The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-02-11
II ANsAs AND THE DEN ,cN.



10 the People eJ hs tatied States.
Having bccn recently removed from the
Office of Secretary Of Kansas Territory, un.
der circumstances which imply severe cen
sure on the part Of the President, and hav'
ing had no official information Of my ~
moval, nor any opportunity for explanation
or deiesse. have doclnel il necessary 10
present to the people of the United States n
brief statement of facts IN vindication of
my motives, aud in explanation of the re
su Is OF the act Tor which ! have been con.
demned.
The Office in question was not given at
my solicitation. My acceptance OF II, IN
der all the circumstances, was u proof OF
strong friendship for the President, and OF
unbounded confidence in the firmncss and
faithiulncss with which he would adhere TO
the line Of policy deliberately agreed upon
between him. his whole cabinet, and Gov.
Walker.
On my arrival In the Territory In April
last, in advance of GOV. Walker, confess
that had an imperfect knowledge Of the
real condition Of affairs I supposed the
question Of slavery TO be the only cause Of
dissension and difficulty among the people
and in my brief inaugural address on the
18th Of April treated this rs the chief
subject Of difference, upon which u submis-
sion TO the people would be likely 10 be de-
mandcd. | soon found, however, that this
view was altogether too limited, and did not
reach the true ground Of controversy. The
great mass Of tho inhabitants Of the Terri.
tory were dissatisfied with the local govern
mcnt, and earnestly denied the validity Of
the existing laws Asserting that tho pre-
vious Legislatures had been forced upon
them 10y the fraud and violence Of q neigh.
boring people, they proclaimed their deter.
mination never TO submit 10 the enact
ments Of legislative bodies thus believed
TO bc Legitimate and not entitled TO obe-
dience.
This was the condition Of things when
Gov. Walker came To tie Territory IN the
latter part Of May. It was evident that the
just policy Of permitting the people to regu
late their own affairs could not be success
fully carried out, unless they could be In
spired with confidence in the agents OF gov
ernment, through whom this result was 10
bc effected Ifa mere minority Of the peo-
pie had been thus disatiaiiod and contuma-
cious they might possibly have been pro
nounc,d lactious, and treated ~ disturbers
Of the peace but when the dissatisfaction
was general, comprising almost the whole
people, more respectful consideration was
Indispensable TO peaceful adjustment. II
was evident that the policy Of rpreSion---
n rigid attempt 10 enforce submission with
out an effort mt concliaton-- would iDevita-
bly, result 10 q renewal OF the civil war.
With commendable anxiety To avoid this
contingency Gov. Walker resolved 10 20
among the people. to listen 10 their com
plants. 10 give them assurance OF fair and
just administration Of the Territorial Gov
erumcnt, and TO induce them, il possible, To
abandon their hostility, ard 10 enter upon
the peaceful but decisive struggle Of the
ball0tbox. ! was often with the Governor
when h. addressed the people, and gave my
bes, Efforts IN aid Of the great pnrpoae II
concilation.
II was too late to induce the people a. 90
into the June election for delegates 10 the
Convention The registration required by
law bad bsn imperfect in all the counties,
and had been wholly omitted in one half Of
them; nor could the people Of these disfran
ehinai counties vote in any adjacent county,
as has been falsely suggested. In Sich Of
them ~ subsequently, took ccnsus or regis.
try Of their own, the delegates chosen were
~, admitted 10 seats 10 the convention
Nevertheless, IL IL not 10 be denied that the
great central fact, which controlled the whole
case, was the utter want u confidence by the
people in the whole machinery Of the Terri.
torial Government. They alleged that the
local officers. IN all Instance. were unscrupn.
lOli- partisans. who had previously dcfraaded
them in the elections. and who were ready 10
rereat the same outrsg'r sgaiD; that, even
il lntrnders from abroad should not be per
mitbd 10 overpower them, they would be
cheated by falre returns which il would no,
be possible for the Governor and Secretary
~ defeat. Although al the time these slp
prehensions Ssned 10 me 70 be preposterous
and uhfouDded, II was impossible 10 deny the
earDstn'ss and sincerity with which they
were urged or 10 doubt that they were the
reuilt n dsp convictions, having their orr
gin 10 some previous experience of that ma
ture.
The worst portion a the small minority IN
Ksnsas, who had po~tssion Of the Ierri,o-
raj organization. loudly and bitterly com
pained ofGov. Walker policy oi repression.
And when, under the solemn assurances
given tia, the elections should be fairly c0D.
d1c,ed, ard no frauds which We could reach
h. countensnoed Or tolerated, !, bad become
APPARENT that the mas u the people were
prepared and determined 10 participate 10
the October elections, the minority endea-
vored 10 defeat the result by rcvying the tar
qualification for eiec,0ry, which had been
repealed by the previous Legi,lA,ure.-