laws OF the United States The
ernor saws 1.-THE convention which framed the consu
ton at Topeka originated with the people of Kansas Ter
ritory They have adopted aud ratified the twice
y direct vote and also indirectly through two elections
Of State officers and members of the State legislature
Yet it has pleased the administration to regard the whole
proceeding revolutionary.
This Topeka government adhered to with such treason
able pertnacity government in direct opposition to
the existing government prescribed and recognised by
Congress 1t is usupaton of the character it
would be for portion of the people of any State of the
Union to undertake to establish separate government
within its limits for the purpose of rcdressng griev
ance real imaginary, of which they might complain
against the legitimate State government Such princi-
pie If carried into execution, would destroy all lawful
authority and produce universal anarchy.
From this statement of facts the reason becomes pal
pablo why the enemies of the government authorized by
Congress have refused to vote for delegates to the Kansas
constitutional convention and also afterwards the ques
ton of slavery submitted by it to the people II is be-
cause they have refused to sanction recognise