Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-02-11
H We publish. below : .,

L k>&o<A>~>- N~~AN< y
the Presidents Message urging the adop
ton of the Lecompton Constitution
We have hardly room for the documen
entire. The Democrats of the Nortl
will find in this message new matter TO
reflection. They are being sold, bod,
and soul to the slave power, and the,
Ihaye only to swat little longer" il
abject submission to the disposition 0
their masters at Washington, to becom
the cravens, in fact, that they now arr
in theory.
Presidents Message on the Kansas Con
| stituticn.
The President opens with the asser
ton that a great delusion seems to per
wade the public mind in relation to the
condition of parties in Kansas. This
arises from the difficulty of inducing the
American people to realize the fact that
any portion Of them should be in state
rebellion against the government under
which they live. The dividing line then
is not between two political parties, both
acknowledging the lawful existence OF
the government, but to those who are
loyal to this government, and those who
have endeavored to destroy its existence
by force and usurpation-between those
who abstain and those who have done
all in their power to overthrow the Ter
ritorial government established by Con-
gress. This government they would
long since have subverted had 1t not
been protected from assaults by the u.
Is. troops. The President then cites
Gov. Walkers despatch as evidence to
the existence of revolutionary move
ment in Kansas, and gives the history
of the Topeka government. The very
first paragraph, he says of the message
of Gov. Robinson dated the 18th of De
cember, to the Topeka Legislature con-
tains an open defiance of the laws and
Constitution OF the United States. The
Topeka government adhered to with such
reasonable pertinacity is government
in direct opposition to the existing gov
eminent prescribed and recognized by
Congress. Such principle, if carried
into execution, would destroy all lawful
authority and produce universal anarchy.
From this statement of facts the reason
becomssspalpable why the enemies ofthe
government by Congress have refused
to vote for the Kansas Constitutional
Convention, and also afterwards on the
question of slavery. 1t is because they
have refused to sanction or recognize any
other Constitution than that framed at
Topeka. Had the whole Lecompton
Constitution been submitted to the PEG.
ple' the adherents of this organization
would doubtless have voted against it,
because, if successful, they would thus
have removed the obstacles from the
way their own revolutionary Constitu-
ton. Such being the unfortunate condi-
ton of affairs in the Territory, what was
the right as well as the duty of the law
abiding people? Were they silently and
patiently to submit to the usurpation, or
to establish a Constitution under the or
ganic law of Congress. That this law
recognized the right Of the people of the
Territory, without an enabling act Of
Congress, to form State Constitution
too clear for argument. 1t is impossi-
BILE that any people could have proceed
ed with more regularity in the formation
ola Constitution than the people of Kan
sas have done. 1t is necessary first to
ascertain whether it was the desire of
the people to be relieved from Territor-
ial dependency and establish a State
Government. For this purpose the Ter
ritorial Legislature, in 1855, passed a
law for taking the sense of the people of
the Territory on the expediency OF call
ing Convention to form State Con-
stitution at the general election to be
held in October, 1856. The sense of
the people was accordingly taken, and
they decided in favor oft Constitution.
1t is true that at this election the enc
mics of tho Territorial Government did
not vote, because then they were engag-
ed at Topeka, without the slightest pretext
of lawful authority, in framing Consti-
tuition of their own subverting the Ter.
ritorial Government. In pursuance Of
this decision in favor of the Convention,
the Territorial Legislature, on the 9th
of February, 1857, passed an act for the
election of delegates on the 3rd Monday
of June, 1857, to frame q State Consti-
tuition. This law is as fair in It's proyis
ions as any that ever passed a Legislative
body for similar purpose. The right
Of suffrage at this election is clearly and
justly defned-every bona fide citizen
of the United States, above the age of
twenty one, and who had resided there
in three months previous to that date
was entitled to vote. In order to avoid
all interference from neighboring States
and Territories with the freedom and
fairness of the election, a provision was
made for the registry of bona fide voters,
and pursuant thereof 925 votes were reg
istered. Gov. Walker did his whole
duty in urging all qualified citizens to
vote at this election.
The President argues the Topekaites
by refusing to vote for the election for
delegates to the Convention, authorized
those who did vote to act for them. The
consequence of their refusal to submit
to the lawful authority and vote, may
yet prove to be of the most deplorable
character. Our only safety consists in
obedience and conformity tolaw. Should
general spirit against its enforcement
prevail, this would prove fatal to us as a
nation.
Mr.. Buchanan continues-from this
review it is manifest that the Lecomptor
Convention was legally constructed and
invested with power to frame Constitu
ton.
He iustifes the Convention for sub
hitting only the slavery question to thu
people. 1t was of a character as para
mount in respect to the condition o
Kansas as to rivet the anxious attention
of the people of the whole country upol
it alone. No person thought of an,