The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-03-11

Tor Kansas AZ a state, with q view
to apply to Congress for admission.
This was done without any act Of
Congress for that purpose, Congress
having recently refused to pass such
a law, though recommended by the
President, and the proceeding was
therefore, though not unlawful, in no
way authoritative, and its result ell
titled to the consideration Of Con-
gress only 50 far as it was sanction
ed by the votes and expressed the
free will Of the people Of the Terri
tory, OF majority thereof, in a full
election fairly conducted. Such a
result could not be ascertained but
by submitting the Constitution to
the full and unconditional vote Of
the whole people, for ratification or
rejection. This is more especially
true when conflicting opinions on the
subject are well known TO exist, as
was the case in this Territory. A
large part of the people, and, from
what subsequently occurred it is APP
parent, large majority Of the peo-
pie, did not participate in the cleo
ton Of these delegates; and suffi-
cicnt reason for that course was
found in these considerations. The
First: The supervision and returns
of the election were in the power of
men appointed by the Legislature in
whose election large part of the
people never participated in whom,
for this cause, and from the manner
in which they conducted elections,
they had no confidence. .Second:: The
United States officers there, the Gov
ernor and Secretary, had no control
over these Judges of Election
Third: The Territorial Legislature,
in directing the election of Delegates
to the Convention, had provided for
the taking census for the appor-
tionment of Delegates and making a
voting list in the several counties.
This was, by accident or design,
very imperfcctly done in any county,
and in almost onc-half of the coun-
ties, some of which were among the
most populous in the Territory, it
was entirely neglected, and therefore
a large part of the people were en-
tirely prevented acting.
Fourth: The people were often,
repeatedly, and officially assured by
the Governor and Secretary, whom
they regarded as the organs Of the
General Government, that the Con-
stitution, when formed, must be and
should he submitted, Internationally,
to the whole actual resident people
for their ratification or rejection
Under these circumstances, relying
on these official assurances, they
awaited quietly that day and prom.
Used opportunity to exercise their &C.
knowledged inalienable right to vote
on their own State Constitution. The
result has shown this was an unrcli-
able security, for the Constitution, as
formed by the Convention, was by
them never so submitted 10 the peo-
pie, but in the conditional and deccp-
tive manner hereafter described.
The Convention so elected met in
September, 1857, at Lccompton, and
adjourned until after the Territorial
election of Legislature, in October,
1857.
The mass of the people of that
Territory have always placed conf
dcnce in the fidelity and integrity of
the Governors whom the President
has appointed, whenever the same
have been long enough in the Terri
tory, from personal acquaintance
with its people and condition to be-
come disabuscd of the delusion in
relation to them which seems to be
entertained and cherished with SO
much pcrtinacity by the dominant
power in Washington. When Gov.
Walker and ActingGov. Stanton had
personally and clearly ascertained,
as Gov Reedcr and Gov Geary had
done before them, that the great
body Of the people, including most
of its worthy and reliable inhabi-
tants of both political parties, truly
regarded themselves as oppressed aud
domineered over by a small and I'M
scrupulous minority, inauguratcd by
violence and perpetuated by fraud,
backed and supported by United
States Dragons, and that this great
body of the people had with long for
bcarancc, waited for a fair opportu-
nifty pcaceably, at the ballot-box, to
their opinions and their
strength, and reclaim their rights,
then it was, that they honestly re-
solved TO endeavor to give to that
people such an opportunity, as far
as they were able. They proceeded
. 4. 4,