Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-02-11
IMPORTANT MESSAGEI
FROM THE PRESIDENT.
The Kansas CONSTITUTE II sent to Congress

Ioilowing statement to Congress, and accnmpa-
med 1t with a copy o. the Kansas (LeeoIH ton
constitution:
To the Senate ard Hou:e Of Representatives, Of the
United States:
l have received from J. Calhoun. Esq, prcsi-
dent OF the late constitutional convention of
Kansas, a copy daily certified by himself, of the
constitution framed by tina; body. with the ex-
preston of a hope that l would submit; the same
to the consideration # Congress, with the view
OF the admission OF Kansas into the Union as an
lndepen.ent State" In compliance with the
request, L herewith transmit to Congress. for
their action, the Constitution of IA saS, with
The oFilEance respecting .he public lands. a well
- the letter of Mr.. Calhoun, dated ut Lccump-
ton on the 18th ult., by which they were accom-
panied. Having received but a single copy Of
this constitution and ordinance, l send this 70 the
Senate.
y great delusion seems to rervale the public
mind IN relation to the condition of parties in
Kansas. This arises from the difficulty OF indu-
'ing the American people 10 realize the fact that
any portion Of them should be in Il state of re
hei!ion agains; the government under which they
1--we. When We speak ot the affairs of Kansas
We are apt to r"ler merely to the existence OF
Two -ioienr political parties N that Ter-itrry, Iii
vided Oh the question Oi slavery, Just ~ We speak
III such parties in the States. This presents no
adequate idea Of the true state Of the case The
dividing line there is not between two ~pnli;ica!
parties, both acknowIed- ilg the lawful existence
Of the government, but between those who are
loyal TO This government and those whc have
endeavored TO destroy its existence by force and
usurpatiOn-hci Tecn those who sustain and those
who have done all in their power to overthrow
the territorial government established by Cen
gress. This government they would long since
haze subvertcl had it net been protected from
their assaults by the troops of the United States.
Such has been the condition q: affairs since my
inauguration. Ever since that period a large
portion OF the people of Kansas have been in u
state Of rebellion against the government, with
military leader at their head of a most tarbu-
lent and dangerous character. They have never
acknow edged, but have eoIstlntly renowned
and letied the govern eut TO VII Oh they owe al
iegiauce, and have been all the time in a state of
resistance against lis authority. They have all
the time been endeavoriug to subvert il and to
establish a revolutionary government, under the
so called Topeka constitutions: in its stead. Even
at this very moment the Topeka Legislature are
in session. Whoever has read the correspon-
dence of Governor Walker with the stare De
partmen,, recently communicated to the Senate.
will be convinced that this picture is not over
drawn. lie Away : protested against the with
drawal Of any portion of tho military force oi
the United States from the Territory, deeiaing
its presence absolutely necessary for the pre>er-
yati0n of the regular government and the cxecu-
tian of the laws. In his VERY frs dispatch Ia
the Secretary Of State, ,latel June ,. 1851. he
saws: ''rhe most alarming movement. however.
proceeds from the assembling on the 9!h Jane
of The 30 called Topeka Leg stature, with 4 view
to th- enactment Of an entire code of laws. o.
course, it will lie my enIcavor 20 prerent sIch a
result, As il woald lead to inevitable and disas-
trous collision. and in fact, renew the rivii war
in Kansas" This was with difficulty prevented
by the efforts of Gov. Walker; hat Ssun thcreaf
ter, on the l4th of July, We find him requesting
.,n..,l Iarnar .n tnrni-h hT,, -.-T,,.,t II
dra goons to proceed to the city of Lawrence
and tn is for The reason that he hal received au.
thcntic intelligence, verified by his own practical
observation, that II dangerous rebellion had oc-
Cured, "involving an open defiance of the law
and the establishment oi an insurgent govern
nIent in that city
In the Governors dispatch of July 18th, he
informs the Secretary OF State "that this move
nent at Lawrence WAS the beginning of Il plan
originating IN that city, to organize inSGrrrctiuT
throughout the Territory; and especially in al
} towns, cit es or counties where the republican
party have II majority. Lawrence is the hutbel
Of all The abolition movements in this Territory
1t is the town established by the abolition soci,
cites of the East: and whilst there are respectahI,
people there, it is filled by Il considerable mum
Der Of mercenaries who are paid by abolition So
| cic,ies To perpeinate and diiiuSe agirat!ou through
out Kansas, and prevent ii peaceful settlement 0
tais 4uestion. Having failed in inducing tneI!
own So Cdilci lolthi Sldlc Legislature IN organ
ize this lnsurfectlon, Lawrence has commeucs'
it herself, and if not arrested, the rebellion a.l
extend throughout the Territory"
And again: In order 10 send this communica.
ton Immediately 10y mail, | must close by ASST
ring you that the spirit Of rebellion pervadct
: the great mass of the republican party Of tni
Territory, Instiyiied, rs l entertain no doUb
! lney are, by eastern societies, having n view re
most disastrous 10 the government and f
the Union; aud that the continued presence q
urn. ilarucy here is md sip.nsabl-, rs urigiualiy
stipulated by Inc, with il large body of dragoon
and several batteries"
On the 2Gth ) ally, 1857, Gen. Lane. under tn.
authority oil The Topeka conrcnt;"n, undertook
as Governor Walker informs Us, ''to organize TIA
whole 80 called free State party Tito volunteers
and 10 take the names OF fall who refuse enroll
I ment. The protested object is To protect the poll
at the election in August Of the new insursen
/ Topeka State Legislature.
THE object OF taking the names oraII who re
2 fuse enrolment is to terriiy the free State con
servatiyes into submission. This Is provoked %
receutatrocities committed on such men by To
rekaitcs. The speedy location Of large bod - q
regular troops here, with two batteries, i ne
, crssary. The Lawrence insurgents await tn
, development 0! this new revolutionary orSinizd
lion,' &c.
In the Governors dispatch of July 9th, h,
=, saws that 'Gen Lane ami his staff everywher
=, deny the authority OF the territorial laws, an'
Il counsel a total disregard Of these euactments."
.thOut maxi z further quotations OF a SINH
lar character Tirni other dispatches of GOyerno
p Walker, it appears by = reference To Mr. stanton
communication 10 Gen. Cass OF the 9th D.cembe
last, that the ''imrortant step Of calling the Leg
I stature together was taken after l he had be
come satisfied that the election ordered by III
Il convention on the 2lst instant could not be con
Quoted without collision and blood he'd" So in
: tense was the disloyal feeling among the enc
- = l. ,-,r. a=faLf-haI hr t'.-ra.
hat an election which afforded them an Oppor
,uAIty. il in the majority. of making Kansas
free State, accord ne to their own protested lie
, ire, GUILD not be conducted without collision
and biUUl-hci.
The truth is, that, up TIL the pTese II moment
The eneinieS of the existing government still al
: here to their Topeka revolutionary con>iituil"I
=, ami government. The very first paragraph E
he message OF GUvernor Robinson, ia,ei on IN
! 9TH December, to the Topeka Legislature rot
= assembled AT Lawrence. contains an open deli
, anre OF The constitution and laws of the Unite
States. The GavrrIur says: The cbaNe t."
winch framed the rniis.i Ttiou at Iopeka urIgi
| mated with the people uf Kansas Territory. The
have adopted and ratified The same twice By
direct vote, and also Indirectly through two elec
lions Of State officers and members of the Stat
legislature. Yet 1t has pleased the administra
, ton TO regard he whole proceeding rcvV'utiona
, ry."
ms ltithd gov d'lsitEtt u I. Il ~NCI
: reasonable pcrTinaciiy, is Il government Ill ui
: rect opposition to The existing government PIE
-eriDed AID recognised by Congress. 1t H.
usurpaiion u; the same character sSIt would b
: or Il portion u! jhe people %; ANY Sale OF Ia
e UuI.n to undertake To establish Il separate gov
4 erumcni, within lis limits, Tor the purpose Of re
dressing any grievances, real or imaginary.
whTra1 they mi 5ht complain, against the irgIti
mate Stale government. Such Il principle,
carrici into execution, would destroy all iawlu
authority and produce universal anarchy.
: From Ibis statement Of facts, the reasoI, be
| comes pli ,able why the encrn.es of the govern
y ment authorized By Congress have refused 10 Vol
o. delegates TO the Kansas constitutional con
1t rcntiou, ana also afterwards on the question c
T ,laycry su,m.ried lay II 10 the people. 1t Is bs
!; clrse they have ever re.uscIj 10 sanction or re ;uS
n.Lc any uthcr constitution than tia; Trained Il
Topeka.
lid the whole L"c":npt"n Constitution bee
submitted to the irurie, The adherrnts oi rhisoI
yanizaiiun would duupt,css have voted agaIns
II. because. II successful, they would Ihus iJ