Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-02-10
ADDRESS OF HON. r. p. STANTON,
LATE seer ETARY oF KANSAS TERRITORY.

To the People Of The United STATES
Having been recently removed from the of
fee of Secretary of Kansas Territory, under
circumstances which imply severe censure on
the part of the President, and having had no
official information of my removal, nor any op-
portdnity for explanation or defence. have
deemed it necessary TO present to the People
of the United States a brief statement of facts
in vindication of my motives, and in explana-
tion of the results of the act for which l have
been condemned.
The office in question was not given at my
solicitation. My acceptance of it under all
the circumstances, was proof of strong friend
ship for the President, and of unbounded con-
fflence in the flrmneSs and faithfulneSs with
which he would adhere to the line of policy
deliberately agreed npon 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 coDdi-
ton of affairs. | supposed the question of sla-
very to be the only cause of Gissension and
difficulty among the people and in my brief
inaugural address of the 17th April, treated
this as the chief subject of difference upon
which Il Submission to the people would be
er, that this view was altogether too limited,
and did rot reach the true ground of contro-
versy. The great mass of the inhabitants of
the Territory were dissatisfied with the local
government, and earnestly denied the validity
of the existing laws. Asserting that the pre-
vious Legislature had been forced upon them
by the fraud and violence of u neighboring
people, they proclaimed their determination
never TO submit TO the enactnlcnts Of legisla-
tive bodies thus believed TO be illegitiniate,
and not e.titled to obedience.
This WAS the condition of things when Gov.
Walker came to the Territory in the latter part
OF May. 1t was evident that the just policy of
permitting the people to regulate their own af-
! fairs conld not be successfully carried ont nm
less they could be inspired with confidence in
| the agents Of Government through whom this
result was TO be effected. II mere minority
of the people had been thus dissatisfied and
| contumacious, they might possibly have been
pronounced actious and treated disturbers
of the peace bat when the dissatisfaction was
| general, comprising almost the whole people.
| more respectful consideration was indispen-
| sable to peaceable adjustment. 1t was evi-
| dent that the policy of repreSsion-a rigid at
| tempt to enforce submission without effort
| at conciiiation-would inevitably result in a
renewal Of the civil war. With commendable
anxiety to avoid this contingency, Gov. Walk
| er resolved TO go among the people, to listen
| to their complaints, to give them assurance oi
a fair aud just administration of the Territorial
| Government. and to induce them, if possible
to abandon their hostility, and to enter upon
| the peaceful but decisive struggle of the bal.
| lot box. | was often with the Governor when
| he addressed the people. and gave my best eff.
forts i'll aid of the great purpose of conciiiation
1t was too late to induce the people TO go in
| to the June election tor delegates to the Con.
vention. The registration required by law
/ had been imperfect in all the counties, and had
/ been wholly omitted in one-haf of them !; nol
couid the people in these disfranchised coun.
| ties vote in any adjacent count :, as has beer
falsely suggested. In such of them as subse.
/ quenty took census or registry of their own
| the delegates were not admitted to seats in the
| Convention. Nevertheless, il is not to be de-
MED that the great central fact which controil
ed the whole case, was the utter want of conf
| dence by the people in the whole machinery
of the Territorial Government. They alleged
that the local officers, in all instances, were
unscrupulous partisans, who had previously
defrauded them in the elections, and who were
| ready to repeat the same outrages again thar
| even If intruders from abroad should not pe
| permitted to overpower them, they would pe
cheated by false returns, which it wouia ho'
| be possible for the Governor and Secretary tc
defeat. Although at that time these appre.
| tensions seemed to me to be preposterons ano
unfounded, it was impossible to deny the ear
| nestness and sincerity with which they were
urged or to doubt that they were the result o
deep convictions, having their origin in some
| previous experience of that nature.
: The worst portion of the small minority il
Kansas, who had possession of The territoris