Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

of
present day with what it year ago the meet
ing Ut Congress- have much reason gratitude
that Almighty Providence which has failed to in
terpose for relief at the critical periods Of
history One ago. the sectional strife between the
North and the South the dangerous subject of slavery
hal again become intsn>s threaten the peace aud
perpetuity of the conedncy The application for the
admission OF Kansas State into the Union, foStered
this unhappy agitation and brought the whole subject
before Congress. 1t the desire every
patriot that such of legislation might be
adopted, would remove the excitement from the
States and conhns the Territory where letimatey
belonged. Much has been DONE l am happy to saw to-
wards the accomplishment OF this object during the last
session of Congress.
The Supreme Court of the United State, had previous
y decided that all American citizens have equal right
take into the Territories whatever held property
unor this laws of any of the States and to hold such
property there under the guardianship of the federal
stituton long tina territorial condition shall
main
This is a well established position and the pro-
Greetings OF the last session alone wanting to give il
practical effect. The principle has been recognised, in
form other 10y almost unanimous of both
houses of Congress that Territory has a right
into the Union either free slave State accounting
tO the will Of majority OF its people. The just equality
OF all the States has thus been indicated and q fruitful
of dangerous discussion amOa them has been
moved
Whilst such has been the beneficial tendency Of your
legislative proceedings outside of KansS their influence
has nowhere been happy within that Territory it
self Left to manage and control its affairs in its
way without the pressure of external influence. the
revolutionary Topeka organization and all resistance to
the territorial government established by Congress have
been finally abandoned As natural consequence that
fine Territory appears To be tranquil and prosperous
and is attracting increasing thousands of immigrants
make it their happy home.
The past unfortunate experience Of Kansas has enforced
the lesson Oan already taught that resistance to law
full authority under form government cannot fail
In the end To prove disastrous to its author Had the
people OF the Territory yielded obedience to the laws
acted by their Legislature, it would the present
msnt have contained large additional population of
industrious and enterprising czons, who have been de-
TERED from entering its borders by the existence of civil
strife and organized rebellion
1t tbs resistance rightful authority and the per-
severns attempts to establish revolutionary government
under the Topeka constitution, which caused the people
OF Kansas to commit the grave of refusing to
fOT delegates O the convention tn frame a constitution
under Law not denied to lie fair and just in its provs
ions This refusal to vote has been the prolific of
all the evils which have followed In their hostility to
the territorial government they dsrssar1ed the principle
absolutely essential the working of form of gov
ernment, that majority of th>o who yOte-not the
iOrty who may remain at hone, from whatever
must decide the result Of election For this reason,
seeking to take advantage OF their error they denied
the authority of the convention thus elected To frame
constitution.
The convention notwithstanding proceeded to adopt
constitution unexccptonabls in its general features. and
providing for the submission of the slavery question
vote Of the people, which, in my opinion, they
bound - 10, under the Kansas and Nebraska act This
the smpOr question which had alone convulsed
the Territory and yet the opponents OF the lawful gov
eminent psrsSng in their st error RETAINED from
s sss continue nsa tss @
Topeka organization
first Monday OF January last when election held
under the constitution. majority of the people then
voted Tor a governor and other officers for u
Der Ut Congress, and members vi the State legislature
This election warmly contested by the two political
parties in Kansas aud greater vote polled than
any previous election large majority OF the members
of the Legislature elect belonged to that party which had
previously refused to vote The antisayeTy party
thus placed in the ascendant and the political power of
the State in their own hands Had Cohgre admit
ted Kansas into the Union under the bcOmpton con.t
tuition the leg stuTe at its very first session. have
submitted the question vote of the people whether
they would OF would not have convention TO amend
their constitution either the slavery other ques
ton, and have adopted all necessary Tor giving
speedy effect to the will of the majority. Thus the Kan
question would have been Immediately and finally
settled.
Under these circumstances | submitted to Congress
the constitution thus framed with all the officers already
elected Necessary put the State into opera
ton, accompanied by strong commentator in favor
Of the admission of Kansas a State. In the UT
my lOns public life have performed any official
which in the retrospect ha. afforded heart
felt satisfaction Its admission could have inflicted
possible injury any human being, whilst it would,
within brief period have restored peace 10 KANSAS and
harmony to the Union la that event the slavery question
would thu have been finally settled according
legally expressed will of majority vi the voters and
popular sovereignty would thu. have btcn ynated in
a constitutional manner
With my deep convictions of duty, could have pur
sued other Ii i true, that,
individual, / had expressed an opinion beth be-
fore and during the session of tho convention in
favor Of submitting the remaining clauses of the
ttuOn well that concerning slavery, to the PEG.
pie But acting in Otcial character neither myself
any human authority had the power rejulge the
proceedings of the convention and declare the costtu
ton which it had framed to be a nullity To have done
this would have been = violation of the X and Ne
bra.ka which Left the people OF the Territory per
tectly free To form and regulate their domestic nsu
tiOns in their way, subject only to the constitution
Of the United States Ii would equally have violated
the great principle OF popular sovereignty the ouRda
ton of institutions 10 deprive the people OF the
power they thought proper exercise it, Of eonfiing
to delegates elected by themselves the trust framing
constitution without requiring them to subject their
stuents to the trouble, expense and delay of second
election IL would have beer in opposition 10 many
precedents in history, commencing in the very best
age Of the republic of the admission Of Territories AZ
States int the Union without previous of the
people approving their consultation.
IL il to be lamented that question insignificant
when viewed in its practical effects the people of
Kansas whether decided way the other should
have kindsd such flame of excitement throughout the