Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-12-15


called upon, as posse c0mitatis in the exc
cution Of civil and criminal process.
Still, the troubles could not have been
permanently settled without an election by
the people. The balot-box is the surest ar
bitter of disputes among freemen. Under
this conviction, every proper effort was em-
ployed to induce the hostile parties to vote
at the election of delegates to frame
State Constitution, and afterwards at the
election to decide whether Kansas should be
slave or free State. The insurgent par
ty refused to vote at either, lest this might
be considered a recognition on their part OF
the Territorial Government established by
Congess. A better spirit however, seemed
soon after to prevail, and the two parties
met face to face at the third election, held
on the first Monday of January, 1858, for
members of the Legislature and State Off
GERS under the Lecompton Constitution.
The result was the triumph of the anti-sla-
very party at the polls. This decision of
! the ballet. box proved clearly that this party
were in the majority. and removed the dan
ger of civil war. From that time we have
heard little OF nothing of the Topeka Gov
ernment, and all serious danger of revolu-
tionary troubles in Kansas at an end.
! The LecOmpton Constitution, which had
| been thus recognised at this State election
! by the votes of both political parties in Kan
sas, was transmitted to me with the request
that should present it to Congress This
! could not have refused to do without vio-
lating my clearest and strongest convictions
Of duty. The Constitution, and all the pro-
ceedings which preceded and followed its
formation, were fair and regular on their
face. / tnen believed, and experience has
tbot ba ,nta 10 Of ba Ia Of
! Kansas would have been best consulted by
its admission as a State into the Union, es-
! pecialy as the majority, within brief Pc
riod, could have amended the Constitution
| according to their will and pleasure. If
! fraud existed in all or any Of these proceed
! ings, it was not for the President, but for
| Congress, to investigate and determine the
! question Of fraud, aud what ought to be its
consequences. If, at the first two elections,
the majority refused to vote, it cannot be
pretended that this refusal to exercise the
elective franchise could invalidate an elec-
ton fairly held under lawful authority, even
! if they had not subsequently voted at the
third election. 1t is true that the whole
Constitution had not been submitted to the
people, as always desired but the prece-
dents are numerous Of the admission Of
States into the Union without submission.
1t would not comport with my present
purpose to review the proceedings of Com
gress upon the Lecompton Constitution. 1t
| is sufficient to observe that their final &C.
tion has removed all vestige of serious revo-
lutionary troubles. The desperate band re-
Gently assembled under o notorious outlaw
in the Southern portion of the Territory, to
resist the execution of the laws and to plum
der peaceful citizens, will, doubt not, be
speedily subduei and brought to justice.
Had | treated the Lecompton Constitu-
tion as nulity and refused to transmit it to
Congress, it is not difficult to imagine, whilst
recalling the position Of the country at that
moment, what would have been the disas-
trous consequences, both in and out of the
Territory, from such dereliction of duty
on the part of the Executive.
Peace has also been restored within
the territory of Utah, which, ut the COM
mencement Of my Administration, was in a
state of open rebellion. This was the more
dangerous, as the people, animated by a fa-
natical spirit, and entrenched within their
distant mountain Businesses, might have
made long and formidable resistance. Cost
what it might, it was necessary to bring
them into subection to the Constitution and
the laws. Sound policy therefore, as we'll
if possible, be accomplished without tn
effusion of blood. This could only be effect
ed by sending military force into the Ter
aitory sufficiently strong to convince the
people that resistance would be hopeless,
and at the same time to offer them u pardon
for past offences or condition Of immediate
submission to the Government. This policy
was pursued with eminent success and the
only cause for regret is the heavy expendi-
ture required to march u long detachment of
the army to that remote region, and to fur
nish it subsistence. Utah is now compara-
lively peaceful and quiet, and the military
force has been withdrawn, except that por-
tion of it necessary to keep the Indians in
check, and to protect the emigrant trains
on their way to our Pacific possessions.
FINANCES.
In my first annual message, promised to
employ my best exertions, in cooperation
with Congress, to reduce the expenditures
of the government within the limits of wise
and judicious economy. An oyerhowing
treasury had produced the habits of prodig-
ality and extravaganza which could only be
gradually corrected. The work required
both time and patience. Iapplied l myself
| diligently to this task from the beginning, and
was aided by the able and energrtic efforts
of the heads of the different Executive De.
partments. The result of our labors in this
good cause did not appear in the snm total
I of our expenditures for the first two years,
mainly in consequence of the extraordinary
expenditure necessarily incurred in the
Utah expedition, and the very large amount
of the contingent expenses of Congress dur
ing this period. These. greatly exceed the pay
and mileage of the members. For the year
ending Both June, 1858, whilst the pay and
mileage amounted to 81, ,490,2l4 the contin-
gent expenses rose to 81, 093, 300 70, and for
the year ending 3Oth June, 1859, whilst the
pay and mileage amounted to $3.50, ,093 &C,
the contingent expenses amounted to 81, ,43l-
sos 7S. am happy, however, to be able to
inform you that during the last fiscal year,
ending on the Both June 1860, the total ex.
penditures of the government in all its
branches-legislative, executive, and judi
cial-exclusive of the public debt were re-
duced to the sum of $50, ,402. .459 46. This
conclusively appears from the books of the
Treasury. In the year ending on the 3Oth
June, 1858, the total expenditure, exclusive
, of the public debt, amounted to S7l ,90l ;.
100 &c, and that for the year ending 30th Of
| June. 1859. TO 66,346 226 Is. Whilst the