The Kanzas news., 1858-01-30
Gov. Chase on Kanzas Affairs.

delivered in Columbus on the 4th instant
holds the following language IN relation tc
Kanzas affairs:
"The same disposition 10 extend the range
of Federal power in disparagement of State
sovereignty and popular rights has been
eonspicuously manifest in the action of the
Federal government in regard to the Terri
tory of Kanzas. From the day that Terri
tory was deprived of the safeguard of the
Missouri prohibition by the passage of the
Kanzas-Nebraska act, the whole action oi
the Federal government seems to have been
directed to the establishment of slavery
within its limits.
Instead of committing, in good faith, to
the people of the Territory the formation
and regulation, all the influence of the na-
tional administration has been exerted fer
the subjugation of the people to the will OF
the propagandists of slavery. The whole
practical effect of the Kanzas-Nebraska act
has been the substitution of Presidential
intervention for slavery, instead of Congress
sional intervention against slavery.
Without resistance or rebuke from the
national administration, the actual residents
of Kanzas were driven from the polls at the
first Territorial election, and a pretended
Legislature was imposed on an unwilling
people, by the fraud and force of invaders
from an adjoining State.
The people, harraased and outraged be-
yond endurance by the tyranny of the usurp-
ing Legislature and its instruments, who
were countenanced and aided by Federal
ofice-holders, sought relief in State Or
ganization. Through convention assem-
bled at Topeka, they framed State consti-
tuition, and, after its ratification by the pop
ular vote, sought admission under it into
the Union. Their prayer for such admis-
sion, though granted by the House of Rep
resentatives, rejecting the will of the peo-
pie, was denied by the Senate, rejecting, in
this, the will of the slave interest.
Every Federal officer in the Territory,
who manifested any sympathy with the peo
pie, was, from time to time, removed, and
bodies of troops were sent to compel sub
mission to usurping power.
A few months since, under an act which
practically disfranehised vast majority of
the citizens, pretended election was held
for members of convention to frame an
other constitution. This convention was
constituted, as was intended, exclusively of
the partizans of slavery. 1t framed, of
course, slave State constitution, and pro-
vided for its transmission to Congress,
without previous submission to the people
for ratification. 1t proposed indeed to sub
nit to popular judgment the question of
slavery or no slavery, but so framed the
terms of submission that no matter how the
people might vote, slavery would in any
event exist in the new State if admitted into
the Union under that constitution.
Happily, subsequent to the election of the
constitutional convention, the period for the
second election of Territorial Legislature
arrived, and at the election then held the
actual residents of the Territory succeeded
in eleeting majority of its members in
both branches. The people, Knocked aud
insulted by the proceeding just narrated,
now invoked from the Secretary of the Ter
ritory, acting as Governor, the convocation
of this body. For compliance with this just
demand, the Secretary was removed from
Office. For expressing himself in opposition
to the admission of the State into the Union
under the constitution of the convention,
and without previous submission to the peo-
pie. the Governor of the Territory fell under
such displeasure of the administration that
he was constrained to resign his position,
If the power and patronage of the Federal
government can secure the admission of
Kanzas into the Union under this slave State
constitution, that power and patronage will,
without doubt, be actively employed to that
end.
In all this the people of Ohio have deep
and vital interest. It is beyond question
that vast majority of her electors are op-
posed to that interposition of the Federal
government in behalf of slavery. I trust
that the General Assembly will give emphat
ic expression to the sentiments of the peo
pie.
1t cannot fail to arrest attention, that all
these encroachments of the Federal govern
ment upon State sovereignty and upon the
freedom of the Territories, arises from a
determined purpose on the part of those
who control its action to extend the domain
and enlarge the power of slavery. Under
this influence the ancient and original policy
of slavery prohibition was overthrown and
reversed by the kanzas Nebraska act. Un-
der this influence the whole power of the
national government has been exerted to
force slavery upon the reluctant people of
Kanzas. Under this influence, also, per-
sistent attempts are made to subjugate the
people of the free States to Federal domina-
ton, through the administration of the fu-
gitive slave act. Under this influence, f.
nally, the Federal Judiciary has promulgated
the revolving doctrine that the constitution
of the Union establishes and guarantees
slavery in all national territory, and conse-
quently that there is no foot of our widely
extended domain, outsidspf States whose
constitutions prohibit slavery, where the free
laborer can find home exempt from the in
trusion of that very peculiar Institution
This rapid progress of despotism cannot
fail to arouse and fix the attention of re-
fecting people. 1t forces upon the country
momentous issues between two opposite
systems of government-two opposite the