The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1858-12-09
Presidents Message.
Thanks God for helping him ont of
the KANSAS trouble, and for saving
the Union.


the Union.
Felloae-citizens Of the Senate and House ef
Representatives.:
Wien we compare the condition of the coun-
try Of tie present day with WI at il was one year
sgo On the meeting Of Corsress, We have reason
for gratitude 10 that Almighty Providence which
has failed TO inteTpose for our relief, at the
most critical periods OF our history. One year
ago thc sectioLal strife between the North and
tie South On the dangerous subject OF slavery,
had sgain become so intense as TO threaten the
peace aud PeTpetnity of the Confeoeracv The APP
plcuticn for the admission of Kansas as a State
into the Union, fosteIed this unhappy agitation,
end brought the whole subject once more before
Congress. 1t was the desire Of every patriot
that such measures of legislation might be adopt
ed suid remove the excitement from the States
ard COZ ire it to the Territory where it legiti-
niately belonged. Much has been done, I am hap
~ 10 say, towards the accom- pishment Of his OBJ
ject during the last session OF Congress.
SLAVERY THE LAW OF THE TERRITORIES.
lie supreme Court of the United States had
previously decided sbat all American citizens have
az equal right TO take into the Territories " at
ever is held as property under the laws Of any OF
the States, ard TO hold such property there under
the guardianship OF the Fedora! Constitution, so
long as tie territorial condition shall remain.
This is now a well established position, ard tho
proceedings Of the last SESSION were aloLe want
ing 0 give it practical effect he principle has
bean recognized in some form or other, by an al
most uranmous vote OF both Houses Of Congress.
that Territory has q right to come into the
Cuion ether az fee or slave State, according
to tl-e VIII of majority Of the people. Tie just
eaoa.sY OF ell the States has thus been wildcat
cd, Gud irCNful source Of dangerous disgention
amor them has been removed.
Whilst such has been the beneficial tendency
II our legislative proceedings outside Of Kansas,
Their il fgence has nowhere been so happy as win
in that Territory Itself Lett to manage and con
trGl is own affairs IN its own way, without the
pressure Of external influence, the revolutionary
Topeka organization and all resistance TO tie
Territorial Government established By CONGRESS,
have been finally abandoned. As q natural con
sequence, that fine Territory appears now to be
Tranquil and prosperous, and is attracting ircreas-
irE tlsr aucs Of immigrants to make il tLe.r hap
py nome
READS KANSAS 4 LECTURE.
Tho iast unfortunate experience of Kansas has
enforced ,le lesson so often already taught that
e-,iaucz 80 lawful authority, under our form Of
aetr.u~ It's authors. And the people the Ter
ritg-. dcd obedience to The laws enacted bv
tic, satute, it would at the present moment
have ..aiLcd larger additional population Of
industrious and enterprisirg citizens, who have
been deferred from entering its borders l,v the ex-
IT vas tie resistance TO Tightful authority and
the Iarscyering attempts to establish a revolution
airy government under the Topeka Constitution.
which caused the people of kanses to commit the
grave error Of refusing to vote for the delegate
to tle Convention to frame Constitution under
law rel denied TO be fair and lust in its proyis-
ions. THIS refusal 10 vote has been the prolific
source OF all the evils which have followed. In
their hostility TO the Territorial government, they
disrepatded the principle absolutely essential to
the working Of our form Of government that
majority Of those who vote-Dot the majority of
those who remain at home, from whatever cause
must decide the result Of the election Eortle
reason, seeking TO take advantage of their own
error, they deLied the authority of the Convention
thus elected to frame Constitution.
lhc Convention, notwithstanding, proceeded to
adopt Constitution, unexceptionable in its gen.
era! features, and providing for the submission of
the slavery question TO vote of the people
which in my opinion they are bound to do under
the Kansas and Nebraska Act This was the
alLiuportant question which had alone convuls.
ed he Territory; and yet the opponents of tie
laT government, persisting inJtheir fast error
refratueG from exercising their right to vote and
preferred that slavery should continue, rather than
surrender their revolutionary Topeka orgauizl-
tion
a wiser and better spirit seemed to prevail be-
fore the first Monday of January last when an
election was held under the Constitution. A ma
jority If the people then voted for the Governor
and o'her State officers, for member of Con.
gTess aud members of the State Legislature. This
election was warmly contested by the two poiti /
al parties in Kansas, and greater vote vs.
polls han at any previous election. 4 large ma
GRITTY @. tAe members of the Legislature elect be /
oHgti TO the party who had previously refused I
10 vote. The Anti Slavery party were tbHs /
placed a the ascendant and the political power
IF tie state was in their own hands. Had Con +
10 e-,tE a.. 1 j.. .,.E. 4
LecomPton Constitution, the Legislature might. +
It tlc very first session, have submitted the ques
ion % @ vote of the people, whether thew would
,r tae would not have a Convention to amend
heir constitution either on the slavery or any T
1tber question, and have adopted al necessary
means ior giving speedy effect TO the vii. OF the .
ldJarItgt Thus the Kansas question would have +
pleu imucaiat ely and finally settled
Cud these circumstances, | Submitted to
SouUc5s the constitution thus framed with all
Ec yA eTs already elected, necessary TO put the
state government Tito operation, accompanied by
a strong recommendation IL favor OF the ai1's
sion OF II anSas as State. In the course of mv
long pual.e life, have never reformed any OIL
rial act which in the retrospect, has afa ded me
moro heartfelt satisfaction. It's admission could
have Inflicted no possible injury to auv human
being, hills, it would, within brief period. have
restored peace to Kansas, and harmony to tie
Onion. In that event the slavery question would
egay cypressed Will otthe majority of the voters,
and popular sovereignty would thus have been
in constitutional manner. 4
NIsh my deep conviction ofdutv, I could have
pursued NJ other course. 1t Is true that rs IN an
iivii al had expressed an opinion, 6otn before
lnl durinr.ae session ofthe Convention in favoror
uamjttlg the remaining clauses Of The Coastitu.
ion as vel rs that concerning slavery to the pao
lie. I1t acting in an Official character. neither
1ysa'f a-r any hnnan authority hca the mover
D Pgri13-e the proceeiiugsjofthe Convention and
ecIare the Constitution which il had framed, a
utility. To have done this would have been T.
ioiA,ioD Of the Kansas and Nebraska act which
Eft tha PEOPLE o. the Territory perfectly free -
lrn and regulate their domestic institutions in
hcr own way, subject ouly - the Constitution
{ he United States 1t would equally have Vi
atai The great principle Of popular severe rrtv.
{ r1, i,lndaton OF our Institutions. 10 derive
he people Of the power if they thought troper
cNarc sc It, Of confding to delegates elected bv