The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-12-16
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Feiio,D Citizens Of The Senate
2 g~ and House Of Repressnioiices :


q e and House Of Repre,sniaices
When We compare the condition Of the
country at the present day with what Il wss
ons year ago, ct the meeting Of Congress
we have much reason for gratitude TO that
Almighty Providence which has never isil-
ed 10 ntcrpoe for our relief, at the most
critical period Of our history. One year Egg,
the seciioual strife between the north aud
the south on the dangerous subject OF slave
~, had again become 80 intense a. 70
threaten the peace and perptaiiy OF the
coniederacy. The application for the adm's-
sion Of Kansas as State into the Union,
fostered this unhappy agitation. and brought
the whole subject before Congress. II was
the desire of every patriot that such meas.
ures Of legislation might DO adopted, AS
vould remove the excitement from the
States, and eonhne il to the Territory where
Il legitimately belonged. Much has been
done, am happy TO say, toward the accom-
plishmep, Of the object, during the last scs-
sion OF Congress.
The Supreme Court Of the United States
had previously decided, that all American
citizens have an equal right to take into the
Territories, whatever ia held as property IN
der the guardianship d the Federal Consti
tuition, so long rs the territorial condition
shall remain.
This il now a we'll established position,
and the proceedings Of the last session were
alone wanted to give il practical eject
The principle has been recognised. In some
| form or other, by an almost unanimous
vote Of both houses Of Congress, TINT a Ter
| rtiory has d right TO come into the Union
either as free or slave State, according to
q will Of u majority OF It's people. The Just
equality Of all the States has thus been vim
dicated, and fruitful source OF dangerous
dissenson among them has been removed.
Whilst such has been the beneficial ten
dency Of yonr proceedings outside Of Kan
sas their influence has been nowhere 10
happy M within that Territory itself. Lett
TO manage and control its own Affairs In its
own way, without the pressure OF external
influence, the revolutionary Topeka organ
cation and all resistance 10 the territorial
government established by Congress, have
been been finally abandoned. As natural
consequence that fine Territory now np'
pears 10 be tranquil and prosperous. and is
attracting increasing thousands OF immi.
grants TO Kansas make It their happy home
The past unfortunate experience OF Kan
has bus enforced the lesson 80 often already
taught. that resistance TO lawful authority.
under our form Of government. cannot fail
in the end to prove disastrous to its authors.
Had the people Of the Territory yielded ODE
dieDco to the laws enacted by their Leg
stature, 1t would at thu present moment have
contained u large additional population Of
industrious aud cnterpiising citizcns. who
have been deferred from entering its borders
by the cxistance OF evil and strife and or
gained rebellion.
II was the resistance to rightful authority,
and pcrscrvering attempts To establish n
revolutionary government under the Topeka
constitution which caused the people Of
Kansas to commit the great error OF refusing
to vote for delegates to the convention, IN
frame constitution under law not denied to
be- fair aud just 10 its provisions. This refusal
70 vote hns been the prolific source Of all the
evils which have followed. In their hostility
TO tho Territorial government they disregar
ded the principle absolutely essential to the
working Of our form Of government, that a
majority Of those who vOte---not the ma jor-
jty who remain at home, from whatever
caue--tnust decide the result OF an election
For thi. reason. seeking To take advantage
Of their own error they denied the authority
OF the convention thus elected IN frame u
constitution.
The convention. notwithstanding, pro-
ceeded to adopt u constitution uneScepttn n
able In ia general features. and providing
for the submission Of the slavery question 10
q vote OF the people, which in my opinion,
they were bound 20 do under the Kansas
and Nebraska act, This was the all i'm
portnnt question which alone had convulsct
the Territory and yet the opponents Of the
lawful go,crnmsnt, pcrs's,ing in their frat
error. reIrainei from expressing their right
TO vote, aud prc!errd that slavery should
continue rather than surrender their rcvolu.
tionary Topeka organization.
A wiser and better spirit seemed n pre-
vail before tho FIRST Monday Of January
last, when IN election was held under the
constitution. A majority Of the people hen
voted for Governor and other State Off
GERS, for member Of Congress and mem.
bers Of the State Legislature. This election
was warmly contested by the two political
parties in Kansas, and greater vote was
pollcd than At any previous election. A
large majority Of the members Of the Iegis.
laturc elect belonged TO that party which
had previously refused 10 vote. The anti
slavery party were thus placed in the A.
cendan, aud the political power OF the State
was IN their own hands.
Had Congress Kansas admitted into the
Union under the lecompton Constitution,
the Legislature might, ut its very first ss.
sion. have Submitted the question to the
vote Of the people, whether they would or
not have . convention TO amend their con
stitution, either on the slavery or other
question, and have adopted oil necessary
means for giving speedy effect to the will
OF the majority. Thus, the kansss ques
ton would have been immediately aud Ora ly
settled.