The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-02-13

Of the East aud whilst there are a rtsprrlhblg
number Of people there i is filled by con-
siderable number Of merchants who are paid
by the abolition societies 90 pefpeluate ahd
difuse agitation throughout Kansas aud pre-
vent the peaceful settlement Of this question,
4 Having failed IN inducing lheirown No called
Topeka State Legislature 10 organize ihis IN
aurrection, Lawrence has commenced u her
self and If not arrested, rebeliion vii extend
throughout the Territory
Aud agan ;--
"In order 10 send this communication itn'
mediutcly ~ mail ! niust elose, assuiirg yoh
that the spirit OF rebellion poryades the great
mass OF the republican party Of This Territory,
instgated, as ! entertain 40 doubt they are,
| by Eastern societies, having in \ low results
most disastrous 20 the Government and the
! Lnipnl and that the continued presence Of
Gen. llarney is Indispensable, Rs wa origin
ally stipulated by me, with large body Of
Dragons aud several batteries"
/ On the 2Oth Of July, 1857, Gen, Lane, un-
der the authority Of thNl opeks Constitution,
undertook, "a Gov, Wglker-Aaya,
ITO organize the whole frse-stste party in
10 volunteers aud 10 take the names Ofall Who
rciusrd enrolment The proposed object was
"a protect the polls al the election in August
ot a new nsurgent Topeks State Legislature.
The object in taking the names Of all who re-
fuse enrollmentis 10 terrify the iree-staie con-
seTyatiyes into hubnif6ion. This IL proved by
the recent atrocities committed or such men
lay the lopokailcs Tie speedy location Of
large bodies Of regular troops here with two
batteries IL necessary.
"Iho Lawrence inHurgcnis await the deVol-
opment OF this military Organization
In the Governors despatch Of 9Th ult, he
says;--
Lame and his',luG e,eryv here deny the nu-
thOrity Of the territorial laws, aud counsel a
total disregard Of those enactments,'
Without making any further quotations Of
u similar character from other dispatches Of
Gov Walker il appears by rc ercncc to See
rctary Stantoh's communication 10 Gov, Cass,
dated OH Dec. last, that the important step
Of calling the Legislature together was taken
after Cen Walker had become satisfied that
the election ordered by the convention on the
2lst inst could not be- conducted without col
lisiun and bloodsAed.
SO intense was the dislpyal feeling among
the enemies Of the government established by
Congress, that an election, which afforded them
opportunities, IL in thc majority Of making
Kansas free State according 20 their own
proicssrd desire, could not be- conducted with
out collision aud bloodshcd. The truth il.
that ill the present moment the enemies Of
the existing, government still adhere to their
Topeka re-, olutionary government.
? The very first paragraph Of the message OF
Governor Robinson. dated the 7th December,
10 the Topeka Legislature, now assembled az
Lawrence, contains an open defiance Of the
laws and Constitution Of the United States.
The Governor SAWS that the Convention
which framed the Topeka Constitution origi-
mated with the people Of Kansas Territory.
They have adopted and ratified the same twice
by direct vote, also indirectly through the
election of State Officers and members Of the
Stale Legislature yet il has pleased the adj
ministrutiou to regard the whole proceeding
as revolutionary.
This Topeka government adhered TO with
such treasonablc pcrinacity, is a EoI-fnmcnt
IN direct opposition to the government prcsen-
ted and recognized by Congress. It is usur-
patton of the same character as il would be
/ Tor portion OF the people Of any State to un-
dsrtake to establish separate government
within its limits for the purpose of redressing
! any grievance. real or imaginary, of ahioh they
might complain, against tho legitimate State
government Such principle, ifcarricd into
execution, would destroy all lawful authority
and produce universal anarchy.
From this statement Of facts the reason be-
comes palpablc, the enemies of the govern
rrcrrt authorized by urr-rCSx iTuvu refused to
vote for the delegates TO the Kansas Constitu-
uonal Convention, and also afterwards on the
'issessitafs ss siss;ry usslT11sttr ts the ee-
pie. II is because they have ever refused TO
sanction or recognize any other Constitution
than that framed at Topeka. Had the whole
l.ccompton Constitution been submitted to
the people, the adherants of this OF ganizatiun
would doubtless have voted against il, be-
eaus" If successful they would then have re-
moved the obstacles out Of the way of their
own revolutionary Constitution. They would
have done this, not upon the consideration
of the merits of the whole or part of the
Iggsa INa... 4. 80
they have ever resisted-the authority of the
government authorized by Congress, from
which it emanated
/ Such being the unfortunate condition OF
/ affairs in the Territory what was the right as
well as the duty Of the law abiding pcupir /?
Were they silently md patiently to submit
/ to the Topeka usurpation, or, To adopt the
necessary measures to establish Il constitution
under the authority of the organic law of
/ Congress.
That this Law recognized the right of the
Territory without an enulling act OF Congress
/ to form State Constitution, is too clear for
argument. For Congress to leave the people
OF the Territory perfectly free in framing their
Constitution to form and regulate their do
mestic institutions in their own way, subject
only to the Constitution of the United States,
and then TO. say that they should not be per-
mitted To proceed and frame the Constitution
IN their own way without express authority
OF Congress, appears to he almost contra
diction of terms. 1t would be npch more
plausible to contend that Congress- had no
power to pass such an enabling act, than to
argue that the people of Territory might be
kept out of the Union for an indefinite period,
aud till it might please Congress to permit
them to exercise tho right of. sefgovernment.
This would be TO adopt not their own way,
but the way which Congress might prescribe.
1t is impossible that any people could have
proceeded with more regularity in the formn-
tion of n Constitution than the people of Kan
sas have done II was necessary TO first as
certain whether it was the desire of the peo-
pie to be relieved from territorial dependence