New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-01
KANSAS AND THE DEMOCRACY.
ADDRESS FROM SECRETARY STANTON.
, N, People ofhe United States.

dent, and having had no official information of my
removal, nor any opportunity for explanation or de-
feIse have deemed it necessary to present to the
People Of the United States brief statement of facts
In yindcEtion of my motives and in explanation OF the
results OF the act for which have been condemned
The Office in question was not given at my s0hcha
tiOn. NY acceptance of it, under all the clrcum-
stances proof of strong friendship Tor the feS
dent and of uDbounded confidence IN the hrnness anu
fathfuness with which he would adhere 10 the Inc oi
policy deliberately agreed upon between him, his
whole Cabinet, aud Gov: Walker. -,,. .,
On my arrival in the Territory n April last, in ad-
vapce Of Gov. Walker, confess that had an lmper-
feet knowledge of the real condition OF AFFAIRS sup
posed the question Of slavery to be the only cause OF
ascension and difficulty among the people, ana lu my
brief inaugural address the 18th of April, treated
ths as the chief subject of difference upon which
subisson TO the people would be likely to be demand
ed. soon found however, that this view was alto,
gether too limited and did not reach the true ground
Of controversy. The great mass OF the inhabitants OF
the Territory we're dissatisfied with the local govern
ment and earnestly denied the validity OF the existing
laws. Asserting that the previous Legislatures had
been forced upon them by the fraud and violence OF
neighborng people, they proclaimed their determine
ton never TO submit to the enactments OF legislative
bodies thus believed to be illegitmate and not entitled
TO obedience.
This was the condition of things when Gov. Walker
came to the Territory in the latter part OF May 1t
was evident that the just policy of permitting the
people to regulate their affairs could not be sue.
cesstuy carried out unless they could De INSPIRED
whom this result was to DE effected liza mere minority
of the pc ope had been thus dissatisfied and cOntuma-
cious they might possibly have been pronounced iac-
ous and treated disturbers of the peace but when
the dissatisfaction general, comprising almost the
whole people more respectful consideration was IN
dispepsable to peaceable adjustment. IL was
evident that the policy of rePression-a ngid attempt
10 enforce submission without an effort at conclla,
ton-woud inevitably result in renewal OF the civil
war With commendeble anxiety to AVOID TINS con-
tngency, Gov. Walker resolved TO go among . lne poo
ple 10 listen TO their complaints to give them aSsu
snce of fair aud just ADMINISTRATION oi the ierto
rial Government and TO induce them II possioie, 10
abandon their hostility and TO enter upon the Peace
ful but decisive struggle Of the ballot was
often with the Governor when he addressed the Peo
ne and gave my best efforts in aid of the great pur
pose of conciatl0n /,
II yas too late TO induce the people TO go INTO the
june election for delegates TO the Convention. Ine
registration required by law had been Imperfect III a,
the counties, and had been wholly ontteo IN ohe.ha1
Of them; could the people OF these disiranchhea
counties vote in any adjacent county as mas oeya
falsely suggested In such of them as supse 1uenty
took census or registry OF their own the oe'oeavoo
chosen were not admitted to seats IN the ConVenoh'
Nevertheless il is not to be denied that the great ecu
fral fact which controlled the whole case, was the
utter want of confidence by the people IN the Wnoe
machinery of the Territorial Government 1hey
alleged that the local officers, IN all instances,
were interruptions partisans who had previously de-
frauded them in Me elections, and VINO were ready 10
repeat the Outrages efan that even lnll uucIs
from abroad should not bs permitted 10 everPGWVghr power
II voud not he possible for the Governsr and Secretary
10 defeat Although at that time these
seemed 10 me to be preposerous and unfounded IL was
impossible to deny the eanestness ana sincttny Will
which they were urged, OF to doubt that they were
The result Of deep convictions, having their origin IN
some previous experience OF that nature. y
The worst portion of the small minority IN haneas'
who had possession of the Territorial organization,
loudly and bitterly complained OF Gov Walker poll
cy of repression And when, under the solemn assur-
hnces given that the elections should be fairly con-
Quoted, and no frauds which we eoula reac. oe conn %
tenanced or tolerated. it had become apparent that
the mass Of the people were prepared and determined
10 participate in the October elections, the minority
endeayored to defeat the result by revlvlns the
tax qualification for electors which had been re-
pealed by the previous Legislature. Opinions were
obtained from high legal sources, the effect OF
which, had they prevailed, would have been 10 e1-
snae the OF sse people morn ana as a'
Quence TO keep up agitation and to render civil war
inevitable. But the intrepid resolution of Gov.
Walker, in spite of fierce opposition and denunciation
far and near, carried him through this dangerous
crisis and he had the proud satisfaction OF having
achieved peaceful triumph, by inducing the people
TO submit TO the arbitrament OF the ballot-box.
But the minority were determined not TO submit to
defeat The populous county OF Douglas had been at
fached TO the border county of Johnson with large
and controlling representation IN the Legislature ihe
celebrated Oxford fraud was perpetrated with view
to obtain maiorities in both Houses of Assembly
When these returns received at my office IN Gov
Walkers absence had fully determined not to give
certificates based upon them. II they had been SO 10Y
NAL and correct to have made 1t my duty 10 certify
them would have resigned my office IN order 10 tes-
tfy my Ofthe enormity otthe wrong GOV' ak
Leavenworth had formed the same resolution, as
he stated to and to several others, and we were
both grsthed that we found the papers imperfect
as to make it duty to reject them. Great excite
ment followed in the Territory. The minority, thus
nghteouSly defeated in the effort to prolong their
power, became fierce in opposition and resorted to
every means Of intimidation But am led TO believe
that they found their efectual means of opera
tion by undermining us with the Administration at
Washington.
The Constitutional Convention, which had ad-
journed over until sfter the October election. met
again in Lecompton TO resume its labors. Many Of
the members of that body bitterly hostile to the
Governor and Secretary on account OF their rejec-
some of the members and officers OF the Convention
had direct participation. In fact, this body,
with some honorable exceptions, wei repre-
sented the minority party 10 inc ,e ne'',rOry sn;r
and designs. 1t was obviously not their de
sire TO secure the real people OF Kansas the con
troll Of their own affairs In the const atlon soGl
afterwards adopted they eDdeayored 10 supeIseIr' I
the Legislature which had been elected oy W .n'
people, by providing, in the second section ol 1u'
schedue, that all laws now OF force IN tue
shall continue TO be of force until altered ameneeu
or repealed by Legislature under the pr1Sson p o1.
% Of this Constitution" They provided sun nol'
efectually, they supposed for the perpetuatlon
their minority government, by adopting the OAiort
fraud as the bssis of their spport'onment, gWlne
great prepoI derance of representation to the counties
ON the Missouri border, and afording at the sam'
time, every possible facility for the introduction o
spurious votes The President of the Convention wa
clothed with unlimited power in conducting the
elections and receiving the returns while the of
6cers are not required to take the usual oath t,
secure fair and honest dealing The elections weT,
hurried on in mdwinter-the list of December anC
the 4th Of ofJanusry-when omigrants could come only
from the immediate borders, uuder the qualification