The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-02-13
The TerritOri rial Legislature or Kansas
Memorial to Congress. ~
Correspondence Of the st. Louis Democrat. D-


Correspondence Of the st. Louis Democrat. F-
LAWRENCE, Jan. 20, 1858.
The Territorial Legislature has decided not
to give way for the Topeka government, but
to 90 on and pass full code of laws, and let
the Topekaites suit themselves. The COM
mittee in the House made the following re.
port upon the resolutions presented by the
State Legislature to the Territorial Legisla-
ture for their concurrence. The report is
significant of the split shown by the Terrific
rial Legislature towards the State organiza-
ton during the whole sitting, up to this time:
REPORT.
The select committee to whom was refer
red the concurrent resolutions of the State
Legislature under the Topeka Constitution,
would, in accordance with the instructions of
the House, respectfully report the following
resolution:
ResoLued, That we have every confidence in
the wisdom, patriotism and prudence of the
Free State Legislature that we believe the
movement it represents had its origin in
public necessity, and that it is in their pro-
vince to take such action in their own capac-
ity as they may think legitimate and proper,
they being responsible for their own action,
and we not for them; and as the Territorial
Legislature is not legitimately in position
to dictate to or concur in their acts, we have
only respectfully to reiterate to them the
course of action which we shall at present
pursue, as clearly indicated in the resolutions
passed by this body to the effect that we
would proceed to the enactment of an entire
code of laws, which shall supercede laws or
pretended laws passed prior to the special
session of the present Legislature.
r,ft S. S. COOPER,
90 E. N. MORRILL,,
a JOHN SPEER,
III H. Mules MOORE,
..+ w. p. BADGER.
There has been sent to Congress the fol-
lowing MEMORIAL.
To the Honorable tie Senate and tile House of Repre-
sentatiUes Of the United States in Congress assem-
1Eed:
The undersigned, the State officers elected
under the provisions of the Constitution of
the State Of Kansas, framed at Lecompton,
would most respectfully represent: That
the Constitution under which they were elect
ed to the various Offices with names append
ed, is moi, tine creature of the popular will, but
that on the other hand, it has been and is re-
garded by an overwhelming majority of the
bona fde citizens of the Territory of Kansas,
as fraud This Constitu ton was framed by
Convention elected by bare majority of
the people of Kansas, under an election law,
caucus, ard an apportionment, that utterly
disfranchised the whole people Of one-half of
the counties III this Territory, also deprived
the great bulk of the citizens of the other
counties Of the right of suffrage. Of the
delegates thus elected, but a bare majority
met to accomplish the work for which they
were elected the few that assembled pro-
ceeded to frame Constitution for the peo-
pie of Kansas, which, in many Of its most
important provinces, is repugnant to the wish
es and opinions of the people, and in their
opinion is hostile to the best interests and
prosperity of the State.
This Constitution, thus framed, was never
submitted by the Convention, to fair vote
of the people, for their ratification or rejec-
ton; but on the other hand their judgment
was insulted, and their rights trifed with by
the pretended submission of what is called
the slavery clause" in such a manner as to
present no question except that Of the inn
portation of slaves into the State in future,
and forcing every one who voted to give his
sanction to all the other provisions of the
Constitution, and to take, if required. a test
oath to support said Constitution, if adopted.
Under the provisions of the schedule provid-
ing for said election, those who voted ballot
marked "Consttution with Slavery" neces-
Sarily gave their sanction to the whole instru-
ment, and those who voted "Constitution
without Slavery" necessarily gave the sane
| tbo;r 20 Ill FL 4 <bo
Constitution, except the slavery article, and
in lieu thereof substituted an article prohib-
iting the introduction of slaves into the State
in future, and confirming those now in the
Territory, and their posterity in slavery for
all time to come. This was the simple eff
feet of the vote. 1t is scarcely necessary for
us to say that the privilege of voting on one
proposition, thus beset with conditions so
utterly inadequate and unjust, by the power
of deciding upon single, and as submitted,
by no means an unimportant question, pro-
duced at the expense of giving the sanction
of our votes to many provisions that our
judgment condemned, was and is considered
by the people of Kansas no boon, but on the
other hand, the offer is Justly held to be an
insult to people who know and appreciate
the rights of freedom; and hence eight-tenths
of the people rejected the offer with con-
tempt, and refused to participate in an cleo
ton, the terms of which thus compromise
the dignity of an American citizen.
| In view of these facts, the Territorial Leg
islature, at it's late extra session, provided by
| law for the submission of the whole COnst-
tuition, on the 4th day-of January, 1856, in
three distinct propositions, viz: 'Constitu-
ton with slavery" "Constitution with no
slavery" and against Constitution The
returns of this election arc not yet all recor-
ded but enough is known to warrant us in
saying that the vote cast against the COnsti-
tuition is about Ii 900; for the Constitution
with slavery, $50; the Constitution with no
slavery, "a. This large vote against the Con-
stitution was cast at an election held on the
4th day Of January, 1858, by the authority
of law passed on the 18th of December,
1857, which the necessarily short and imper-
feet notice thereof, no doubt prevented thou
| sands in the distant interior counties of the
Territory, where the whole people are oppos-
ed to the Constitution, from casting their
votes against it. Inasmuch as the pro-slave-
ry party refused to participate in this cleo
ton, we present the vote polled on the 2lst
of December, as provided for by the schedule
of the Constitution, which is as follows:
Constitution with slavery. .................. 266
CONSTITUTION with slavery. ...... $50
Majority .-.-.......... ................-. 5,574
Of this majority more than than one-half
was obtained in those very sparsely settled
precincts on the Missouri border, two Of
which, Oxford and Shawnee, are in the Shaw
nee reserve on lands not yet open for settle
ment, viz:
Oxford .......... Observation-Disclosures. 1886
Shawnee. Observation-Disclosures. zee. 729
KickapOO. 80. ........ .,...........,.. 1O11