American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-12-16
fREstDENF's MESSAGE. /,

When we compare the condition ofthe coun-
tty' St the ttesent day with what 1t was one
year sgo, at the meeting Of OongBesssswe have
much reason fot gratitude to that Almighty
q JProsidence, which has never failed, to inter
boeelfot OUT Teli6f at the most critical periods
a c,,r history. J One year. ago, Ithe sectional
strife between the North and the South On the
dangerous subject OF slavery, had again become
. no intense rs to threate n tie peace and perpes
auity OF The coniedeTacy. The application for
khe admission of Kansas as State into the I'M
ion, IostSrea This unhappy agitation, and bro't
the whole subject once more before Congyess.
4, tsyaSlhe desire of every patEiott thn such
ineSslTes Of legislation might be adopted a.
would remove the excitement nom the states
and conHle II to the Territory whereJt iegiu,
natal beionRed Much has been. done, II am
happy 10 saw to wards the accomplishment OF
this object, during the last session Of Congress.
The Suhteme Court Of the United States had
breviously decided, that all American citizens
hars an equal right to take into the Territories
whatever Is held as property under the laws OF
any Of the States, and 10 hold such property
i6eSs under the, guard the federal con-
VtitIlton; so long as the territorial condition
: Z This rI IS now we'll established position. and
the proceedines Of the last Session were alone
wanting to give il practical effect. The ,pnn
oiple has been Recognized, in some form o. 9th
seF, BY an almost unanimous vote OF both hous-
esof Congress, that q territory has right to
come into the Union either as free or as a
Slave State, according to the will OF,
majority Of its people. The just equality Of all
the States has thus been Vindicated, and Q
fruitful source OF dangerous dissention among
fhen has been removed. 5r,,.t.s-sz H.
Whilst such has been the beneficial tenden-
ey of your Legislative proceedings outside Of
Kansas, their influence has been nowhere so
happy as within the territory itseiE Left to
manage and control its own affairs in its own
way; without the pressure Of external infiu-
ence, the revolutionary Topeka organization
andall resistance TO the territorial government
established by Congress, have been finally a.
4andoned. AS natural consequence, that
,hne Territory now appears to be tranquil and
o prosperous, and Is attracting, Increasing thou
sands Of immigrants to make II their happy
hdRe. ll y 44fHlt. III
|, The past unfortunate experience OF Kansas
has 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 10 its authors. Had the peo-
Pile OF the Territory yielded obedience to the
laws enacted by their Legislature. it would at
the present moment have contained large ad-
ditiOhal population OF industrious and enter
prising citizens, who have been deferred from
Il
strife and organized rebellion. s s
II was the re ,istance to rightful authority and
the persevering attempts TO establish a revolu-
tionary government under theTopeka constitu-
ion which caused the people OF Kansas TO COM
NIT the grave error Of refusing to vote for del
egates 10 the convention to frame a constitu-
zion uuder a law not denied to be fair and just
in its provisions This refusal to vote has been
the prolific source OF all the evils which have
K.lI L. III, ~. 20 he Tprritnrial
government they idisTegarded the principle, alb
solptely essential 10 the working Of our form OF
government, that majority Of those who vote
NOT the majority who may remain at home,
tFom whatever cause-must decide the result
Os an election. For this reason, seeking to
take advantage Of their own error, they denied
the authority of the convention thus elected
10 frame a constitutions. ~ sldila 'tin''t ~
~ The convention, notwithstanding, proceed
edlto adopt constitution Nnexceptionai in Its
geuefal Features, and providing fot The SUBJ
mission OF the slavery question to a vote ef the
people, which, in my opinion, they were
bound 10 do under the Kansas, and Nebraska a
act. This was the all important question
which had alone oonvulsed the Territory; and
yet the opponents of the lawful government,
PeIsistihg In their first erroTs RETAINED from
exercising Their right to vote, and preferred
that slavery should continue rather than sur
render their revolut utionaryT Tope ka organization.
IA wiser and better spirit seemed to prevail
before the first Monday OF sJanuarysla when
an election was held under, the constitution.
AmaiOrity ofth people then voted for a Gov
eInor and other State officers, for member OF
ConsFess, aud members Of the State Legisla-
tufesh This election was warmly contested BY
the two pOlitical parties in Kansas, aud a
Etet'tAf vote was polled than at any previous
election large majority ofthe members of
the LegiSIttnre elect belonged, tpa that party
which haq previously refused to,Iyote. The
afhti'SisVafY pgrfy were thus placed in the as
eenda'ht, and the political power Of the State
was in their own hands. Had Con greys admit
ted Kansas iato the tlHlion lRhdsi The Leoomp.
ton constitution, the Legislature might, at its
very first session; have Submitted the question
TO vote Of the people, whether they would or
would not have q convention to amend their
constitution, either on the slavery Of any 9Th
er question, and have adopted all necessary
means for giving speedy effect 70 the viii of
the majority. Thus the Kansas question would
have been Immediately and finally settled.
Under these circumstances, 1 submitted 10
Congress the Constitution thus framed, with
all the oihcefs alfeacy elected necessary top put
the State government into operation, ac-
companled by strong recommendation in ia
voR OF the admission Of Kansas as q State.--
u the course Of my long public life r have new
ef peIfoImed any official act which, in the ret.
xospeet, has afforded noe, morey heartfelt. salts;
factiol. Its admission could have inflicted nd
possible injury on any human being, while II
would, within a brief period, have restored
Ipeace TO Kansas and harmony to the u Uaion.---
III that event the slavery question would ere
fthis have been finally settled, according to the
legally expressed will ofthe majority Of the
votefs, and popular sovereignty would thus
'haxsi Deen yiEdicatedi in a constitutional man
neI.9.ng--ssfi ~ ,.gSl .fN1'9
With my deer, convictions OF duty, could
have pursued no other course. tits true. that
Ns Anindividnal, ! had expressed an opinion,
both before and during the session ofthe con-
wention, in lavOrof submitting the remaining
clauses OF the constitution, as well as that con-
soeVhing slavery, TO the people. But, acting in
wn official chaTaeter1 neither myself nor any
human authority had the power to rejudge the
proceedings Of the convention, and declare the
constitution which il had framed to be ndlli-
~. To have done this would have beena vio-
lation Of the Kansas and Nebraska act, which
left the people Of the Territory perfectly free
TO form and regulate their domestic institutions
In their own way, subject only to the Consti.
tuition ofthe United Etates." II would equal
" have violated the great principle Of populai
SoyeIsignty, at the foundation Of our institu
tions, todepFive the people Of the power, i
they thought proper 10 exercise it, OF confdinl