Freeman's champion., 1858-02-18
GENERAL LANES SPEECH
At LG,orence, Feb. l3, 1858, IN Gns,ocr to
the Presidents Message.

hhnDNb was Hclu III Iho h"AA VI sh0
House Of Representatives in Law
renee, on Saturday, Feb. l3, 1858.
The meeting was called to order by
Judge Conway, and permanently Dr.
ganized by electing the following
Officersi
Prssident-Hon. Henry j. Adams,
of Leavenworth.
Secretaries-A. ID. Richardson,
of Quindaro, Sam. f. Tappan, of
Lawrence.
Mr.. Stratton, of Doniphan, moved
that Gen. LANE be invited to address
the meeting upon the recent message
ofthe President to Congress, concern
ing Kanzas affairs.
Gen. j. H. Lane accordingly took
the stand, and spoke as follows:
Fellow CITIZENS: With your per-
mission, ] will occupy a few moments
of your valuable time in noticing tn,
Special Message of the President Of
the United States, transmitting the Le-
compton Constitution to the Senate.
No one regrets the Necessity for
such q notice more than myself, but
an official paper, emanating from the
Representative of the Government,
is presumed to be correct, at least in
it's recitation of facts. But whether
proceeding from ignorance or malice,
| venture the assertion that the Mes
sage stands without parallel in it
Justification of history. Applause.
A VoIoE-That's sol
Gen. LANE hope to demonstrate
that it contains an unmanly assault
upon patriotic, patient and peace
loving people. 1t is known to you,
and it is matter ofhistory. that there
never has been in Kanzas any organ
ization, public or secret, armed OF
unatmod, against the General Gov
ernment, the Territorial Government,
or the Missouri-enacted code.
At the great Delegate Convention
held at Big Springs in September,
1855, it was unanim ously resolved,
after full discussion and deliberation,
not to organize in resistance to that
code, but to leave each member of the
Free State party free to act independ-
emily in that regard. Never has there
been moment in our history when
writs could not be freely served in
Lawrence or elsewhere in the Terri
tory. Towards that Missouri code
we adopted the let-alone policy, neither
resorting to nor resisting it; and d
fell of It's oOn weight, beneath tho con
tempt OF an indignant people.
Applause.
While the Territorial officers ap'
; pointed by the Federal Government
have been regarded and watched al
enemies, yet their authority has al
ways been acknowledged, and thei
positions respected. Knowing, as w
long have, that collision between
| IN
the people of Kanzas and the Fedora
authorities was sought for by our en-
emies, both here and In the Genera
Government, we have borne and for
borne as Americans were never callet
on to do before us.
When our Territory was occupied
by four distinct armies from foreigl
States, laying waste the country ant
avowing their determination to exter
inmate the people of Kanzas-befor
resisting them we called upon tn
, Territorial authorities and the Com
mandant of the United States troop
, for protection. Not until that pro
lection was refused, did we attack tn
marauders, Never have the people Q
: Ranzas been IN arms except to resist IN
uasion from other States.
, Before the Convention at BiI
, Springs, q meeting had been calle
at Lawrence, to organize the Dem
:, ocrat party in the Territory. In tina
i meeting the plan was brought fol-
ward, to organize State Government
t under the Enabling clause, not doubt
4 cd at that time to be emphaticall
enunciated in the anzas-Nebrask
bill.
Q At Big Springs, this plan was EN-
n braced as the peaceful and legal one
s in preference to organized resistanc
to the Territorial laws, to save tn
: effusion of blood, and aOoid thos
laws, instead of coming in conflit
It with them. The delegates were fairl
y elected by the settlers of Kansas.
L Constitution was framed, Republica
in lis form--submitted as m entiret
to o fair and full vote Of the Who'll
= people, and ratified by them. Stat
= officers and members Of the Legisla
d t,ve, q Representative to Congress-
~ ~ sIl ca. G...A..