New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-09
KANSAS

Hass - address acting forth the fscts in resoo 70
- Topeka Gsvemsent, and send il 10 their con-
aB1sssts and tho country. Tie points 70 %
sp&rsAea in L we're DISCUSSED, and JOINT Com
nittes Of both bodies appointed 70 frame It loe
aejsned "a . copy: ,,,v
ADDRESS OF TIE GENERAL AseEhbbi
urprk rHI TOPEKA contribution TO TIE
yEoPLE OF KtNsAs. -
The underigDed, Joint COMMITTEE 81 me 1919 1870
0easttutiop subit the following address 70 theT CON
Hsd lie political dangers which now threaten Kan
- heea less imminent, and the expression OF the
a favor Of the Topeka Constitution not 40 often
Stsrs.ed this second Legislature would 10 all proba-
My have assembled but TO dissolve.
Bat the dangers to which We advert still wear toe
NEST threatening aspect. The advantage which il
vas supposed would flow from Territorial leg station
- not seem 70 be great as expected desired,
I'D the little obtained il held by feeble tenure.
Kansas IA threatened by usurpatOn which, If sue
sessfu viii prove fatal to civil liberties and dan
geYens to the best interests Of people, We do not
sddress you for the purpose Of making any apology for
TIE course Of action we deem it best TO take.
Neither do appeal to you in behalf OF this or any
s4AsT Government. We address you that you may be
Informed Of the precise condition Of that department
q the Government with which you have entrusted Us.
For the future with you must rest the responsibility OF
deciding and acting IN relation 10 II.
We DO not propose elaborate vlndication OF the
past. Many new settlers have hocked TO Kansas since
abe Topeka COMMUNION was mhugurhteui many VINO
have neither the necessity of It's origin nor com
DrsheI ded the objects for which il designed.
That these less devoted to the principles of repub
lean liberty we do not believe.
IL any OF them have opposed the Topeka Con
stitutioD, it simply because they have regarded
"a merely one policy by which freedom could be sc
cured for Kansas, and civil Liberties for lts people
They overlooked the fact that II embodied all the
say struggles of the Kansas people against Missouri
and Federal oppression. That il was to them what
tbe Hagna Ch0rta was to the Englishman, and the
Declaration Of Independence 10 the American. But
The reA opposition to the Topeka Constitution did not
come from the recent emgraDts. Its bitter opposition
came from the deadly enemies of Kansas, who have
f.und 1t an obstacle TO their purposes But in spite Of
Ill this open hostility or secret treachery against il,
A Constitution has still been the choice of he
Il the people.
No Convention fully representing them assem-
bed, in which devotion to it was not made the test
and AL political action was made to look toward build
ing up.
Even President Buchanan bears an adversary tes
tmODy ~ this fact, for in his recent Infamous message
ls ssys: at is because they have even refused to
sanction or recognize any other Constitution than
~ that framed at Topeka The Topeka Constitution
vss insug urated when there was no legitimate Gov
eminent ia Kansas True, Missouri had pretended to
make Legislature for this Territory, but the people
Bepsdeted it, and when they found that the Federal
s1thortes cOnnived the vilainy Missouri had be-
gun, they abandoned Territorial form of Government
under which such expressions and frauds could be JUS
kfed.
But this Government of fraud WAS never dc Eac.o
Coarte, its taxes, and its officers Bogus authority
vithered in its inception. The people openly spit |
Upon the parchment record Of its crimes which pu-
silhnmous President had proclaimed to be law. In
he past experience Of common country, Terrific
nal Gov have been organized and maintained
anti the people Of the Territory williugto assume
the responsibility and expense of Government. In
KAniss Z system has been introduced, 10y which
The people have been reduced TO an AFFECT colonial
vsssAlsge fatal to their rights American citizens.
The President frankly stated in his recent Message
ost the bogus Territorial Government could not have
been maintained without the aid of the regular army.
He says: "This Government they would long since |
"kave subvered had it not been protected from as
saue by the troops Of the United States. Such has
been the condition Of affairs since my inauguration
Tbs know to be fact and we also know that the
syaemshc support of corrupt Federal officials |
ka4.keen given 10 the political iniquity. The |
ehsrt TO establish State Government has been styled
rebellion. and treated as such. And yet all this |
has been in gross violation of precedent, the organic
set and the Constitution ~ the United states
The Organic act explicitly -:stes that tho Terrific
nal Govern ment was merely temporary That " the
people" should frame state Gov fnmsnt and apply
Ter admission into the ! mon under Il, and u even
nave that il is the intent ard meaning OF th!s
act that the pcoplr shall b. .eft p<rf,cHg FREE TO
" form their Institutions n tqrlr ray. Believing
nat the scts Of Congress were the SOLEMN sct OF
responsible and honorable men, that they were some.
hing more than . dOubie-meaning verb,age o.
words 70 conceal political treaebery, and above az
moving that the Constitution OF the Cntod States
calmly and deliberately proceeded TO form safe
Coaafstion.
Evss no hurried scheme; no mere eHervescence
Of popular sentiment. Several primary Conventc0s
we're held Of different points OF the Territory, repre-
senting much the greater portion OF H. and embodS ING
the public sentiment more fully than such movements
usually do. The election for delegates to Convea-
Sen was held according 10 the same DISTRICTS census
snd regulations made by Gov. Reeder, and which had
been 20 signaly violated in the Territorial elections
The Constitution framed was moderate, and -
many respects good document. Ii even made con-
the slave interests and slave property TO an
aatent which would have weakened Il 10 the eyes OF
unpreiudced minds had the NECESSITIES for sadoplon
been Ices urgent This Constitution vas submitted to
the vote Of the people. At the time when was hrst
submitted the invasion of armed forces from Missouri
tended to reduce the vote, but stt 1t obtained ma
ry Of the legal votes then in the Territory Since that
time il has been resubmitted and has been rsthed by
shrgsr vote than has been given in the Territory
for any cause Whatever. regular State cleo
ton held under the provisions Of the Constitution,
and State officers and Legislature elected. In
kaIeh, 1856, the Legislature met. And here the PEG
pe Of Kansas gave another ndics Of that spirit OF
federation and Cancellation which has always charac-
tarized them. The Legislature did not proceed 81
Spee TO make the Government dc facto Government,
hut adjourned 70 await the action OF Congress
When il assembled, on the 4th Of July Of the same
year, although the popular branch of Congress had
Sesdsd in lie favor, portion Of the Federal army
lrsks up lie sittingr.
In January when il again assembled, United States
Harsbal arrested enough of its members 70 interfere
with 10 kpsinsss. The delay which this violent and
unprecedented interference had secured gave the
AanAfll Of Pro-flsvery in the Territory al oppOr-
10y Tor initiating steps for State Government
3hs they made TO grow ont Of the Missour-rsurpsd
TERRITORIAL Legislature, and every step IN this new
process was conceived in fraud and vlsiny.
1bsu pretended elections were conducted by q class
d usnrpers, VINO never would have been abe TO as
same Their functions but for the perpetrston of the