Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-02-06
MIR. STATIONS APPEAL.

I
this reyoltiug business yet to expose.
MIR. STANTON,s APPEAL. ~, n.
Mr.. Stanton, late Secretary, and acting
Governor Of Kansas, who was removed because
he called an extra session of the Territorial
Legislature has made an appeal to the people
of the United States from which we make the
following extractssn 3a aiE.g elY9
"The great mass of the Inhabitants Of the
Territory were dissatisfied with the local
government, and earnestly denied the validity
Of the existing laws Asserting that the pre-
vious Legislatures had been forced upon them
by the fraud and violence Of neighboring
people, they proclaimed their determination
never to submit to the enactmepts oflegislative
bodies thus believed to be illegitimate and not
entitled to obedience. rs. iiq,
"This was the condition of things when Gov.
Walker came to the Territory in the latter
part Of May. Itwas evident that the just
policy of permitting the people to regulate
their own affairs could not be successfully
carried out unless they could be inspired with
confidence in the agents of Government through
whom this result was to be effected. If mere
minority Of the people had been thus dissatis-
fled and contumacious they might have posi-
bly, been pronounced factious and treated as
disturbers of The peace; but When the dissatis.
faction was general, comprising almost the
whole people, a more respectful consideration
was Indispensable to a peaceable adjustment
1t was evident that the policy of repression
rigid attempt to enforce submission without an
effort at conciliation--would evidently result
in a renewal Of the civil war. With commend
able anxiety to avoid this contingency, Gov
Walker resolved to 60 among the people, to
listen to their complaints, to give them assn
rance Of fair and just administration of the
Territorial Government. and to induce them, if
possible, to abandon their hostility, and to en-
ter upon the peaceful but decisive struggle of
the ballot box. was often with the Governor
when he addressed the people, and gave my
best efforts in aid of the great purpose of con-
Citation. lT TBS ~ a
!" Recent events have shown that their appre-
tensions were well founded. Enormous frauds
have been perpetrated at the precincts of Ok
ford, Shawnee, and Kickapoo; and it may
well be believed that this result was actually
designed by the artful leaders who devised the
plan and framework of the Lecompton consti-
tuition. have lately been at Shawnee, and
have seen and converSed with persons who
were at Oxford on the day of election. The
frauds committed are notorious; and though
dishonest persons may deny them, and may
fill the channels of public information with
shameless Representations to the contrary, they
can be easily established beyond all controversy
at was to enable the people to shield them
selves from these frauds and to give legal ex-
preston to their hatred and rejection of the
instrument which permitted them, and was to
be carried by them, that called the Lcgisla-
ture together.
The measure for which have been un-
justly condemned has enabled the people of
Kansas to make known their real will in re-
gard to the Lecompton constitution. This af-
fords the Democratic party an opportunity to
defend the true principles of constitutional
liberty, and to save itself from disastrous
division and utter overthrow. If Congress
will heed the voice Of the people and not force
upon them government which they have re-
jected by q vote Of four to one, the whole coun-
try will be satisfied, and Kansas will quietly
settle her own affairs without the least difficult
ty and without any danger to the Confederacy
The Southern States, which are supposed to
have deep interestin the matter, will b. saved
from the supreme folly Of standing up in de-
fence of so wicked and dishonest contrivance
as the Lecompion constitution. The moral
power Of their position will not be weakened
by vain and use css defence of wrong, when
it is perfectly certain they will gain nothing
even i'y success in the present attempt -
1.-THE extra session Of the Kansas Legisla-
ture has done good, also, by giving means to
expose and punish the monstrous frauds which
have been perpctrated, and doubtless, also, by
preventing others which would have been at.
tempted 1t has driven the guilty miscreants
engaged in them to become ftigitives from JUS
tice, and has rendered It impossible for the
peace Of the Territory hereafter to be endan-
gercd by similar occurrences.
"In view of these facts and results, willing
ly accept the rebuke conveyed in my perempto-
ny dismissal from Office, but appeal to-the
deliberate Judgment of the people to determine
whether | have. not chosen the only honorable
course which N nUcumstanccs allowed me to
pursue
, FRED. p. STANTON.
Washington, Jan. 20, 1868.
WILL THE LECoMPToN CoNsTITU-
TION BE RECOGNIZED BY CON-
CRFSS7 rfr s