The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-02-06
presidents Message on Kansas Question.

Inc treSlOCnI opens Will tHC dSoCi tiOh
that a great dolusion seems to pervade the
public mind in relation the condition of par
ties in Kansas This aries from the difficult
ty of inducing the American people TO re-
alize the fact that any portion of then
should be in state Of rebellion against the
government under which they live. The
dividing line then is not between two po-
litica parties, both acknowledging the law
full existence Of the government, but those
who are loyal to this government and those
who have cndcavored TO destroy its exist
ence by force and uSurpGiion-between
those who abstai and those who do all in
their power to overthrow the Territorial
government established by Congress. This
government they would long since have
subverted had i; not been protected from
assaults by the L. s. troops. The Presi-
dent then cites Gov. Walkers despatch as
evidence of the existence Of a revolutionary
movement in Kansas. and gives the history
of the Topeka government. The very first
paragraph he says, of the message of Gov.
Robinson dated the 18th Of December, 10 the
Topeka Legislature contains an open deli
anre of the Laws and Constitution Of the
IT, 5. Tie Topeka government adhered to
with such reasonable pertinacity Is gov
eminent in direct opposition to the existing
government prescribed and reco .nzed by
Congress Such principle, ii carried nlo
execution, would destroy all lawful authori-
ty and produce universal anarchy. From
this statement of facts the reason becomes
palpablc why the enemies OF the govern
ment authorized by Congress have refused
to vote for the Kansas Constitutional Con
ven,ion, and also afterwards oh the question
Of slavery. 1t is because they have refused
to sanction or recognize any other Constitu-
ton than that formed at Topeka. Had the
whole Lecompton Constitution been sub
mitted to the people, the adherents oil th's
organization would doubtless have voted
against it. because, If successful, they would
thus have removed the obstacles from the
way of their own revolutionary Constitution
Such being the unfortunate condition oil al
fairs in the Territory, what was the right as
wei as the duty of the aw-abidjng people?
Were they silently and patiently To suomi
to the Topeka usurpation, or 10 establish a
Constitution under the organic law OF Con-
gress That this law recognised the right
Of the people OF the Territory, without an
enabling act of Congress, 10 form a State
Constitution is too clear Tor argument 1t
is impossible that any people could have pro.
ceeded with more regularity IN TIE lorna
ton Of a Constitution than the people oi
Kansas have done 1t Is necessary first to
ascertain whether it was the desire OF the
people to be relieved from Territorial de-
tendency and establish a State Government.
For this purpose the Territorial Legislature,
in 1870, passed a law for taking the sense
of the people Of the Territory on the expe-
diencv of calling tonveutinn TO form
State Constitution at the = neral election II
be held in October, 1896. The sense OF TIE
people was accordingly taken, anu they de-
ciicG in favor Of a Constitution. It l. true
that "a tais election the enemies OK the Ter
ritorial Government did not vote, because
then they were engaged al Topeka, without
the slightest pTeteXt of Lawful! authority, N
framing Constitution Of tneir o" Tor SUD
ye,ting the Territorial Government Ia
pursuance of til, decision m favor OF the
Convention. tie Territorial Legislature, Oh
the 27th OF February, 1857, passed an act
for the election OF delegates on the 81 Mon
of June, lc5.. to frame Il State Consiiu-
ton. This law i as iaiT IN lt~ y DIVISIONS
rs any that ever PASSED legislative BODY
for a similar purpose. The riStt Of suffrage
at this election Is clearly and justly defined,
every boga tide citizen OF the | ltoG STAT :,
above the age Of twCuty-oHe, and "ho bad
resided therein three months previous TO
that date was entitled to vote. In order To
avoid all interference from nci2hb0riHg states
and Territories with the freedom and fair
mes, Of the election, a provision was made
for the registry of bona tide votes, and puT-
suaut thereof 92J votes were registered
Gov. Wulhcr did his whole daily III tagging
ali quail fled citizens TO vote al this election.
The President argues that the IopckaljeS
by refusing 10 vote Tor TINS election Tor dele
gate to the Convention, authorizing those
who did vote To act for ;ue,n. The con>e
quence OF their refusal 10 submit 10 the law
ia, authority and vote. nav yet prove TO be
of the most dep'orab.e character. Our on
" safety consists In obedience and conform
ty to the law Should general spirit
against its enforcement: prevail, this would
prove fatal to u a a nation.
Mr. Buchanan cou,iuUc>--ircm this re-
view it Is manifest thar this LccOml ton
Convention was legally constructed and IN
vested with power 10 frame Con sti'Gtion.
lie jus,i!ies the Convention for submitting
only the slavery question TO the people. II
was of character a. paramount IN rospct;
to the condition Of Kansas - 20 the rITet The
anxious attention of the whole country rpnu
it alone No person thought OF any other
question. For nv own part, instructed
Gen. Walker in general terms in favor Of
submitting the Constitution to the people
| had 40 object in view, except the allah
soriing one of slavery. In whatever man
ner the people of Kansas might regulate
their own c0ncers was not the subject which
attracted nv attention. Ii was never my
opinion that independently of this act, they
would have been bound to submit any por-
ton Of the Constitution 20 popular vote, III
order to give 1t validity. Had entertained
such an opinion, thi, would have been IN
opposition TO many precedents, commencing
in the very best age Of our republic. 1t also
would have been in opposition TO the prIncI-
pie which peryadeS our institutions, and
which is every day carried into practice, that
the people have right to delegate to the
representative chosen by themselves their
observation-disclosures to frame constitutions,
enact laws, and perform many other inpor-
tant acts, without requiring that these should
be subjected to their subsequent approoa-
ton. 1t would be a most inconvenient Inn
itation of their own power, imposed blythe
people on themselves, to exclude them from
exercising their sovereignty in any lawful
manner in which they think proper. Ii is
true that the people OF Kansas, might, IL they
had pleased required the Convention to sub
NIT the Constitution to a popular vote, but
this this they have not done. The only rem
edy therefore in this case, is that which ex-
lists in all other cases. If the delegates have
in any manner violated the will of their con-
sti.uents, the people always possess the pow
er to change their constitution or laws ac-
cording to their own pleasure.
The question of slavery was submitted to
the election of the people on the 2lst OF Dec.
last, IN obedience to the mandate of the Con
stttution. Here, again, a fair opportunity
was presented to the adherents OF the Tope-
ka Constitution, if they were the majority,
to decide this exciting question in their own
way, and thus restore the peace OF In S dis
tracted Territory; but they again refused to
exercise the right of popular sovereignty,
and anain suffered The election to pass by