Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-01-19

cution In Federal courts under similar cir
cumstances. Hence dangerous conflicts
must arise, and imminent peril TO both
liberty and union.
If such conflicts must come, TO the az
tent of the power vested in me, ahall
maintain the honor Of the State and sum
port the authority of her courts. perfer
to hope that they may be adverted bv
the abandonment, on the part Of the Fed
eral authorizes, Of the indefensible posi.,
tons which they have assumed
The same disposition to extend the
range of Federal power in disparagement
of State sovereignty and popular rights.
has been conspicuously manifest in the ac-
ton of the Federal Government in regard
to the Territory Of Kansas. From the
day that Territory was deprived Of the
safeguard of the Missouri prohibition by
the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
the whole action of the Federal Govern
ment seems to have been directed to the,
establishment Of slavery within its limits.
Instead of committing in good faith, to,
the people Of the Territory the formations
and regulation Of their own institutions,
all the influence ofthe national Administra-
tion has been exerted for the subiuoation
of the people to the will Of the propapan-
dists of slavery. The whole practicle ef-
feet of the Kansas Nebraska Act has been
the substitution of Presidential invention
for slavery, instead Of Congressional inter- =
vention against slavery.
Without resistance or rebuke from the
national Administration the actual resi-
dents of Kansas were driven from the polls
at the first Territorial election, and pre-
tended Legislature was imposed on an un-
willing people by the fraud and force Of
invaders from an adjoining State.
The people, harassed and outraged be-
yond endurance by the tyranny of the
ursurping Legislature and its instru-
ments who were countenanced and aided
by federal office-holders, sought relief in
State organization. Though conven-
ton assembled at Topeka, they formed n
State constitution. and after its ratification
by the popular vote sought admission
under it into the Union. Their prayer
for such admission, though grsnted by
the House of Representatives rejecting
the will of the people, was denied by the
State rejecting, in this, the will Of the
Slave interest.
Every federal officer in the Territory
who manifested any sympathy with the
people, was, from time to time removed,
and bodies of troops were sent to compel
submisseE to usurping power.
| A few months since, under an act which
practically disfranchised vast majority
of the citizens a pretended election was
held for members of a convention to frame
another constitution. This convention
was constituted as was intended, exclu-
sively of the partisans Of slavery. 1t
| framed, of course, slave State Constitu-
ton and provided for its transmission to
Congress without previous submission to
the people for ratification. It proposed
indeed to submit to popular Judgment
the question of slavery or no slavery,
but so framed the terms of submission
that no matter how the people might
vote, slavery would in any event exist
IN the new State, if ifadmitted into the Union
under that Constitution.
Happily, subsequent to the election of
the Constitutional Convention, the pc
riod for the second election of a Terrific
rial Legislature arrived and at the election
they held, the actual residents of the
Territory succeeded in electing major
ity OF its members in both branches. Tho
people, Knocked and insulted by the pro-
ceeding just narrated, now invoked from
the Secretary of the Territory, acting as
Governor, the convocation Of this body.
For compliance with this just demand, the
Secretary was removed from office. For
expressing himself in opposition to the ad-
mission Of the State into the Union, un-
der the Constitution of the Convention,
and without previous submission to the
people, the Governor of the Territory fell
under such displeasure Of the Admins
tration, that he was constrained to resign
his position. If the power and patronage
of the Federal Government can secure the
admission of Kansas into the Union
under this slave-State Constitution, that
power and patronage will, without doubt,
be actively employed to that end.
In all this the people of Ohio have q
deep and vital interest. 1t is beyond
question that vast majority of her elect
ors are opposed to that interposition of
the Federal Government in behalf of
slavery. / trust that the General Assem-
bly, will give emphatic expression to the
sentiments of the people.
1t cannot fail to arrest attention that all
these encroachments of the Federal Gov
eminent upon State Sovereignty and upon
the freedom of the Territories, arises from
a determined purpose on the part of those
who control it's action to extend the domain,
and enlarge the power of slavery. Under
this influence the ancientand original pol
icy Of slavery prohibition was overthrowR
and reversed by the Kansas Nebraska Act.
Under this influence, the whole power of
the National Government has been exerted
to force slavery upon the reluctant people
of Kansas. Under this influence, also
persistent attempts are made to subiugate
the people of the Free States to federal
domination, through the administration of
the Fugitive Slave Act. Under this infiu-
enoe, finally, the Federal Judiciary has
promulgated the revolving doctrine that
the Constitution Of the Union establishes