The Washington union., 1858-02-21
THE ADMISSION OF KANSAS.
.roar or rBF Hoy JAMES /. GREEN, OF MISSOURI


for Kansas State adopted 10y the convention which
met at Iecompton on Monday, the 4th of September,
1851 having, had the under consideration, IN
struct me Co report
BY the treaty with France, made on the 10th day OF
April 1898 known the Louisiana treaty, Kansas was
acquired with special stipulation for Che protection {"
the rights OF the inhabitants and for the admission %
such States might he formed out OF that Ieroly h'o
the Union on AN equal footing with the original states
This solemn treaty obligation has been heretofore ai-
fully observed aud the States OF louisiana mssouIl AT
kansas and Iowa have been respectively adih''ed INTO
the Union aud another part OF The territory acquired
under that treaty included in the proposed state OF MIN
nesota is now about to be likewise admitted Kansas
has the same right expect the same treatment in the
fulhm6nt of sacred treaty Obligations, made WIN one oi
the first powers of the world
In view OF these obligations and in strict conformity
with the uniform practice of the government in fu6lment
thereof citizens of the United States have settled in Kan
sa5 under the just expectation of having State oganz
ton Aud TO protect the people and enable them 20 pre-
pare for such organization Congress, the 30h day
of May, 1854, passed an act creating government for
that Territory,
That act following up the constant practice of the gov
ernment and in fuhlInent of the treaty with France,
contemates change of it's form into that of state and
FOR admission into the Union.
Under the act OF Congress aforesaid regular terrific
rial government 6rganzed and the people of the Ter
rit0ry were thereby constituted political community
with full powers OF government subordinate only to the
constitution of the United States and proceeded to pass
laws for the protection of persons and property the valid
ity OF which cannot now be called in question.
Soon after the territorial government went into opera
ton 4 party Of disaected persons formed combinations
10 resist the laws and 10 set at defiance both the terrific
rial aud United States governments.
10 that end they proceeded to form organization,
and, although the population at that time amounted TO
less than twenty five thousand inhabitants in the entire
Territory and mey constituting small minority of that
numbe yet order to resist the legal authorities under
the color of law, got up am Illegal assembly at Topeka
and actually pretended To organize State government
and this, too, without congressional enabling act ;
without the of the territorial legislature without
a vote of the people authorizing the election of n
convention but in disregard OF all. That same
party hns been persistent in its Illegal efforts To main
tain its organization in violation Of law, and
60 defeat and prevent the operation OF all laws and
the settlement of all questions affecting the peace
of Kansas. 10 accomplish its ends they concocted
aud effected secret military organization of their NAL
contents pledged to resist the legal authorities and
tally received Shapes rifles and other and muni
tions war which sent out from Massachusetts, and
other States by the socaed emgrant and societies. To
able them TO maintain their Iorcble resistance to lawful
authority The societies had previously sent out the worst
part the spurious population of Kansas for the proiessed
and avowcd object of excluding slavery from the Terri
tory That attempt was justly regarded offensive to the
southern States The people of the United States through
their representatives in Congress established the principle
Of strict nontervcnto., the subject of slavery in the
Territories and States. The Supreme Court subsequently,
sustained by a solemn decision, the principle
Therefore States, societies chartered by States
or other combinations, to undertake 20 effect OBJ
jeot that Congress- the supreme Court and the American
people have pronounced against must of necessity have
proved obnoxious
Ile action Of these societies in conjunction with their
affiliated organizations in the Territory Of Kansas created
general commoton throughout the country, to
have been expected
Charges aud complaints were made both sides and
whole subject subsequently brought before Con
gress for consideration. The matter fully nvest-
gated aud the regular, legal territorial government
completely sustained and endorsed. Every department
of the federal government in which this question has been
considered has pronounced the judgment in favor of
,,,Yt,a
its laws
report made in the Senate this subject 10y Mr.
Douglas the chairman OF the committee charged with the
Investigation in which he says
Tho passage Of the Kansas Nebraska srenuosly
ic by a persons who 'hong i less s % deprive tho people
THAN to allow them decide THE slavery question
themselves, state Of the rtau had done and retain
the andnae r % do 50 long as The constitution OF the United
States shall be aalaine as the supreme law o the land Finding
opposition the principles the unayaing
gre5 and under 'e ae9 Z" he consultation combinations were i'm
neacy entered into in portions Of the Union
through machinery cmgran
with the color legal authority,
corporation procured from the legislature
chnset when powerful corporation, with capital Of avc millions
dollars honscs
cannon and rifles IN powder and eN IN all the implements Of ara
al under the management and control Of aud
The exalt OF my votes each enters distant and spascy sele
Territory WIN the xe purpose WELDING al m power to control
the domestic institutions and political desus Of the Territory
question rlui import how the operations
company Compatible rights ana liberties or the people
may congressional authority over
the Territories clear that individual state TO
pass authorize Affecting 1crro
res which might not enact in reference
weseued principle Of constitutional law in this that who
all the states M the nin unied
each Se IN respect 70 eyeryd which aiects rs domestic policy
has right
authorize with view influence the domestic
Icy Of any other state or territory OF the Unon than ii would
with reference France England
which at Indeed state Of this Union
friendly geuef,,s
comfy towards each other member Of e conedeacy than
OF nations impose on foreign states.
Hour obgsl4 a iR under e law Of nations
aptei
whole and authority OF the executive branch Of the
noufig the army navy restraining
citizens FROM interfering with the internal foreign
obligations each
Imperative under tho
neutrality respect to the domestic institutions Of the several
and rerritore8yp
These extracts prove the character Of the resisting
party in Kansas and illustrate its purposes from the
beginning tp the present time while the report also
fully sstins the regular legal government as before
stated. Under these circumstances, and in this coBd
ton of aaIs, and with these express recognitions the
regular, legal territorial government continued to pro
gross and the population continued to increase until il
believed the time had arrived for admission into the
Unon in accordance with the provisions of the Lous
ana treaty, the uniform practice government the pro
visions OF the organic act and the just expectations of
the people On the day Of July, 1855 the regular
legislature OF the Territory passed take the sense
of the people on the subject OF forming State govern
ment, preparatory to admission into the Union The
election held, and large majority voted in favor OF
having convention TO adopt constitution indeed the
vote was almost unanimous
In pursuance OF which vote the territorial Legislature
the 10th day OF February 1857, passed a law for
taking the of The people, making registry of
the voters and for the election of delegates the con