Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-02-11
The Administration VS. Kansas
ANOTHER MESSAGE FROM BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON Fab

have received from NIr. calhoun, President
of the late Constitutional Convention of Kan
sas, a copy duly certified by himself, of the con-
stitution framed by that body, with the express
ion of the hope that would submit the same
to the consideration of Congress, with the view
of the admission of Kansas into the Union as an
independent State. In compliance with this re-
quest, herewith transmit to Congress for its
action, the Constitution of Kansas, with the or
dinance respecting the public lands, as well as
the letter Of Mr.. Calhoun dated Lecompton,
l4th ult., by which they were accompanied
Having received but single copy of the Con-
stitution and ordinances, 1 send this to the
Senate
A great defusen seems to pervade the public
mind'ih relation to the condition of parties in
Kansas This arises from the difficulty of in
ducing the American people to realize the fact
that 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 to the exist
-ence of two violent political parties in that ter
ritory, divided by the question of slavery, just
as we speak ofrsuch parties in States.
This presents no adequate idea of the state of
the case. The dividing line there ishot between
two political parties, both acknowledging the
lawful existence of the government, but between
those who are loyal to this government, and
those who have endeavored to destroy it's exist
ence by force and usurpation; between those
who are sustaining and those who have done all
in their power to overthrow the Territorial Gov
eminent established by Congress. This govern
ment would long since have been subverted had
it not been protected from assaults by the troops
of the United States. Such has been the con-
dition of affairs since my inauguration. Even
since that period, portion OF the people of
Kansas have been in state of rebellion against
the government, with a military leader at their
head of a most turbulent and dangerous char
acteF. They have never acknowledged, but have
constantly denounced and defed the government
to which they swore allegiance, and have been
all this time in a state of rebellion against its
authority. They have all this time been en-
deavoring to subvert it and establish revolu-
tionary government under the so-called Topeka
Constitution in its stead. Even at this very
moment the Topeka Legislature are in session.
Whoever has read the correspondence OF Gov
-s9Fncr Walker with the State Department, re-
Gently communicated to the Senate, will be con-
WINGED that this picture is not oyeldrawn. lie
always protested against the withdrawal of any
portion of the military force of the United
States from the Territory, deeming its presence
absolutely necessary for the preservation of the
regular Government, and the execution of the
laws.
In his very first dispatch to,[the Secretary of
State, dated June @ 1857, he says
" A most alarming movement, however, pro-
-coeds from the assembly of the so-called Topeka
Legislature, with the view to the enactment Of
an entire Code of Laws. OF course it will be
my cndeavor to prevent such aresuit, as it would
lead to an inevitable and disastrous collision,
and in fact renew civil war in Kansas.
This was prevented by the efforts of Cover
nor Walker, but soon he had to send to Gen.
Harvey to request him to furnish regiment of
Dragons to proceed to the city of Lawrence, and
this for the reason that he had received anthem
tic intelligence verified by his own actual OBJ
sarvation, that a dangereusrebelion had occur
red, involving open defiance of the laws, and
the establishment of an insurgcnt government
in that city.
In the Governors dispatch Of July 18th, he
informed the Secretary of State that the move
ment in Lawrence was the beginning of plan
of organization in their city organizes REBEL
ion throughout the Territory, and especially in
all the towns, cities and counties where the Re
publican party have . majority.
Lawrence is the het bed of all abolition move
ments in this Territory. 1t is the centre estab-
ished by the abolition societies of the East, and
whilst there are respectable number of poo
pie there, it is filled by considerable number
of merchants who are paid by the abolition So
ciotics to perpetuate and difuse agitation
throughout Kansas, and prevent the peaceful
settlement Of that question.
Having failed in inducing their own so-ealied
Topeka State Legislature to organize this insur-
raction Lawrence has commenced it herself, and
if not arrested rebellion will extend through
out the territory
And again i In order to send this commu-
nication Immediately by mail, ] must close, as
surfing you that the spirit of rebellion pervades
a great mass Of the Republican party of this
Territory instiga5ed, as entertain no doubt
they are by Eastern societies, having in view
results most disastrous to the government and
the Union, and that the continued presence o.
Gen. Harvey is indispensable, as was originally
stipulated by me, with a large body of dragons
and several batteries. -
On the Goth of 5uiy, 1857, Gen. Lane, I'M
der the authority of the Topeka Constitution
undertook, as Gen. Walker says, - to organic
the whole Free State party into volunteers, ant
to take the names Of all who refused enroll
mont. The proposed object is to protect thu
polls at the election in August of new insur
gent Topeka State Legislature. The object il
taking the names Of all who refused enrolmen
is to tsrrify the Free State conservatives int
submission This is proved by the recent atroc
titles committed on such men by the Topekaites
The speedy location of large bodies of regula
troops here with two batteries, is necessary
Tae Lawrence insurgents await the development
Of this new military organization"
In the Governors despatch Of 9th, he says
ID" Lane and his staff everywhere deny the au
thority of the territorial laws, and counsel i,
total disregard to those enactments,"
Without making any further quotations Of
similar character from Gov. Walker it appear
by reference to Secretary Stanton's communica
ton to Gen. Cass, 9th December last, that tn
important step of calling the Legislature togeth
or was taken after Gen Walker had become sat
isfed that the election ordered by the Conven
ton on 2lst inst. could not be conducted with
out collision and bloodshed.
So intense was the disloyai feeling among tn
enemies of the government established by Con
gress that an election, which afforded them op
portunities, of in the majority. Of making Kan
Sis Free State, according to their own profess
ed desire, could not be conducted without COLI
sion and bloodshed. The truth is, that till th
present moment the enemies of the existing gov
eminent still adhere to the Topeka revolution
AIRY government.
The very first paragraph of the message Q
Governor Robinson, dated 9TH December, to tn
Topeka Legislature, now assembled at Law
renee, contains an open defiance of the law
and constitution of the United Stated.
The Governor says that the conventio
which framed the Topeka Consultation original
ed with the people of the Kansas Territory
They have adopted and ratified the same twic
by direct vote, also indirectly through tn
election of State officers and members of tn
State Legislature. Yetit has pleased the AC
ministration to regard the whole proceeding &
revolutionary -