Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-02-13
The Presidents Kansas Message.


week to the readers Of The PnGNlx. the mes
sage Ofthe President upon the admission of Kan
sas into the Union under the swindle known as
the Lecompton Constitution, and which was
transmitted 10 Congress with copy of that doc
ument, is given TO our readers in full We
commend 1t to the attention of every individual
as an exhibition Of the depth of degradation
to which man, elevated to the Chief Magis-
tracy of this nation, can descend in his servili-
~ to the Slave power. 1t is a spectacle well
calculated to arouse the indignation and excite
the pity of every freeman in the country in
dignatlon that our most cherished rights should
be thus lamely surrendered, and pity for the
weakness of the man whom accident has placed
in position of responsibility, but who sports
with these rights with as much nonchaance as
an insane man would handle murderous weap-
ons.
10 notice the numerous ms-slaiements per-
versions and suppression of facts with which Mr.
Buchanans message abounds, would require
much larger space than we can conveniently
devote 10 that purpose Many of them are suf-
fciently palpable TO arrest the attention of the
most Indifferent reader of political history
others are mutually contradictory and hence do
not require remark. A few OF the more i'm
portant errors merit criticism.
The message opens with general declara-
ton that those inhabitants of Kansas who have
refused To recognize the legality of the terrific
rial legislature elected in March 1855, and the
validity OF lis subsequent legislation, are in
state of rebellion. Mr.. Buchanan saws:
Ever since that period his inauguration large
npOue O ho bq.u IN, :
rebellion aga nst the government with military lead
er at hir head of turbulent and dangerous charac
ter. They have never acknowledged, but have con-
stantly renowned and deie the government 10 which
they swore allegiance, and have been all this time in
state OF rebellion against its authority. They have
all the time been edcayorng to subver it and estab-
lsh revolutionary government under the so called
Topeka constitution in its stead"
There can he no rebellion in our country but
against government established by The people.
The Kansas Nebraska act is claimed by those
who framed it and effected lis enactment, and
they are competent judges, to have given to the
inhabitants of the Territories the power as well
as the right to decide for themselves the char
ac'er OF the laws and institutions under which
they should live. Did the people Of Kansas
establish such government If they did not
then there can be no rebellion The cool ef-
frontery with which the President aludes TO
the territorial government of Kansas as the only
illegal government" and of its opponents as
traitors and rebels against the government Of
the United States, invites attention 10 the orr
gin of this so-called legal government.
What are the facts The first Legislature
of Kansas was chosen by an invasion from Mis-
souri, by the following vote Pro- Slavery 5427 !;
Free State 79l. This appears to be pretty
formidable majority until it is analyzed. This
was thoroughly done by Commissioners sent by
Congress 10 Kansas. From their printed re.
port, which has never been c0nirnveued, it ap-
pears that of this aggregate of 62lS votes, only
lil0 were legal 1908 votes were illegal, or
more than three to one. Ii was the most STU
pendous fraud ever perpetraled under our Gov
eminent. This invading army was literally
supplied with cannon, bayonels and whisky. -
They rudely set aside The regular Judges of
election, and appointed their own The Free
State men, III consequence, abandoned The polls
Notwithstanding this, the 79l votes which the
Free State men poed, was plurality Of liz
of the legal votes cast at that election, and thus
entitled them 10 the Legislature.
Such was the origin of the ''government" to
whose edicis large majority of the inhabitants
u.
fusa has been called by the President, "rebell-
ION - This government, conceived in sin ard
brought forth in lniquity, has been countenanced
and supported by the very men who would now
tolst upon the people Of the territory Const-
tuition emanaing from such source. The
Constitution of the United States provides in
Article A, Section A, that ''the United States
'shall guarantee to every State a Republican
form of government, and shall protect each of
'Mem against inUdSioR.'' Here the army of
the United States was used 10 protect the inra-
derS, and Mr.. buchanan sigInaizes the people
OF Kansas as traitors and rebels because they
do not accept government thus forced upon
them!
In accordance with what they then deemed
10 oe conceded them by The organic act, the
majority OF the people of Kansas met in con-
venlon by delegates aud framed form of gov
eminent known as the Topeka Constitution. -
This constitution was adopted by more than
two-lhlrds of the inhabitants of that Territory
and is equally popular now They prayed for
admission into the Union under that Constitu.
ton but their prayer was denied. Mr.. Blu
chanan admits that had the Lecompton Consti.
tutlon been submitted entire to the peoplo il
w0nld have been voted down, because il would
'haYe removed the obstacles out of the way OF
their own revolutionary [Topeka constitution. ~
In other words The people of Kansas are in re-
bellon against government which they would
vote down the first time an opportunity offers
This is strange doctrine to republican ears, but
no more strange than the logic used 10 enforce
it.
The President lays great stress upon the fac
that the opponents of this fraudulent territorial
government refused 10 vote in the election o.
delegates to the l.ecompton Convention. We
are of the opinion that the majority of mankind
will concda with them in thinking that the ex,