Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-02-05
Synopsis of the Presidents Kansas Mes
age.

tnat u great uelusiOn seems 10 pefVade the
public mind in relation TO the condition Of
parties in Kansas. This arises from the diff
ficulty Of inducing the American people to
realize the fact that any portion Of them
should be in n state cf rebellion against the
government under which they live. The
dividing line then is not between two polite.
al parties, both acknowledging the lawful
existence OF the government, but to those
who are loya! to this government and those
who have endeAvored to destroy is exis-
tence by force and usurpation-between
those who abrtain and those who have done
all in their power to overthrow the Terri
torial government established by Congress.
This government they would long since
nave subverted had it not been projected
from assaults by the United States troops
The President then cites Gov. Walker des-
patch as evidence to the existence of a rev
dictionary movement in Kansas, and gives
the history of the Topeka government. The
very first paragrah. he says, of the message
| of Gov. Robinson dated the It'll of Decem-
Der, to the Topeka Legislature contains an
open defiance of the laws and Constitution
OF the United States. Tho Topeka govern
ment adhered to with such reasonable per
tinacity is a government in direct opposition
to the existing government pioscrib.d and
recognized by Congress. Such a principle,
if carried into execution, would destroy all
lawful authority and produce universal an
! a..chsyy From this statement Of fact the
reason becomes palpable why the enemies
of the government authorized by Congress
have refused TO vote for the Kansas Consti-
t%utional Convention. and also afterwards on
the question of slavery. 1t is because they
have refused to sanction or recognize any
other Constitution than that formed at To-
peka. Had the whole Lecompton Constitu-
ton been submitted to the people, the ad-
herents of this organization would doubt
less rave voted against it, because, if sue.
c%essful, they wonld thus nave removed the
obstacles from the way of their own revolu-
tionary Constitution. Such being the I'm
fortunate condition of affoirs in the Terrific
nv, what was the right AS we'll as the duty
of the ~law-abiding peoplel Were they
silently ard patiently to submit to the To.
peka usurpation, or to establish a Constitu-
ton under the organic law of Congress-
That this law recognized the right of the
people Of the Territory, %withoutan enabling
act of Congress, to form a State Constitution
is too clear for argument. 1t is impossible
that any people could have proceeded with
more regularity in the formation of a Con-
stlsution than the people Of Kansas have
done. 1t is necessary first to ascertain
whether it was the desire of the people to
be relieved from Territorial dependency
and establish q State Government. For this
purpose the Territorial Legislature, in 1855.
passed a law for taking the sense of the
oeople of the Territory on the e~xpediency
sf calling a Convention to form q State con-
ptitution at the general election to be held
in October, 1856. The sense of the people
was accordingly taken, and they decided in
favor OF a constitution. 1t is true that at
this election the enemies of the Territorial
Government did not vote, because then were
engaged at topeka, without the slightest
pretext OF lawful authority, in framing q
Constitution OF their own for subverting the
Territorial Government. In pursuance of
this decision in favor Of the convention. the
Territorial Legislature, on the 81 Of Febru.
airy, 1857, passed IN act for the election of
delegates on the Sd Monday of June, 1887.
to frame a State Constitution. This law is
as fair in its provisions as any that ever pas
sed q legislative body for a similar purpose.
The right of suffrage at this election is
clearly and Justly defnel-every bona ide
citizen of United States, above the aQe of
t~wenty-one, and who had resided therein
three months previous to that date was en-
titled to vote. In order to avoid all inter
ference from neighboring States and Terri
tories with the freedom and fairness of the
election, q provision was made for the reg.
istry OF bona fide votes, and pursuant there.
Of 925 votes were registered. Gov. Walker
did his whole duty in urging all qualified
citizens to vote at this election.
The President argues that the Topekaites
by refusing to vote for the election for dele.
gate to the convention, authorizing those
who did vote to act for them. The copse.
quence Of their refusal to submit to the
lawful authority and vote, may vet prove
to be ofthe most deplorable character. Our
only safety consists in obedience and con-
fermity to law. Should . general spirit
against its enforcement prevail, this would
prove fatal to us as q nation.
MIR. Buchanan continues-from this re-
view it is manifest that the Lecomnton
Convention was legally constructed and
invested with power to frame a Constitn-
ton.
He justified the convention for submit.
ting only the slavery question to the nee.
pie. 1t was Of a character az in
respect to the condition Of Kansas as to riy-
ct the anxious attention of the people Of the
whole country upon it alone. No person
thought Of any other question. For nv
" part. when l instructed Gov. Walker
in general terms in favor of submitting the
Constitution to the people. l had no object
in view except the all-absorbing one of sla-
very. In whatever manner the people of
Kansas might regulate their other concerns
was not the subject which attracted nv at.
t~ention. 1t was never my opinion that in.
~dependently Of this act they would have
been bound to submit any portion Of the
constitution TO . popular vote, in order to
give It validity. Had I entertained such an
opinion, this would have been in opposition
to many presidents, commencing In the We
~ best age Of our republic, It would have