Freeman's champion., 1858-01-28
MESSAGE
.rt OF
Governor Chas. Robinson
TO THE LEGISLATURE or THE
STATE OF KANZAS.
Fellow Citizens Of the Senate and
House of RepresentativeS:

TeH0U' CUt@eNS " We peHute G"u
House Of Representatives.:
The Convention which framed the
Constitution at Topeka, originated
with the people of Kanzas Territory.
They have adopted and ratified the
same twice by a direct vote, and also
indirectly through two elections of
State officers and members of the
State Legislature. Yet it has pleased
the Administration to regard he
whole proceeding as revolutionary and
reasonable.
This Constitution, in the main, is
in accordance with the views OF a
large majority of the people Of Kan
zas. IL is prevented from becoming
tho active law Of the land, because OF
An honest desire on the part Of the
people to avoid collision with the Fed
eral authorities, while there is pros
pect that they can in any other way
obtain peacefully their natural, Or
yanic and Constitutional rights.
We have had numerous promises
and pledges that our just rights should
be speedily secured to us, but every
pledge and promise has bnen broken.
In the Territorial Organic Act we
were told that the people OF Kanzas
should be left perfectly free to form
their domestic institutions in their
avn way, subject only to the ConSti-
tuition Of the United States ;" and
President Buchanan exclaimed ;
What conception was it for Con-
gress to apply this simple rule, that
the will OF the majority shall govern
in the settlement Of the question Of
domestic slavery in the Territories. "
ALSO he says: alt is the imperative
and Indispensable duty of the gov.
ernmsnt Of the United States to SO.
cure to every resident inhabitant the
free and Independent expression ol
his opinion by his vote. This sacred
right OF each individual must be pre-.
served" Again: "The institutions
of Kanzas should be established by
tho vote of the people of Kanzas, un,
awed and uninterrupted by force OF
fraud" 7" When such Constitution
shall be submitted to the people o.
the Territory, they must be projected
in the exercise OF their right Of vo
ting for or against tie iaStrument, anC
the fair expression Of the popular will
must not be interrupted by fraud O
violence" ....
But force and fraud, endorsed BY
tho Administration, have been the rul,
in Kanzas from the beginning.
The history Of the several Govern
ors who have been sent to Kanzas /
highly illustrative Of tho policy whicl
the Administration has attempted t,
carry out in this Territory.
Hon. A. H. Resder was the frs
Governor sent to Kanzas, and accor
ding to high authority, for the pur
pose Of making the Territory q Slav
State. But the government, result
ing from the invasion of the BOT
March, 1855, was too much for hin
TO execute upon the people, and h
was removed.
Next came the reign of terror un
dor Gov, Shannon, but he sickened q
the Sacking, burning and butcherin
by his militia, and he was removed
Next came Gov. Geary, who caIle
oil the dogs Of war, pending the Pre-,
dental election, and the people hA
rest for q Drlef poriod, When, how
ever, aft,r tho election, the olly
branch was to be exchanged for III
npss, he saved his sell-respect by K
signing hio Office. su
Secretary Stanton succeeded Go,
Gsary, and later, Hon II. j, Walk,
became Governor OF Nunaa, vot
gentlemen OF character an l., hn4n
andifom tho oooCn They Cane VII
ihe same woyds ., pl9muooAga nr
aortuUateiy t0r thHE epAtInNaiGp !
office, they Deiieyuu in Yne lar tei a
of the President. and ondeavorod |