The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1858-12-15
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


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Feilow Ciizcns Of The Senate
and House Of Representatives;
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 Al
mighty Providence. which has never failed
to interpose for our relief, at the most crti-
cal periods OF our history. One year ago,
the sectional strife between the North and
the South on the dangerous subject of slave
ry, had again become so intense as to threa-
ten the peace and perpetuity Of the confedera-
cy. The application for the admission of
Kansas as State 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 be adopted, as
would remove the excitement from the States,
and confne il to the Territory where it legi-
timatey belonged Much has been done.
am happy TO 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 ter
Fitorial condition shall remain.
This is now well-established position,
and the proceedings of the last session were
alone wanting to give it practical effect.
rba Ia hoe haan in
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 a slave State, according to the will
Of majority Of its people. The just equali-
~ Of all the States has thus been yindlcated,
and fruitful source Of dangerous dissension
among them has been removed.
Whilst such has been the beneficial ten
dency Of our legislative proceedings outside
of Kansas, their influence has nowhere been
so happy as within that Territory itself Left
| to manage and control lis own affairs in its
own way, without the pressure of external
| influence, the revolutionary Topeka organi.
zation and all resistance TO the territorial
government established BY Congress, have
| been finally abandoned. As natural conse.
quence, that fine Territory now appears to
/ be tranquil and prosperous, and is attracting
increasing thousands Of immigrants to make
it their happy home.
/ The past unfortunate experience of Kan.
sas has enforced the lesson so often already
i taught, that resistance to lawful authority.
under our form Of government, cannot fail in
/ the end to prove disastrous TO its authors.
Had the people Of the Territory yielded ODE
dicnee 10 The laws enacted by their legisla-
turc, il would at the present moment have
contained large additional population Of in.
dustrious and cnterprising citizens, who
! have been deferred from entering its borders
T by the existence Of civil strife and organized
rebellion.
/ II was the resistance to rightful authority
and the perseyering attempts TO establish a
revolutionary government under the Topeka
constitution, which caused the people OF
Kansas to commit the grave error of refusing
20 vote for delegates to the convention 20
frame a constitution, under law not denied
to be fair and just in lie 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
disregardrd the principle, absolutely essen.
! tial TO the working Of our form ufgoyernment,
/ that majority ofthose who yote--not the ma
I jority who NAV remain at home, from what.
/ ever 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
/ to frame a constitution.
The convention, notwithstanding. proceed.
/ ed TO adopt a constitution unexccptiunable
in its general features, aud providing for the
Submission of the slavery question 20 vote
/ of the people, which, in nv opinion. they
were bound 20 do. under the Kansas and
/ Nebraska act. This was the all-important
question which had alone conyulsed the Ter.
ritory and vet the opponents Of The lawful
government. pcrsisting in their first error,
RETAINED from exercising their right to vote,
and preferred that slavery should continue,
rather than surrender their revolutionary
/ Topeka organization.
A wiser and better spirit seemed TO pre-.
vail before tie first Monday Of January last,
when an election was held under the consti-
tuition. A majority 81 the people then voted
/ for governor aud other State officers, for a
member of Congress. and members Of the
i State legislature. This election was warm.
] " contested BY the two political parties in
Kansas. aud greater vote was polled than
at any previous election. A large majority
of the members &c the legislature elect be.
longcd 10 that party which had previously
refused vote. The anti.slaycry party were
thus placed in the ascendant, and the politi.
/ cal powcr uT the State was in their own hands.
Had Congress admitted Kansas into the
Union under the LeComptun constitution, the
legislature might. al its very first session.
have submitted the question TO a vote Of the
people, whether they would Or would not
have a convention TO amend their cOnstitu-
| tion either on the slavery Or any other ques-
finn. and have adop,ed All necessary means