The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-01-08

4 legislation. 1t is recognized by the present Chief
Magistrate of the Union, just chosen by the Ameri-
can people, and many of its acts in operation
here by universal assent. As the governor of the
Territory of Kansas, must support the laws and
consitur ion and have no other alternative under
my oath but 10 that al! constitutional laws are
fully and fairly executed"
Mr.. Secretary Stanton, under the instructions
of the President and governor, addressed the
people as follows
s'The government especially recognizes the terri
toral act which provides for assembling convention
10 form constitution, with view OF making appl-
cation 10 Congress for admission State the
Union. That act is regarded presenting the only
test OF the qualification of voters for delegates
the convention and all preceding repugnant restric-
tIons are thereby repealed In this light the
be allowed TO have provided for full and fair express
sion of the will of the people through the delegates
who may be chosen 10 represent them in the consti-
tutioGal convention. do not doubt, however, that,
in order 10 avoid all preiext for resistance to the
peaceful operation of this law, the convention itself
will, in form, provide for submitting the great
d>tracting question regarding their special insttu
tions, which has so long agiafed the people of Kan
10 far of all the actual IONA 6ds residents
OF the Territory, with every possible security against
fraud and violence. If the constitution be thus fra
med. and the question of difference thus submitted
TO The decision Of the people, believe that Kansas
will be admitted by Congress without delay as one
of the sovereign States of the Amer Union, and
the territorial authorities will be Immediately with
drawn
These quotations are foil Of striking ideas
which invite special attention atthis time The
first is the full recognition, by both the COVER
nor and secretary, of the validity ofthe law cal
ling the convention anothher is, that the con-
vtnton, when formed, would have right to
make constitution and submit il to vote or
not aud this is one OF tha reasons of the COVER
r IL 1
and vote. ssThose who abstain from The right
Of suffrage" says the governor, ''authorze those
who do vote TO act for them" He says ",he
convention is legally called" 'becanse the
territorial legislature is the power ordained for
this purpose" But what is most remarkable,
and most TO the point, is, that Mr.. Stanton in
dicatrd, at that every day, that the submission
of "the great distracting question" slavery was
all that would be necessary TO give Kansas peace
and The dignity of State. He even then in
dicated, most pointrdly, the policy afterwards
adopted by the convention.
The senator from Illinois, in a speech deliver
de al Springfield, in bis State, on the 12ih of
June last, said
3siteEgy ais er-slf. rhrers. .s-r
tuition preparatory TO her admission into the Union"
ssThe law under hich her delegates about to be
elected is believed 10 be just and fair in all its objects
and pT0Utsions.''
With all this mass ofauthority TO sustain them
the people of the Territory, or those of them
who were willing TO sustain the laws which the
The President, Governor Walkenand the sena-
tor from Illinoisheld 10 be propS and binding
proceeded to make constitution and State
government. But those who said the laws
should not be obeyed refused to participate in
this work, and from this spirit Of insubordiua-
ton, in my judgment, all the subsequent mis-
chief has arisen. They would not attend al the
polls, and vote for delegates 10 carry out their
Will in the convention not because they did
not wish TO have State government-for the
same men had attempted 10 erect Kansas intoa
State in the most irregular and unauthorized
mode-but for the reason that they had commen-
ced rebellion against the laws, and were deter
mined to persist in 1t And il is, in the main,
these very men who al this moment are clamor-
ing most about oppression and usurpation, and
about sacred rights, which they Indignantly
refuse to exercise. Governor Walker labored
zpalously TO bring these men to the performance
of their duty, as is shown in the extract have
given from his address. But they were joined
10 their idol-the Topeka farce. The conse-
qurnce was, that there was virtually no con-
test for delegates, and only about twenty-five
hundred votes were polled. But still the con-
vention, on the theory OF Governor Walker,
had been invested with the authority of nearly
the whole population 10 make constitution and
State government.
This large class Of the people who neglected
10 vote for delegates became cIamorous against
the convention, and even assembled at Topeka
for the avowed purpose Of putting their own
bogus Cover lnment into operation. | was IN the
Territory for some time prior to and after the
election, and speak from personal observation as
to the spirit Of iasubordination manifested by
some, expending itself in bitter dpnunciation
of the President and Governor Walker for
attempting to administer what, in the chaste
phrase oflhe malcontents ,we-e the 'sbogus laws
Ola bogus legislature, averring that they would
have no form Of government from the convpn-
ton gotten UP under these laws, no matter how
perfect it might be that though that ''bogus
convention" should submit for their approval
their own Topeka constitution, they would
spurn il with contempt. This spirit was per-
sisted in TO the end. Governor Walker, as
must be obvious TO all, was not and could not be
vested with any authority over the subject OF
making a State government. His functions
were to administer the laws, and perform the
executive duties generally, which he did dis
charge with great ability. But beyond this, ne
could not 60 He had no connryion with, agen-
cy in, or responsibility for, the work Of making
constitution. In the exercise OF hls discre-
ton, and with the intention Of doing what was
best, he had at first advised the people 10 vote
bu, all would not do so. He also urged the
delegates composing the convention 10 submit
their work 10 the approval OF the people, holding
this 10 be right as general principle, and
especially necessary in view of the small vote
cas-, for delegates. But the convention sub