Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-02-12
PRESIDENTS KANSAS MESSAGE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 1858.

WASHINGTON, Feb. z, 1898.
TO the Senate and House Of Representatives.:
| have received from Mr.. Calhoun, Prcsi-
dent of the late Constitutional Convention
of Kansas, copy, duly certified by himself,
of the Constitution framed by that body, with
the expression of the hope that would sub
init the same to the consideration of Con-
gress, &c with the view of the admission of
Kansas into the Union as an independent
State" In compliance with this request,
herewith transmit TO Congress for their ac-
tion the Constitution of Kansas, with the
ordinance respecting public lands, as well as
the letter of Mr.. Calhoun, dated Lecompton
the 18th ult., by which they were accom-
panied. Having received but a single clpy
of the Constitution and ordinance, | send
this to the Senate.
great delusion seems to pervade the
public mind in relation to the condition of
parties in Kansas. This urises from the diff
hculty of inducing the American people to
realize the fact thai any portion of them
should be in state of rebellion against the
government under which they live. When
we speak of the affairs of Kansas we are
apt to refer merely 10 the existence of two
| political parties in that Territory, divided on
the question OF slavery, just as we speak of
such parties in the States. This presents
no adequate idea Of the true state of the
case. The dividing line there is not be-
tween two political parties, both acknowIedg-
ing the lawful existence of the government,
but between those who are loyal to this gov
ernment and those who have endeavored to
destroy its existence by force and usurpa-
ton between those who sustain and those
who have done all in their power to over
throw the Territorial government establish
ed by Congress.
This government they would long since
have sabverted had it not been protected
from assaults by the troops OF the United
States. Such has been the condition OF affairs
since my Inauguration. Ever since that peri
cd large portion of the people of Kansas
have been in state rebellion against the
government, with military leader at their
head of the most turbulent and dangerous
character. They have never acknowledged
but have constantly -enounced and defied the
government TO which they owe allegiance
and have been oil the time in state ofress
tance against its authority. They have ulI
the time been endeavoring to subvert it aut
- / EStduiloH Il uiuCi
the So called Topeka constitution in ito stead
Even at this moment the Topeka l.egisla
ture are in session. Whoever has read the
correspondence of Gov. Walker with the
State Department, recently communicated
, 10 the Senate, will be Convinced that this
picture is not overdrawn. He always pro
tested against the withdrawal Of any portior
of the military force of the United State,
from the Territory, deeming its presence ab
, solutely necessary for the preservation o
, the regular government, and the execution
of the laws.
In his first dispatch to the Secretary o
/ State. dated June 2, 1857, he says:
A most alarming movement, however
n proceeds from the assembling ON the 9th o
r June, of the so called Topeka Legislature
Y with the view to the enactment OF al entire
: code of laws. OF course it will be my en-
deavor to prevent such result. as 1t woul,
= lead to an evitable and disastrous collision
: and, in fact, renew the civil war in Kansas
b This was, with difficulty, prevented by III
# efforts of Gov. Walker, but soon therealte
: on the l4th July, we find him reqnestin:
,. Gen. Harvey to furnish him a regiment o
;. Dragons to proceed TO the city of Lawrence
q and this for the reason that he had receives
;, authentic intelligence, verified by his owl
i actual observation, that dangerous rebel
3, lion had occurred, involving an open detanc