The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1858-12-15
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fsllosr Citizens Of the Senate and House Of Rep
TeSenfdiipeS

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fsllosr Citizens ofhe Senate and House Of Rep.
TeseafatiUes
When we compare the condition of the
country at the present day with what it was
one year ago, at the meeting Of Congress,
we have much reason for gratitude to that
Almighty Providence, which has never fail
ed to interpose for our relief, at the most
critical periods of our history. One year ago,
the sectional strife between the North and
the South on the dangerous subject of sla.
very, had again become 80 intense as 10
threaten the peace and perpetuity of the con,
federacy. The application for the admission
of Kansas as Stale into the Union, fostered
this unhappy agitation, and brought the
whole subject once more before Congress -
1t was the desire of every patriot that such
measures of legislation might De adopted, as
wouldremove heexcitement from the States,
and confine 1t TO the Territory where it legit.
imately belonged Much has been done,
! arm happy 10 say, towards the accomplish
ment of this object, during the last session
Of Congress.
The Supreme Court of the United States
had previously decided, that all American
citizens have an equal right 10 take into the
Territories, whatever is held as property un-
der The laws OF any OF the States, and to hold
such property there under the guardianship
of the federal constitution, SO long as the
territorial condition shall remain.
This is now well-established position,
and the proceedings of the last session were
alone wanting to give it practical effect
The principle has been recognized, in some
form or other, by an almost unanimous vote
of both houses of Congress, that Territory
has right TO come into the Union either as
free or slave State, according to the will OF
majority of ito people. The just equality
Of all the States has thus been vindicated,
and fruitful source of dangerous dissen-
sion among them has been removed.
Whilst such has been the beneficial ten
dency of your legislative proceedings out
eide of Kansas, their influence has nowhere
been SO happy as within that Territory itself.
Left 10 manage and control lis own affairs in
its own way, without the pressure OF ex-
ternal influence, the revolutionary Topeka
organization and all resistance to the Terri
torial government established by Congress,
have been finally abandoned As natural
consequence, that fine Territory now ap-
pears to>be tranquil and prosperous, and is
attracting increasing thousands OF immi-
grants TO make ittheir happy home.
The past unfortunate experience of Kan.
sas has enforced the lesson so often already
taught, that resistance to lawful authority,
under our form of government, cannot fail in
the end to prove disastrous 10 its authors
Had the people Of the Territory yielded 6be.
dience 10 the laws enacted by their legisla-
ture, If would at the present moment have
contained large additional population OF
industrious and enterprising citizens, who
have been deferred from entering its borders
hx,tt tt,o tcfon nj n vi ctr and ant1 nod
rebellion.
1t was resistance 10 righlful authority and
the persevering attempts TO establish rev.
olntionary government under the Topeka
constitution, which caused the people oil
Kansas to commit the grave error OF refusing
TO. vote for delegates TO the convention 10
frame a constitution, under law not denied
10 be fair and Just in its provisions. This
refusal TO vote has been the prolific source
of all the evils which have followed In their
hostility TO the territorial government, they
disreeared the principle, absolutely essen
tial to the working OF our form OF govern
ment, tina. a majority OF those who vote
not the majority who may remain at home,
from whatever cause-must decide the result
of an election. For this reason, seeking
10 take advantage of their own error, they
denied the authority of the convention thus
elected 10 frame constitution.
The convention, Notwithstanding, pro.
ceed TO adopt constitution unexceptionable
in It's general features, and providing TOR the
submission ofthe slavery question 10 a vote OF
the people, which. in my opinion, they were
bound TO do, under the Kansas and Nebraska
act. This was the all-important question
which had alone convulsed the Territory
and yet the opponents oil the lawful govern
ment, persisting in their first error, RETAINED
fron exercising their right TO vote, and pre-.
ferred that slavery should continue, rather
than surrender their revolutionary Topeka
organization.
A wiser and better spirit seemed 10 pre-.
vail before the first Monday of January last,
when an election was held under the constl.
tuition. A majority of the people then voted
for governor and other State officers, for a
member of Congress, and members Of the
State legislature This election was warm
" contested by the two political parties in
Kansas, and a greater vote was polled than
at any previous election. A large majority
OF the members of the legislature elect be-
Srefnsed to vote. The anii-slavery party were
thus placed in the ascendant, and the politi-
cal power of the State was in their own
hands. Had Congress admitted Kansas into
the Union underline Lecompton constitution,
the legislature might. ati!s very first session,
have submitted the question TO avote of the
people, whether they would or would not
have Convention 10 amend their constitu-
iion, eitheron the slavery orany other ques.
lion, and have adoptcd ali necessary means
for giving speedy efiectto the viii OF the
majority. Thus the Kansas question would
have been immediately and finally settled.
Under these circumslances, submitted to
Congress the constitution thus framed with
all the officers already elected necessary te
put the State government into operation, ac
companied by strong recommendation il
favor of the admission of Kansas as State
In the course Of my long public life have
never performed any official act which, in
the retrospect, has afforded nae more heart
felt satisfaction. Its admission could have
inflicted no possible injury ON any human
Icing, whilst it would, within brief period
have restored peace to Kansas and harmony
TO the Union. In that event, the slavery ques
tion would ere this have been finally settled
according TO the legally-expressed will o