The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-06
is POLICY OR PRINCIPLE TO PREVAIL IN
KANSASS

Patrick QuiGiey AZ Dubuque, Iowa rcappolnted
g -
IS POLICY OR PRINCIPLE TO PREVAIL IN
KANSAS
We are firmly convinced that the true interests Of
the people Of Kansas and the supposed interests of
the republicans are utterly at with each other.
1t IL our belief whether wen or founded that the
republicans will use, they have heretofore used,
every ~xertion in their power to drive Kansas into
opposition TO the ordinance accompanying the act Of
admission Of that State into the Union; whereas
are confident if the people there consult their own
interests and dignity, they will assent to the terms
of the ordinance and thus close the controversy for
ever.
We are FREQ to say, in this connection, that it is
our chief and might add our only object to quiet
The country We have lived for four years, it
under the peals of an alarm bell If there had been
1.-THE Of truth in the admonitions have received
Of impending dangers and political CONGREGATIONS,
by this time nota pillar would be found to support
the temple Of our institutions. We tired Of it
the country is tired, and recoils AZ from contagion
from any more Kansas. What we would now ac-
complish is this that tho people Of that State shall
be made to comprehend their own true interests
we ask nothing more. To this end we will glance at
the past and present of that people.
We admit then, in the first place, the existence of
a long and bitter controversy, extending from Kan
sas throughout the whole country, in which, we re-
greet to say to great extent the people Of the slave
States have taken one side, and the people Of the
free States have taken the other. This controversy
within the Territory assumed most complicated
on1a f,,nro Ia and
fable FORM The frce-State party. from tho moment
the territorial government established, not only
denied its authority, but set up revolutionary gov
crnment in opposition to it, and used every means
in their power to supersede and destroy the former
In this we say they we're guilty of great wrong-a
wrong which, had it been confined to Kansas alone
might have been regarded as insignificant but
powerful party out Of the Territory became identified
with it, and they lost opportunity to spread be-
fore the whole country the fact that they en-
dorsed it.
passions Of men arc excited, when they are mere
partsans for fair and candid Judgment of this mat
ter But it will be the province Of the historian to
record the events, and to invoke the condemnation
of posterty upon the conduct Of tho republicans in
that affair, - presenting lawless disregard of the
forms Of State and rejecting those remedies for evils
complained which our system has SO abundantly
provided in the ballotboxes.
Relying upon the strength of their revolutionary
refused TO vote under tho territorial laws Proceed
ing in the usual way those who did vote elected del
egates to convention framed State constitution,
and presented 1t to Congress, asking admission into
the Union. The republicans. when the constitution
was presented to the Legislature asked Congress and
the Executive to disavow the government they had
established and to regard the revolutionary govern
ment Of Topeka as the rghtfll law Of the inchoate
State
That was mot only am unreasonable but an insult |
ing demand. NwaSnothing moro nor less than ask
its own laws, abrogate it's appointments, and to IN
stal party in power which had been in actual re-
bsllion against those laws and those appointments
Then, right ON the other side, Congress- said that
the constitution presented in proper form, that
II had III needful legal sanctons and was duly or
dained by authority d the people.
Undar these simple circumstances the State was |
admitted into the Union certain conditions which,
in order to render the act complete receive tho
assent Of the people Of Kansas Nobody asserts
that the conditions are harsh unreasonable, or unu
sual They are addressed to the qualified electors
Of We inchoats State if they assent to them they
win become thereby member of our family Union
il hsy reject the conditions they will remain for the
present Territory. Now the object Of this inquiry
il to anticipate the decision Of this question by re-
ferring to fncts relating to actual circumstance in
Kansas, which We think ought to control the case
Kansas 10 situated the left bank of the Missouri
river having river front the western line Of the
State Of Missouri Of scarcely than seventy niles
It is beautiful country moro beautiful in state
Of nature than wo have ever seen elsewhere. Its
surface i~a vast unduating prairie interlarded with
light growth of timber sufficient for agricultural
purposes for many years to come. 1t is wen water
cd, possesses rich incxhanshblc soil, and genial