The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-12-17
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


Fello.c CiGzeus Of The Senate and House Of Repre-
S6WtatireS:
When we compare the condition of the Coun-
try at the present day with what it was one
wear ago. at the meeting Of Congress, have
much reason for gratitude 10 that Almighty
Providence, which has never failed to inter
pose for our relief, al the most critical periods
of our history. One year ago, the sectional
strife between the North and the South on the
dangerous subject OF slavery, had again become
so intense as to threaten the peace and perpetu-
ity Of the confederacy. The application for the
admission q! Kansas as State into the Union,
fostered this unhappy agitation, and brought
the whole subject once more before Congress.
Ii was the desire of every patriot that such
measures Of legislation might be adopted,
would remove the excitement from the States,
and confne It to the Territory where it legit-
mately b. longed. Much has been done. | am
happy to say, towards the accomplishment of
this object during the last session of Congress.
The Supreme Court of the United States bad
previously decided, that all American citizens
have an equal right to take into the Territories,
whatever is held as property under the laws Of
any of the States, and 10 hold such property
there under the guardianship Of the federal con-
stilution, so long as the territorial constitution
shall remain.
This is now welI-established position, and
the proceedings of the last session were alone
wanting to give il practical effect. The prIn-
ciple has been recognised, IN some form or other,
by an almost unanimous vote OF both houses Of
Congress, that Territory has right 10 come
into the Union either as free or slave State,
according to the will Of majority OF its peo-
pie The just equality OF all the States has thus
been vindIcated. and fruitful source of dam
gerous dissension among them has boon rsee---
red.
Whilst such has been the beneficial tendency
Of yonr legislative proceedings outside of Kan
sas, their influence has nowhere been so happy
as within that Territory itself. Left 10 manage
and control its own affairs in IFS own way, With
out the pressure of external influence, the revo-
Iutionary Topeka organization and all resistance
to the territorial government established by
Congress, have been finally abandoned. As
natural consequence, that fine Territory now
appears to be tranquil and prosperous, and IS
attracting increased thousands oi immigrants to
make il their happy home.
The past unfortunate experience Of Kansas,
has enforced the lesson so often already taught,
that resistance 10 lawful authority, under our
form of government cannot iall IN the end to
prove disastrous 10 its authors. Had the Peo-
Die of that Territory yielded obedience to the
laws enacted by their legislature, 1t would at
the present moment have contained large ad-
ditional population Of industrious and enterpri-
sing citizens, who have been deferred from en-
tering its borders by the existence OF civil strife
and organized rebellion.
1t was the resistance 10 rightful authority and
the perseye-ing attempts 10 establish feVo!u-
tionary government under the Topeka constilu-
tion, which caused the people of Kansas TO
Commit the grave error OF refusing to vote for
delegates TO the convention to frame conStltu-
ton, under law not drnied TO BE- fair and Just
in its provisions. This refusal TO vote has been
the prolific source fall the evils which have
followed. In their hostility to the territorial
government, they disregarded the principle, alb
solutely essential 10 the working of our form Of
government, that majority Of those wao vote
NOT the majority who may remain at LONE,
from whatever cause-muSt decide the result OF
an election For this reason, seeking TO take
advantage ftheir own error, they denied the
authority of the convention thus elected to frame
a constitution.
The convention, notwithstanding, proceeded
10 adopt a constitution uneXceptIouable IN It's
general features, and providing for the subms-
sion OF the slavery question TO vote OF the peo'
pie, which, in my opinion, they were bound 10
do, under the Kansas and Nebraska act. This
was the alI-mportant question which had alone
convuIsed the Territory; and yet the opponents
of the lawful government, persistIng IN then
first error, RETAINED from exercising their right
10 vote, and preferred that slavery should con-
tinue, rather than surrender their revolutionary
Topeka organization.
wiser and better spirit seemed to prevail
before the first Monday of January last, whef
an election was held under the constitution. a
majority ofthe people then voted for a COVER
nor and other State officers, for member o
Congress, and members of the State Legislature
This election was warmly contested by the two
political parties in Kansas, and a greater vote
was polled than at any previous election. A
large majority of the members OF the Legislature
elect belonged to that party which had PreVr
ously refused to vote. The antl-savery party
were thus placed in the ascendant, and the Po
li,lcal power of the State in their owl
hands. Had Congress admitted Kansas int
the Union under the Lecompton constitution
the legislature might, al its very first session