Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-12-10
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

present day with what " was one year at the meet
ina ~ Congress- have much for gratitude to
that Almighty Providence which has failed 20 in
efrose fof relief at the most critical period Of our
lssoH. One year ago. the sectional strife between the
North and the South the dangerous subject Of slavery
had again become intense TO threaten the peace and
rcrpctuty Of the confcdcracy The application for the
admission Of Kansas State into The Uuon Jstetcd
his unhappy agatiOn and brought the whole subject
once more before Congress II the desire OF every
patriot that such Of legislation might be adopt
cd as would remove the excitement from the States and
cundne IL TO the Territory where egmaely belonged
Much has been done, am happy TO saw towards the ac
compshmen Of this object, during the last session OF
Congress.
The supreme Court Of the United States had previous
y decided that all American citizens have an equal
right to take into the Territories whatever is held
Property under the laws Of any Of the States and TO hold
such property there under the guardianship of the eder
al constitution, so long as the territorial condition shall
remain.
This is now well established position, and the pro-
ceedngs Of the last sesson alone wanting to give
it practical effect The principle has been recognized IN
some form other nv an almost unanimous Of both
houses of Congress, that Territory has right 10 come
into the Union either a fee slave State according
10 the will Of majority Of its people The Just equality
" all the States has thus been indicated, and ruiH
source Of dangerous dssension among them has been re-
moved.
legislative proceedings outside Of Kansas, their influence
has been nowhere so happy within that Territory ~
self LEFT TO manage and control Us affairs ih Is
own way without the pressure Of external influence the
revolutionary Topeka organization aud all resistance to
the territorial government cstanishei ny congress- neN
been finally abandoned As natural consequence, that
tine Territory appears 70 be tranquil and prosperous
aud attracting Increasing thousands Of immigrants to
make it their happy home.
The past unfortunate experience Of Kansas has cnf1rc-
cd the lesson Omen already taught hat resistance 70
lawful authority, under form " government, cannot
f In the end 10 prove disastrous 90 its authors iiah
the people Of the Territory yielded obedience 90 The laws
enacted bv thcr fegsafre be would nt the present
mcnt have contained large additional population of
dustrious and pug citizens who have been deter
rcl rom entering rs borders by the eAiscnc oI 0'u
Il tn resistance rghtfl authority and the per
sevenng attempts To establish revolutionary govern
mcut under the Topeka Constitutions which caused the
people q Kansas 90 commit ihe grave error OF feHf
% vote Tor delegates TO the convention 'rame clu-t-
tuition under law not dcae 60 bo flir and just in is
provisions This refusal 90 vote hls been me Pi9'h'
snurcr ~ l ihc evils which have followed in thc h
uitg TO the tcrieral gotcrnneut they dsregWlrd iho
principle, absolutely essential 90 te working of our form
" gvcrnucui. that majority NJ those who Vo'c-not
tue majority who mas remain az homo, i1m WlNc.et
causenust decide the result of election. For this
reason seeking 90 lake advantage OF their orn error
thy denied tine authority Of the convention thus elected
to frame a constitution.
The convention, notwithstanding, proceeded TO adopt
constitution upeyecponl In iis general features and
providing for the snbuisson Of e slavery question to
vote Of the people, witch, VA my opinion, they were
bound to DO under the Kan.as and Nehraska act This
was the auEmr'rtant question which hal alone c9n'n',
-ed the Trrt1ry aud yet the opponents n the lawful
soFeruicnt persung ~ their hfst error tthAn'i i"m
exercising their right % vote and preferred that slavery
should continue rather than surrender Their revolution
AIRY Topeka organization.
wiser and better spirit seemed % prevail before the
first Monday VI January last, when an election was held
under the constitution a majority OF the people then
voted nr Governor and other State officers f1r nom
Der Of Congress and members VI the state Lcgisutnrc
The election warmly contested by the two political
nares in kansas. and a Greater vote was p1cd than at
any previous election. large majority Of thc members
ofihe Legislature elect belonged 60 that party which had
previously rcus,d % vote. The antsavcry party were
thus placed n thc ascendant amt the political power Of
the State was in their own hands. Had Congress admit
tea Kansas INTO the Union under The Lccompton eonsu-
ruon the Legislature mi ght, at s very FIRST session,
have submitted the question to a vote Of the people,
whether they would or would not have convention TO
amend Their constitutions either ON me slavery or any
oiner question: and have adopted Az necessary means
ff giving speedy eject 20 the will o The majprity Thus
ue Nahsa' question would nave oe'h imhedl"toiy auu
finally settled
Under these circumstances, ! submitted to Congress
M constitution thus framed. with all the officers already
elected necessary 70 put the State government into oper
alton, accompanied by strong recommendation IN favor
% the admission " Klnsas state In the Of
my long public lie have never performed any official
at wheh lu she retrospect, has afforded me moro heart
f,lt sat,fic1n It's admission could have inflicted no
possible injury on any human being, whilst 1t would
within brief peod have restored peace to Kansas and
harmony To the Union In that event the slavery ques
ton would ere this have been finally settled according To
the legally expressed viii Of majority Of the voters, ana
popular sovereignty would thus have been indicated in
constitutional manner.
With my deep convictions Of duty. could have pur-
sued no other course. 1t IS true hat as an individual
bad expressed opinion, both before aud during the
session Of the convention in favor OF submitting the re-
naming clauses OF the constitutions as wen as tha con.
ernng slavery to the people But acting IA an nlheia
chHactef' neither myself nor any human authority hld
the power 70 rcndge the proceedings Of the convention
and declare the consntaiou which 1t had framed to be
nulity. To have done this would have been a violation
Of the Kansas and Nebraska act, which left the people
Of the territory perfectly free form and regulate then
domestic institutions IN their own way, subject only "a
the constitution of the United States would equally
have vi dated the great principle Of popular sovereignty
at tho foundauon Of our institutions, 10 deprive the peo
pie Of the power they thought proper TO exercise H. OF
cnnidng TO delegates elected by themselves the trust
audng constitution, without requiring them to subject
their constituents to the trouble, expense and delay OF
second election II would nave neeh w. op"sluuh g
many prccetcns in our history commencing IN the very
best age Of the republic OF the admission of Ierutrt
states iuio the Union, without previous yue of the
people approving their constitution.
IL Is 10 b. lameuted that question so insignificant
when viewed 10 It's practical effects the people II Kan
whether decided one way the other should have
kn1ed such fame ~ excitement throughout the coun
Try This reflection may prove to be lesson Of wisdom
and Of warning for our future guidance. Practically con
sidered, the question is simply whether hepcople Of tina
Territory should first come into the Union and thcI
change any provision in their constitution not ngrecab
10 themselves, accomplish the very object by re-
luainng Of the Union and framing another consttu
zion in accordance with their will In either th
result would be precisely the The only dtiercuc
in point Of fact is that the object would have been mucl
sooner attained and the pacihcation Of Kansas NOR
speedily effected had It been admitted as State durln
the last session " Congress.
sly Recommendation. however, for thr immediate al
mission Of Kansas, failed % meet the appreciation %
Congress. They dsemed il wiser 70 adopt ditefcn
measure for the settlement Of the question For m
part, should have been willing TO yield my assc
70 almost any constitutional measure 70 accomplish TIA
object. l. therefore, cordially acluiesccl ia what ht
been called the En- Flsh Compromse aud approved tn